VOTE Absentee

CLICK HERE TO LEARN ABOUT NEW ABSENTEE VOTING LAWS THAT TOOK EFFECT AUG. 1, 2024.

In Louisiana, you must have a reason to be eligible to absentee vote, unless you are a military or overseas voter. There are specific reasons listed below that qualify you to absentee vote. You can 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 ballot return 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. You may use the application forms below. If you need assistance in voting or additional information, contact your registrar of voters.

For information on the Nursing Home Early Voting Program, click here.

Online Application: You may request an absentee ballot or enroll in the Nursing Home Early Voting Program by logging in to the Louisiana Voter Portal and following these steps:

1. Click the "Search By Voter" button.
2. Type in your First Name, Last Name, Zip Code and Birth Month and Year and then click the "Submit" button;
3. Click the "Request Absentee Ballot" link found under the Quick Links heading; and
4. 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 for Absentee by Mail Ballot  (see reasons to apply)
• Disabled Application for Absentee by Mail Ballot (see reasons to apply)
• Military or Overseas Application for Absentee by Mail Ballot
• Nursing Home Early Voting Program

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

General Application Qualifications (Reasons to Apply)

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, absentee vote. You may request a ballot for one (1) election only, or you may choose to automatically receive an absentee ballot for all upcoming elections.  Once you have opted in to automatically receive absentee ballots, you may choose to 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.

Temporarily Absent: If you are temporarily outside of Louisiana or your parish 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, absentee vote. 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 outside the territorial limits of the state or 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, absentee 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, absentee vote.

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, absentee vote.

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, absentee vote.

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, absentee vote.

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, absentee vote.

• Applications must be submitted by 4:30 p.m. CST on the 4th day before the election, unless you submit physician or hospital documentation with your application, in which case, the deadline is 4:30 p.m. CST on the day before the election. 
• A voter who feels they will not have time to vote timely by mail may request that the registrar transmit electronically a ballot along with a certificate and waiver of the right to a secret ballot, and the registrar shall do so. Alternatively, an immediate family member of the voter may pick up the necessary instructions, certificate, ballot, and envelope at the registrar's office.

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, absentee vote.

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, absentee vote.

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, absentee vote.

Disabled Application Qualifications (Reasons to Apply)

Physical Disability: If you are physically disabled, you may apply through the Disabled Application and, if not enrolled, enroll in the programs for voters with disabilities, senior citizens and nursing home residents. Once accepted by the registrar of voters, you may request a ballot for one (1) election only, or you may choose to automatically receive an absentee ballot for all upcoming elections.  You may also choose to receive your ballot electronically (by email).  Once you have opted in to automatically receive absentee ballots, you may choose to 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.

If you have not previously provided proof of disability to your parish registrar of voters, one of the following must be submitted along with your application:   

• 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.  

In addition to any disability documentation listed above, any voter enrolling in the disability program must also enclose a copy of a photo ID (Louisiana driver’s license, Louisiana special ID card or other photo ID with name and signature) or a letter of oath where you have listed the names and addresses of two persons residing in your precinct who could make oath, if required, to the fact that you are physically disabled.

Homebound: If you are homebound and cannot vote without assistance, you may apply through the Disabled Application and, if not enrolled, enroll in the programs for voters with disabilities, senior citizens and nursing home residents. If you are disabled and homebound and are voting for the first time, your proof of disability must be a physician's letter certifying that you are homebound to exempt you from law that requires that you either register or vote for the first time in person. If you have previously voted, you may provide proof of disability through any of the documents listed above.

Opting out of the absentee programS

If you qualified for absentee voting as a senior citizen or disabled voter, and you previously opted in to receive your absentee ballots automatically for each election, you may opt out at any time.  To do so, simply submit an Over 65 and Disability 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.

If you are currently enrolled in the military or overseas absentee ballot program and receive an absentee ballot for every eligible election in Louisiana, you may cancel your enrollment in this program early by using Military or Overseas Absentee Ballot Program Opt-Out Form. You can mail or hand deliver your signed form to your parish Registrar of Voters Office (contact information is available by phone or online at www.GeauxVote.com). Please note that the Military and Overseas Absentee Ballot Program is valid for at least a one year period, including one regularly scheduled federal general election, from the date of the application.

Timeline to Request an Absentee Ballot

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

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.

METHODS FOR RETURNING YOUR VOTED BALLOTS

• By Mail (includes commercial carrier).
• By Fax: Upon request submitted to the registrar of voter.
• By Hand Delivery: A voter or immediate family member of the voter may deliver the ballot to the registrar of voters (a signed statement must be completed upon delivery by anyone other that the voter, certifying their relationship to the voter)(no person except the immediate family of the voter shall hand deliver more than one marked ballot per election to the registrar of voters).
• Emergency Provisions: There are emergency provisions in place for Military, Overseas and hospitalized voters. Please contact the registrar of voters for additional information.

Deadlines for Returning Your Voted Ballots

General and Disabled Voters: Voted ballots must be received by your parish registrar of voters by 4:30 p.m. CST on the day before election day.

Military, Overseas or Hospitalized Voters: Voted ballots by military personnel and/or their dependents, U.S. citizens residing outside the U.S., or voters that are hospitalized must be received by your parish registrar of voters by 8 p.m. CST on election day.  If you feel that you will not be able to return your ballot timely, you may contact your registrar of voters for alternate methods to return your ballot.

REQUESTING AND RETURNING A FAXED BALLOT

If you requested an absentee ballot but do not feel like you will have time to return your ballot by mail, you may request that the registrar of voters send you by fax a certificate, a waiver of right to a secret ballot, and a ballot (if you have not already received your absentee ballot).  You may then complete the certificate and waiver of right to a secret ballot and either transmit by fax or by mail your voted ballot, the certificate, and the waiver to your parish registrar of voters.  Faxed ballots are subject to the request and return deadlines listed above.

Replacement Ballot

If you spoil your ballot, you may request a replacement ballot from your registrar of voters prior to submitting a voted ballot.

Opportunity to Cure Deficiencies

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; and
3. incomplete affidavit information, including but not limited to missing election date and voter information.

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.

STATUS OF YOUR ABSENTEE BALLOT

You can track the status of your absentee ballot here.  

NURSING HOME EARLY VOTING PROGRAM

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 with this 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 two weeks 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.