HLS 15RS-740 ORIGINAL
2015 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 290
BY REPRESENTATIVE NORTON
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
ELECTIONS: Provides for an extension of time for voting on election day under certain
circumstances
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 18:542 and to enact R.S. 18:541(C), relative to the hours of
3 voting; to provide for an extension in the closing of the polls on election day under
4 certain circumstances; to provide relative to the duties of parish boards of election
5 supervisors; to provide for notification of an extension in the closing of the polls; to
6 provide relative to the termination of voting on election day; and to provide for
7 related matters.
8Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9 Section 1. R.S. 18:542 is hereby amended and reenacted and R.S. 18:541(C) is
10hereby enacted to read as follows:
11 §541. Opening and closing of the polls
12 * * *
13 C.(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsections A and B of this Section,
14 if a polling place is delayed in opening or if, after opening, voting at a polling place
15 is interrupted for more than fifteen minutes, the parish board of election supervisors
16 for the parish in which the polling place is located shall order an extension of the
17 closing of the polls at the polling place by an equal number of minutes. For purposes
18 of this Paragraph, a polling place shall not be considered to be open until voting is
19 able to take place.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 15RS-740 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 290
1 (2) If a parish board of election supervisors orders an extension of the
2 closing of the polls pursuant to this Paragraph, the board shall take all reasonable
3 steps necessary to inform the voters and candidates of the extension, including but
4 not limited to issuing public service announcements and press releases to local news
5 services and other media outlets and posting notices.
6 §542. Termination of voting
7 A person who is in line to vote when the polls close on election day shall be
8 allowed to vote. Voting in a primary or general election shall terminate (1) when the
9 polls close, if no one is in line to vote at that time, or (2) when all the persons who
10 were in line to vote at 8:00 p.m. when the polls closed have been allowed to vote.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 290 Original 2015 Regular Session Norton
Abstract: Provides for an extension in the closing of the polls on election day under certain
circumstances.
Present law creates a parish board of election supervisors for each parish to supervise the
preparation for and the conduct of all elections held in the parish. Provides that the board
is composed of the registrar of voters, the clerk of court, the chairman of the parish executive
committee of each recognized political party or his designee who shall be a member of the
parish executive committee of the same recognized political party, and one member
appointed by the governor. Provides that in a parish where a parish executive committee of
a recognized political party has not been formed, the chairman of the state central committee
of that political party may appoint a voter who is registered in the parish as being affiliated
with the political party to serve on the board.
Present law (R.S. 18:541) provides that on election day the polls open at 7 a.m. Provides,
however, that in regularly scheduled congressional primary elections and elections held at
the same time, the polls open at 6 a.m. instead of 7 a.m.
Proposed law retains present law.
Present law provides that on election day, the polls close in all elections at 8 p.m.
Proposed law provides an exception to present law. Provides that if a polling place is
delayed in opening or if, after opening, voting at a polling place is interrupted for more than
15 minutes, the parish board of election supervisors for the parish in which the polling place
is located shall order an extension of the closing of the polls at the polling place by an equal
number of minutes. Provides that a polling place shall not be considered to be open until
voting is able to take place.
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HB NO. 290
Proposed law provides further that if a parish board of election supervisors orders an
extension of the closing of the polls pursuant to proposed law, the board shall take all
reasonable steps necessary to inform the voters and candidates of the extension, including
but not limited to issuing public service announcements and press releases to local news
services and other media outlets and posting notices.
Present law provides that a person who is in line to vote when the polls close on election day
shall be allowed to vote. Specifies that voting in a primary or general election shall
terminate when the polls close, if no one is in line to vote at that time, or when all the
persons who were in line to vote at 8 p.m. have been allowed to vote.
Proposed law repeals the reference to 8 p.m. in present law and provides instead that voting
terminates when all persons who were in line to vote "when the polls closed" have been
allowed to vote. Otherwise retains present law.
Present law (R.S. 18:566) provides a procedure for provisional voting in federal elections
when a person declares that he is eligible to vote in the election but his name does not appear
on the precinct register, the registrar has not authorized the person to vote by affidavit, or
the commissioners assert that the person is not eligible to vote. Present law (R.S. 18:566.1)
provides that if the poll hours in an election for federal office are extended as a result of a
federal or state court order or any other order extending the time established for closing the
polls, an individual who votes during the extension shall vote by provisional ballot for
federal offices as set forth in present law.
Proposed law retains present law.
(Amends R.S. 18:542; Adds R.S. 18:541(C))
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.