Early voting in Louisiana begins Tuesday

Early voting for the Nov. 8 election in Louisiana begins Tuesday and continues through Nov. 1.

Louisiana residents who want to vote early can do so in person from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at their parish Registrar of Voters office and other designated locations. Information about where to vote and what races are on the ballot can be found at the Louisiana Secretary of State’s website.

Those who do not vote early over the next 10 days — excluding Sunday, Oct. 30 — will be able to vote on election day, Nov. 8.

Every voter in the state will have at least a U.S. Senate seat and eight proposed amendments to the Louisiana Constitution on the ballot. Most voters, except for those in the 4th Congressional District, where Rep. Mike Johnson is unopposed, will also have a U.S. House of Representatives seat on the ballot.

The proposed state constitutional amendments involve issues such as taxation, ethics and slavery, among others.

8 proposed amendments to the Louisiana Constitution: What you need to know

There are also two state legislative races on the ballot: in Senate District 5, which includes areas in Orleans and Jefferson parishes; and Senate District 17, which includes portions of Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Pointe Coupee, St. Helena, St. Martin, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana.

The District 5 seat was formerly held by Karen Carter Peterson, a New Orleans Democrat who resigned in April, a few months before accepting a plea deal with federal prosecutors for diverting Louisiana Democratic Party funds.

State Reps. Royce Duplessis and Mandie Landry, both New Orleans Democrats, are vying to fill Peterson’s vacancy.

The District 17 seat was formerly held by Rick Ward III, a Republican from Port Allen who resigned in June to take a private sector job. He would have been term-limited from running again next year.

Rep. Jeremy LaCombe, a Livonia Democrat, West Baton Rouge Parish Councilman Caleb Kleinpeter and physician Kirk Rousset, both Republicans, are competiting for the District 17 seat.

There are also a number of local races within each parish, including some municipal and parishwide propositions.

Thirteen parishes will have parishwide propositions: Avoyelles, Bienville, Caddo, Calcasieu, Caldwell, Cameron, East Carroll, Franklin, Lafayette, Lafourche, LaSalle, St. John the Baptist, and West Baton Rouge.

Sixteen parishes have limited jurisdiction propositions: Acadia, Bossier, Claiborne, Grant, Jefferson Davis, Natchitoches, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, Richland, St. Landry, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tensas, Vernon, Washington and Winn.

Seven parishes have both limited jurisdiction and parishwide propositions: Allen, East Baton Rouge, Evangeline, Iberia, Orleans, Sabine and Union.

Those who cannot vote in person, other than military or overseas voters, have until Nov. 4 to request an absentee ballot. Absentee ballots must be returned no later than 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 7.

Polling locations, sample ballots and more election information is available through the GeauxVote mobile app, the Secretary of State’s Voter Portal or GeauxVote.com. To contact the elections division, call (800) 883-2805 or email [email protected]