• military or overseas citizens;
• senior citizens (65+);
• voters with disabilities;
• higher education students & professors;
• religious clergy;
• voters temporarily absent during early voting and election day;
• voters who moved to a new parish more than 100 miles from former residence within 30 days of election;
• persons involuntarily confined to institution;
• sequestered jurors;
• voters hospitalized or who expect to be hospitalized during early voting and election day;
• voters employed upon state waters
• voters incarcerated for non-felony with sheriff's certification; and
• participants in the state's address confidentiality program.

• military or overseas citizens;
• senior citizens (65+); 
• people who are homebound because of a disability;
• students, who submit a copy of student ID or fee bill with the request;
• citizens who appear in the registrar of voters office before the election to verify identity; and
• participants in the state's address confidentiality program;
  
• a person who was registered to vote in another parish and previously voted in the other parish (R.S. 18:115(F)(e).​
  

• Senior Citizen: If you are 65 years of age or older you may apply through a General Application and, once accepted by the registrar of voters, vote absentee. You may apply for one election or you may apply to automatically receive an absentee ballot for all upcoming elections. Once you have opted in to automatically receive absentee ballots, you may opt out at any time by submitting an Absentee Program Opt-Out Form or your own written request to your parish Registrar of Voters. You will be removed from the Absentee Program automatically if any ballot mailed to you is returned to the registrar as undeliverable. Beginning in 2029, senior citizens enrolled in the absentee program will need to reapply every four (4) years.
  
• Temporarily Absent: If you will be temporarily outside your parish both during the early voting period and on election day, or expect to be, you may apply through a General Application and, once accepted by the registrar of voters, vote absentee. Any person who requests an absentee ballot be mailed to an address within the parish must indicate on the application the dates that they will be absent from the parish.
• Offshore: If you work or expect to be offshore working during the early voting period and on election day, you may apply through a General Application and, once accepted by the registrar of voters, vote absentee.
• Nursing Home: If you reside in a nursing home, veterans' home or a hospital for an extended stay for a physical disability and are unable to vote in person during early voting or at the polls on election day, you may apply through a General Application and enroll in the nursing home early voting program. Once accepted by the registrar of voters, the registrar or a deputy registrar will go to your home facility during a period of a week prior to the beginning of early voting through the last day of early voting. The registrar of voters will bring either a paper ballot or a portable voting machine and guide you through the process of casting your vote.
• Higher Education: If you are a student, instructor or professor located and living outside of your parish of registration, or the spouse/dependent thereof, you may apply through a General Application and, once accepted by the registrar of voters, vote absentee.
  
• Clergy: If you are minister, priest, rabbi, or other member of the clergy assigned outside of your parish of registration, or a spouse/dependent, you may apply through a General Application and, once accepted by the registrar of voters, vote absentee.
  
• Moved Out of Parish: If you moved more than 100 miles from the parish seat of your former residence after the voter registration books closed (30 days prior to an election), you may apply through a General Application and, once accepted by the registrar of voters, vote absentee.
• Involuntary Confinement: If you are involuntarily confined in an institution for mental treatment outside your parish of registration and you are not interdicted and not judicially declared incompetent, you may apply through a General Application and, once accepted by the registrar of voters, vote by absentee.
  
• Hospitalized: If you expect to be hospitalized on election day and did not have knowledge of the hospitalization until after the time for early voting had expired; or you were hospitalized during the time for early voting and you expect to be hospitalized on election day; or you were either hospitalized or restricted to bed by your physician during early voting and on election day, you may apply through a General Application and, once accepted by the registrar of voters, vote absentee.
• Incarcerated: If you are incarcerated or expect to be incarcerated in an institution inside or outside of your parish of registration and you are not under an order of imprisonment for conviction of a felony, you may apply through a General Application and, once accepted by the registrar of voters, vote absentee.
• Address Confidentiality Program: If you are a program participant in the secretary of state's Address Confidentiality Program, you may apply through a General Application and, once accepted by the registrar of voters, vote by absentee.
• Juror: If you will be sequestered on the day of the election, you may apply through a General Application and, once accepted by the registrar of voters, vote absentee.

• a voter registration application requesting assistance in voting;
• a copy of a mobility impaired identification card issued by the Office of Motor Vehicles;
• a copy of social security disability benefits, veteran’s disability benefits, paratransit services, benefits from the Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities or benefits from Louisiana Rehabilitation Services; or
• a letter from a physician, optometrist, physician assistant or nurse practitioner certifying your disability. 

For General and Disabled Applications, applicants must request a ballot by 4:30 p.m. CST on the 4th day before election day.

For Military, Overseas, or Hospitalized Applications: Military personnel and/or their dependents; U.S. citizens residing outside the U.S.; or voters that are hospitalized must request their ballot by 4:30 p.m. CST on the day before election day.

You may submit an application requesting an absentee ballot through our online system or you may print and mail an application directly to your registrar of voters.

Please be aware of standard mail delivery times and the return ballot deadline when applying for an absentee ballot to ensure your voted ballot is received by the registrar of voters before the deadline. It is recommended that if you are going to request an absentee ballot that you apply as soon as possible, as there is no start date to apply.

Disabled voters, military voters, and overseas voters may be eligible to receive their absentee ballot electronically. Apply online or contact your registrar of voters for additional information.

Online Application: You may request an absentee ballot by logging in to the Louisiana Voter Portal and following these steps:

• Click the "Search By Voter" button.
• Type in your First Name, Last Name, Zip Code and Birth Month and Year and then click the "Submit" button;
• Click the "Request Absentee Ballot" link found under the Quick Links heading; and
• Complete requested information and submit.

Note: You must be logged in to the Voter Portal as the voter for whom the request is intended to electronically submit a request for an absentee ballot.

Print and Mail Application: You may also print an application to request an absentee ballot which you can complete and deliver to your parish registrar of voters. Delivery may be by U.S. Postal Service, commercial carrier, hand delivery or fax. If hand delivered or faxed, the application can only be for you or your immediate family member. Select the application that applies to you:

• General Application Form
• Disabled Application Form
• Military or Overseas Application Form

View upcoming election dates. You will need to list the election dates on your application.

​If you qualify for voting absentee as a senior citizen or disabled voter, you can opt in to the Absentee Program and receive ballots automatically for each election.  If you have previously opted in to receive your absentee ballots automatically, you may opt out at any time.  To do so, simply submit an Absentee Program Opt-Out Form or your own written request to your parish Registrar of Voters.  You will be removed from the Absentee Program automatically if any ballot mailed to you is returned to the registrar as undeliverable. Beginning in 2029, senior citizens enrolled in the absentee program will need to reapply every four (4) years.

• your request was not received timely (see "What is the timeline to vote by mail?");
• you registered by mail, and you must vote in person the first time, unless an exception applies (see "Who can vote absentee?");
• you applied to vote absentee from a parish or district/precinct where you are not registered to vote or eligible to vote;
• your application to register to vote was not received timely and therefore, you are not eligible to vote in the election (you must register to vote 30 days before an election in order to vote in the election); or 
• your request was incomplete (you may vote early or on Election Day).

• official ballot(s) (white paper ballot(s) for either the primary or general election);
• affidavit envelope (secrecy envelope to seal your voted ballot with affidavit flap to certify your information);
• return envelope (to mail secrecy envelope with voted ballot(s) to registrar of voters); and
• instructions for voting absentee.

Instructions for voting absentee for all voters (other than military and overseas citizens):

• View and confirm that you have your correct ballot by logging in to the Louisiana Voter Portal or downloading the free GeauxVote app on any smartphone or tablet.
• Mark your ballot - all pages, front and back by completely filling in the oval next to your choice. Pencil, black or blue pen are accepted. Do not make any stray or identifying marks on the ballot. You must mark your own ballot unless you are eligible for assistance. Request a replacement ballot, if necessary.
• Place voted ballot (all pages) in the Ballot Envelope and seal. The Ballot Envelope has a perforated Affidavit flap attached. Do not detach/remove the Affidavit flap from the Ballot Envelope.
• Complete Section 1: Election Date and Voter Information. Print the date of election. Print name, parish, address, city/town, and ward/precinct if not prepopulated on the Ballot Envelope Affidavit flap. (Your ward/precinct are on the return address label of the Return Envelope, if needed). Print your mother's maiden name or "unknown".
• Complete Section 2: Certification and Signatures. Read the statements that you are attesting to in voting. Sign and print your name on the Affidavit flap in the presence of a witness. The witness must sign and print their name.
• Complete Section 3: Assistance Acknowledgement: If registered for assistance, the person assisting you must also sign the Acknowledgment at the bottom of the Affidavit flap. If you are not registered for assistance, leave blank.
• Place the sealed Ballot Envelope with attached completed Affidavit flap containing the voted ballot in the Return Envelope that is addressed to the registrar of voters. Add First-Class Mail postage, if mailing. Return ballot by mail, commercial courier, hand delivery or by fax. (Contact your registrar of voters for fax information.)

Ballot will be counted on election night by the parish board of election supervisors with a digital scanner or by hand.

Important Notes:

• To change a vote, use pencil and erase completely.  If a black or blue pen was used, request a replacement ballot from your registrar of voters. Only vote for the number of candidates to be elected.  For propositions, vote either for or against. If you overvote, your ballot will be VOID in accordance with La. R.S. 18:1309.
• A voter is eligible for assistance if registered to vote as needing assistance, unable to read, or physically disabled including visual impairment. A voter may receive assistance from any person he chooses, except from a CANDIDATE, employer, employer's agent, or union agent. A voter registration application requesting a change for assistance in voting or proof of disability is required to be filed with the registrar of voters either by mail or in person if you become disabled after registering and need assistance in voting, unless assistance is needed because you are unable to read. The person assisting a voter must inform the voter that a signature or mark constitutes certification that all statements on the affidavit are true and correct and subject to fine or imprisonment, or both, for false or incorrect statements. La R.S. 18:1310 
  
• Your ballot will be counted by comparing the name on your affidavit to the list of absentee ballots and determining if your ballot is valid. A ballot may be rejected if: (1) it is successfully challenged by a candidate or their representative, a member of the board, or a qualified elector on grounds that the voter is not qualified to vote in the election or precinct or is not the person whose name is shown as being registered to vote; (2) the board has cause to reject the ballot (cause may include failure to fill in any and/or all blanks on the Affidavit flap of the Ballot Envelope); or (3) the ballot contains a distinguishing mark or feature that allows it to be identified as the voter's ballot. 
  

See vote absentee​ for all deadlines.

• REVIEW and confirm that you have your correct ballot by logging in to the Louisiana Voter Portal or by downloading the free GeauxVote app on any smartphone or tablet. Primary elections include: (1) Primary election white paper ballot and ballot envelope with affidavit flap; (2) General election (Green Ranking Ballot) and green ballot envelope with affidavit flap; and (3) One return envelope addressed to the registrar of voters. General election includes: (1) General election white paper ballot and ballot envelope with affidavit flap for any propositions added to the general election; and (2) One return envelope addressed to your registrar of voters.


• MARK your white paper ballot - all pages, front and back. Completely fill in the oval next to your choice. Pencil, black or blue pen are accepted. Do not make any stray or identifying marks on ballot. You must mark your own ballot unless you are eligible for assistance. Request a replacement ballot, if necessary.


• PLACE voted white paper ballot (all pages) in the Ballot Envelope and seal. The Ballot Envelope has a perforated Affidavit flap attached - Do NOT detach/remove the Affidavit flap from the Ballot Envelope.


• FILL in all blanks that are not pre-populated on the Affidavit, specifically: Print the date of election. Print name, parish and your Louisiana residential address where registered to vote if not pre-populated on the Ballot Envelope Affidavit flap. (Your voter registration number will be added by the registrar of voters). Print your mother's maiden name or "unknown".


• SIGN AND PRINT your name on the Affidavit flap after reading the statements that you are attesting to in voting.


• ASSISTANCE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT - If you are registered for assistance, the person assisting you in voting must sign and print their name on the Acknowledgement signature line at the bottom of the Affidavit flap. If you are not registered for assistance in voting, leave blank.


• PLACE the sealed Ballot Envelope with attached completed Affidavit flap containing the voted ballot in the white Return Envelope that is addressed to the registrar of voters. (If voting a General Election (green Ranking Ballot), do not seal until you have completed voting your General Ballot (green Ranking Ballot) and included it in the Return Envelope.

• The General Election (green Ranking Ballot) is sent with the Primary Election white paper ballot in order to timely vote in both elections for all candidate races where there are more than two candidates in a race. The deadline to add a proposition or question to the General Election falls after the Primary Election ballots are mailed and therefore, a General Election white paper ballot may be sent in a separate mailing before the General Election if a proposition or question was added to the election.


• MARK your General Election (green Ranking Ballot) by preference for each candidate by ranking your candidate choices by placing the number one (1) in the box next to the candidate's name of your first choice, the number two (2) next to the candidate's name of your second choice, and so on until you have completed voting. You may rank all candidates in each race.


• PLACE voted General Election (green Ranking Ballot)(all pages) in the green Ballot Envelope and seal. Green Ballot Envelope has a perforated flap with an Affidavit - DO NOT DETACH OR REMOVE THE AFFIDAVIT FROM THE BALLOT ENVELOPE.


• FOLLOW the instructions in numbers 4-7 above to complete the process.

• No postage is necessary. (To be mailed without prepayment of postage, the balloting materials must be deposited at a U.S. Post Office, an overseas U.S. Military Post Office (APO/FPO), a Diplomatic Post Office (DPO), or an American Embassy or American Consulate in accordance with DMM 703.8.2.2.


• Return ballots by mail, commercial courier, hand delivery or by fax (Contact your registrar of voters for fax information or other special return methods).

• To change a vote, use pencil and erase completely.  If a black or blue pen was used, request a replacement ballot from your registrar of voters. If you will not have time to request a replacement ballot by mail, contact the registrar of voters for another delivery method. Only vote for the number of candidates to be elected.  For propositions, vote either for or against. If you overvote, your ballot will be VOID in accordance with La. R.S. 18:1309.


• A voter is eligible for assistance if registered to vote as needing assistance, unable to read, or physically disabled including visual impairment. A voter may receive assistance from any person he chooses, except from a CANDIDATE, employer, employer's agent or union agent. A voter registration application requesting a change for assistance in voting or proof of disability is required to be filed with the registrar of voters either by mail or in person if you become disabled after registering and need assistance in voting, unless assistance is needed because you are unable to read. The person assisting a voter must inform the voter that a signature or mark constitutes certification that all statements on the affidavit are true and correct and subject to fine or imprisonment, or both, for false or incorrect statements. (La. R.S. 18:1310).


• Your ballot will be counted by comparing the name on your affidavit to the list of absentee ballots and determining if your ballot is valid. A ballot may be rejected if: (1) it is successfully challenged by a candidate or their representative, a member of the board, or a qualified elector on grounds that the voter is not qualified to vote in the election or precinct or is not the person whose name is shown as being registered to vote; (2) the board has cause to reject the ballot (cause may include failure to fill in any and/or all blanks on the Affidavit flap of the Ballot Envelope); or (3) the ballot contains a distinguishing mark or feature that allows it to be identified as the voter's ballot. 
  

Your vote will be counted election night by the parish board of election supervisors, via a digital scanner or hand count.

Before counting begins, your ballot will be verified​ by first comparing the name on your affidavit to the list of absentee ballots and determining if your ballot is valid. A ballot may be rejected if:

• it is challenged successfully by a candidate or their representative, a member of the board, or a qualified elector for grounds of the applicant not being qualified to vote in the election or in the precinct, or not being the person whose name is shown as being registered to vote;
• the board has cause to reject the ballot (cause may include failure to fill in any and/or all blanks on the affidavit)​; or
• the ballot contains a distinguishing mark or feature making the ballot susceptible of identification.

Each registrar of voters will review the absentee ballot envelope flaps when they are received for the following ballot envelope flap deficiencies:

1. missing voter signature;
2. missing witness signature;
3. missing mother's maiden name; and
   
4. missing or detached envelope flap
   

If upon receipt of an absentee ballot envelope flap, with one or more of the above identified deficiencies, the registrar of voters will immediately mail a written notice of the ballot envelope flap deficiency to the voter to give them an opportunity to cure the deficiency. If there is a telephone number or email address available in the voter’s registration record, the registrar of voters will also attempt to contact the voter by telephone or email. 

If you are contacted by the registrar of voters about a deficiency with your absentee ballot envelope flap, you must appear in person at their registrar of voters office by no later than 4:30 p.m. the day before the election to cure the ballot envelope flap deficiency.

Louisiana state law prohibits:

• giving or offering to give, directly or indirectly, money or anything of present or prospective value to influence a vote
• doing any of the following within 600 feet of the entrance of the polling place on election day:
• ​handing out or displaying campaign cards, pictures, or other campaign literature, or placing or displaying political signs, pictures, or other forms of political advertising which advocate for or against any candidate, proposition, or political party appearing on the ballot. The only exception is for placing or displaying political signs or pictures on private property that is not being used as a polling place
• Circulating a petition or seeking handwritten signatures to a petition
• knowingly, willfully, or intentionally transmitting or otherwise providing false or misleading information concerning an election from a source disguised as or impersonating the secretary of state, a registrar of voters, a clerk of court, or other election official
  
• intimidating, deceiving or misinforming, directly or indirectly, any voter or prospective voter in matters concerning voting or nonvoting
• voting or attempting to vote more than once at an election
• offering money or anything of apparent present or prospective value or use, directly or indirectly, or engage in any form of intimidation to influence the action or encourage inaction of any election official with regard to the duties of his or her office
• disobeying any lawful instruction of the registrar, deputy registrars, commissioners or a law enforcement officer assisting at the early voting location or polling place or without lawful authority, obstructing, hindering or delaying any voter on his way to or while returning home from any early voting location or polling place where an election is held or impede a voter from entering or exiting an early voting location or polling place
• voting or attempting to vote, knowing that you are not qualified, or influencing or attempting to influence another to vote, knowing such voter to be unqualified or the vote to be fraudulent
• voting or attempting to vote in the name of another or in an assumed or fictitious name, or in any manner other than as provided by the Louisiana Election Code
• supplying a false answer or statement to an election official or on any document required by the Louisiana Election Code, or executing an affidavit knowing it to contain false or incorrect information
• forging the name of another, or using a fictitious name on an affidavit or document required by the Louisiana Election Code
• unlawfully, directly or indirectly, possessing, tampering with, breaking, impairing, impeding or otherwise interfering with the maintenance, adjustment, delivery, use or operation of any voting machine or with any paraphernalia connected with or appertaining to the machine
• voters, election officials, watchers, or persons assisting a voter to allow a ballot to be seen, (except as provided by law), announce the manner in which a person has cast a ballot, place a distinguishing mark on a ballot with intent to make the ballot identifiable or make a false statement concerning a voter's ability to mark a ballot without assistance
• coercing, compelling or otherwise influencing an assisted voter to cast a vote in a certain way or fail to mark the ballot or vote in the manner dictated by the voter by the person providing assistance
• signing another voter's name in the precinct register
• attempting to influence an election official or watcher in the performance of his or her duties
• appearing in an intoxicated condition or possessing any beverage of alcoholic content
• voting at the polls on election day if you have voted early or submitted your absentee ballot
• voting if you have moved more than three months ago to an address outside of the parish or if registered to vote in another parish or state
• remaining within any early voting location or polling place or within a radius of 600 feet of the entrance of any polling place, except when exercising the right to vote, after having been directed by a commissioner or law enforcement officer to leave the premises or area of an early voting location or polling place
• ​carrying or possessing a firearm, except a peace officer in the performance of his or her duties
• accepting directly, or indirectly anything of economic value, including reimbursement of costs, for the purpose of transporting a voter to an early voting location or polling place, or for driving or being in charge of any motor vehicle being used for such purpose (bus, taxi or licensed transportation are exempt)

• No person, whether acting under color of law or otherwise, shall intimidate, threaten, or coerce, or attempt to intimidate, threaten, or coerce any person for voting or attempting to vote, or intimidate, threaten, or coerce, or attempt to intimidate, threaten, or coerce any person for urging or aiding any person to vote or attempt to vote, or intimidate, threaten, or coerce any person for exercising any powers or duties under federal law.
• Knowingly and willfully depriving, defrauding, or attempting to deprive or defraud the residents of Louisiana of a fair and impartially conducted election process by the procurement, casting, or tabulation of ballots that are known by the person to be materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent under the laws of the State of Louisiana in any election for federal office.
• ​Conspiring to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate any person in the free exercise or enjoyment of the right to vote or because of their having so exercised the right to vote.​