Vote by Mail

In Louisiana, you must have a reason to be eligible to vote by mail, unless you are military or overseas voter (see military and overseas section below). There are specific reasons listed below that qualify you to vote by mail. You can submit an application requesting a mail ballot through the Secretary of States online system or you may print and mail an application directly to the Registrar of Voters office.

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 mail ballot electronically. Please contact the Registrar of Voters office (985-783-5120) for additional information.

 

Applications

Online Applications:

You may request an absentee by mail ballot 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 and Zip Code or Birth Month and Year and then click the 'Submit' button
3. Click the 'Request Absentee Ballot' link found under the Quick Links heading
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 by mail ballot which you can complete and deliver to the Registrar of Voters office. Delivery my 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.
Mail to: PO Box 315, Hahnville, LA 70057 or FAX: 985-783-5121.

Select the application that applied to you:

General Application for Absentee by Mail Ballot
Disabled Application for Absentee by Mail Ballot
Military or Overseas Application for Absentee by Mail Ballot

View: Video for Completing an Absentee Ballot

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 the 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 by mail 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.

Nursing Home

If you reside in a nursing home, veteran's 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, 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 your 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.

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 cheese 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 been previously provided proof of disability to the 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
• a physician's letter 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 Program

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 Absentee Program Opt-Out Form or your own written request to the Registrar of Voter. You will be removed from the Absentee Program automatically if any ballot mailed to you is returned to the registrar as undeliverable. 

 

Timeline to Request an Absentee Ballot by Mail

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: Applicants must request their ballot by 4:30 p.m. CST on the day before election day.

 

Method for Returning Your Voted Ballots

• By Mail (includes commercial carrier)
• By Fax: Upon request submitted to the Registrar of Voters
• 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 than that voter certifying their relationship to the voter.)
• 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 the 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 the 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 the Registrar of Voters for alternate methods to return you ballot.

 

Status of Your Absentee Ballot

You can track the status of your absentee ballot. See La R.S 18:1803 and La R.S. 18:1307 for more information.

 

Replacement Ballot

If you spoil your ballot, you may request a replacement ballot from the Registrar of Voters prior to submitting a voted ballot.