The November 2024 elections are just weeks away.
In addition to voting for president, Louisiana voters will cast ballots in a number of congressional and local races and vote on several local propositions.
Early voting started on Friday, and if you registered to vote, you should be able to cast your ballot ahead of Election Day.
Here's what you should know before you head to the polls.
Key dates and deadlines
- Early voting: Oct. 18 through 29 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., excluding Sunday Oct. 20 and Sunday, Oct. 27
- Deadline to request absentee ballots: Nov. 1 at 4:30 p.m., excluding military and overseas voters
- Election Day: Polls are open from 6 a.m.-8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Are you eligible to vote?
To vote in Louisiana, you must be:
- Registered by the deadline
- At least 18 years old
- A U.S. citizen
- A legal resident
- Not under an order of imprisonment for conviction of a felony
- Not judicially declared mentally incompetent
Are you registered to vote?
The deadline to register in-person or by mail was Monday, Oct. 7. The deadline to register online was Tuesday, Oct. 15.
The Louisiana Secretary of State's website has a voter portal you can use to check whether you’re registered to vote.
- To find your voting information, select "Search by Voter"
- Type in your first and last name, zip code, birth month and year
- Click "Submit," and the portal should pull up your information
If you missed the deadline, you won’t be able to vote, but you can register for the next election online. If you’ve moved, changed your name, address or party affiliation, you should notify the registrar of voters in your parish or make changes online.
Can you vote by mail?
Unless you’re a military or overseas voter, you’ll need to have a specific reason to vote absentee. If you’re eligible, you can request an absentee ballot through the state’s online voter portal or you may print and mail an application directly to your registrar of voters. Military, overseas or hospitalized applicants must request their ballot by 4:30 p.m. the day before Election Day. All other applicants will need to request their ballots by 4:30 p.m. on the fourth day before the election.
Disabled, military and overseas voters may be able to get their absentee ballot electronically. For more information, they can contact their registrar of voters.
The deadlines for returning mail ballots are:
- By 8 p.m. on Election Day for military personnel and hospitalized and overseas voters
- By 4:30 p.m. the day before Election Day for all others
How to vote early
If you’re registered to vote, you should be able to vote early.
For typical elections, the early voting period starts 14 to seven days before the election. For presidential elections, it begins 18 to seven days beforehand.
Designated polling places will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. for each day of early voting.
Here's a list of early voting locations in Baton Rouge:
- Motor Vehicle Building, 2250 Main Street, Baker
- Fire Station Building, 11010 Coursey Boulevard, Baton Rouge
- Louisiana State Archives Building, 3851 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge
- Central Branch Library, 11260 Joor Road, Baton Rouge
- Baton Rouge City Hall, 222 St Louis Street (Room 607), Baton Rouge
You can find early voting locations for each parish on the state’s online voter portal.
Find your polling place
The state’s online voter portal tells you where to cast your vote. Search by voter or parish to find your polling location.
What’s on the ballot?
You can also view a sample of your ballot through the portal. Select the election date, your parish, ward and precinct, and your ballot should pop up.
What should I bring to the polls?
You’ll need to have a current and valid photo ID with your signature.
Options include:
- Louisiana driver’s license
- Louisiana special ID
- LA Wallet digital driver’s license
- Military ID
- Some other generally recognized picture ID
If your ID does not have your picture or signature, you can still cast your vote by signature on a voter affidavit.