The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument, were prepared by Tim Prather.
DIGEST
Present law provides that state mail voter registration application forms received by a registrar of
voters from voter registration agencies (public assistance agencies, disability services,
recruitment offices, etc.) will be processed in the following manner:
(1)Upon receipt of the completed registration form, the registrar will, if the information
establishes that such mail voter registration applicant meets the requirements for
registration, register the applicant and mail notice of registration to the applicant's
residence, as provided on the application. Any completed voter registration application
transmitted to and received by a registrar by a designated voter registration agency shall
be considered an update to any existing registration for that person. However, if a
registrar accepts any application for registration, change of name, or change of address
that has been received by a designated voter registration agency while the registration
records are closed for a particular election as required by present law, none of the changes
will be effective until at least the day after the particular election has been held. In the
case of a change of address, the change will be effective in accordance with present law.
(2)If the information contained on the application form is insufficient to register the
applicant, the registrar of voters will mail a notice to the applicant at the address provided
on the application form informing the applicant that he has 10 days from the date on
which the notice was mailed to provide the necessary information. If the applicant fails to
provide the necessary information within that time, the applicant will not be registered
and the registrar will so advise the applicant.
Proposed law changes present law and provides that state mail voter registration application
forms received by a registrar of voters from voter registration agencies will now be processed as
ordinary mail voter registration application forms and require the registrar of voters to determine
the eligibility of such an applicant in the following manner:
(1)By mailing a verification mailing to the applicant at the address provided on the
application form. The mailing will instruct the postmaster to deliver only as addressed or
return to sender, with return postage guaranteed. If such mailing is not returned to the
registrar within 10 days from the date of mailing, the applicant will be added to the
official list of voters and the registrar of voters will send a notice of registration to the
applicant. If the verification mailing is returned to the registrar by the U.S. Postal
Service, the registrar will not add the applicant's name to the official list of voters and
will attempt to notify the applicant of such action.
(2)If an applicant fails to provide all of the required information on the application for voter registration, the registrar will notify the applicant in writing of the missing information
and inform him that he has 10 days from the date on which the notice was mailed to
provide the information. This written notification will be considered the verification
mailing as required in present law. If the applicant provides the information and the
registrar determines he is eligible to register, the applicant will be added to the official list
of voters and the registrar will send a notice of registration to the applicant. In the event
the applicant does not respond to the request for the missing information within ten days,
the application will be rejected and the registrar will advise the applicant in writing. If
the registrar's request for the missing information is returned by the U.S. Postal Service,
the applicant's name will not be added to the official list of voters and the registrar will
attempt to notify the applicant of such action.
Effective August 1, 2013
(Amends R.S. 18:116(E); repeals R.S. 18:115(A)(3))