The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument, were prepared by Tim Prather.
DIGEST
SB 449 Original 2018 Regular Session Barrow
Present law provides for voter registration to close 30 days prior to an election.
Proposed law provides for voter registration to close on election day. Removes provisions of present
law relative to persons who have changed residence after the 30th day prior to an election for
president or vice-president of the United States.
Present law provides for persons to submit an application to register to vote at driver's license
facilities and voter registration agencies. Provides for the transmittal of such applications to the
registrar of voters if received within five days before the last day for registration.
Proposed law retains present law, but provides for the transmittal of applications received within five
days before the election. Also provides that on election day, a driver's license facility or voter
registration agency shall direct any registrant to the appropriate registrar of voters' office where he
may register to vote and receive the Same-day Registration Certificate.
Present law provides for procedures to verify the eligibility of an applicant who mails in his voter
registration application. Provides for the registrar to mail a verification mailing to the applicant at
the address provided on the application form, with return postage paid. Provides that if the mailing
is returned to the registrar within ten days, the registrar of voters shall not add the applicant's name
to the official list of voters and shall attempt to notify the applicant of his action.
Proposed law repeals present law.
Present law provides for the printing and delivery of a precinct register to the precinct. Provides that
prior to delivery, the registrar shall add the names and collateral information on those mail registrants
that were verified after the printing of the precinct register. Provides that after delivery, the registrar
shall add the names and collateral information on those mail registrants that were verified after the
delivery of the precinct register. Provides that each listing is considered a supplement to the official
list of voters and part of the precinct register.
Proposed law retains present law. Provides additionally that each registrar shall, at the end of the
business day on the day prior to the election, compile a final supplemental list for each precinct that
contains the name and collateral information for each voter who registered after the printing of the
precinct register and any other supplemental lists affixed to the precinct register. Requires the
registrar to deliver the final supplemental list prior to the opening of the polls on election day to any
precinct in which a voter on the final supplemental list is eligible to vote.
Proposed law provides that a person who seeks to register to vote on the same day that he seeks to vote either at the polls on election day or during early voting shall be required to provide proof of
identity and residence and shall complete a registration form which includes signing a statement,
under penalty of perjury, that the person is a citizen of the U.S. and resides at the address given. The
person shall be required to present two documents as proof of identity and residence: his La. driver's
license, La. special identification card, or other generally recognized picture identification card that
contains the name and signature of the person; and a utility bill, bank statement, paycheck,
government issued check, or other state issued document.
Proposed law provides that a person who registers to vote pursuant to proposed law shall not be
eligible to vote prior to registering. Provides that upon application to register to vote, the registrar
shall immediately verify the qualifications and address of the registrant, and shall issue a Same-day
Registration Certificate to the voter, which shall include the registrant's name, address, requirements
for election day registration, required forms of identification, and the phone number of the registrar
of voters in the parish where the registrant is eligible to register. Requires the voter to present the
Same-day Registration Certificate and two documents of identification, as provided in proposed law
at the polling place when he seeks to vote on the same day that he registered.
Proposed law provides that a person who registers to vote on the same day that he votes shall vote
on a paper ballot with a removable ballot flap that contains a form for the person to complete prior
to voting which requests the person's identification information and address. Provides that if the
registrar of voters is able to determine that the applicant meets the qualifications set forth in present
law for voter registration, the ballot shall be counted and the registrant shall be added to the list of
active voters. If the applicant does not meet the qualifications set forth in present law for voter
registration, the applicant shall not be added to the list of active voters, his vote shall not be counted,
and the parish board of election supervisors shall notify him in writing of the reason his vote was not
counted.
Proposed law provides that if a voter seeks to vote during early voting, and the voter claims he has
already registered to vote, but the voter does not appear on the precinct register or list kept by the
registrar, such voter shall register to vote and vote as provided for in proposed law. Provides that
the same-day registration application shall be used to determine whether the voter is eligible to vote
pursuant to present law provisions relative to qualification for voter registration. Provides further
that any prior application to register to vote from the voter shall be disregarded.
Effective August 1, 2018.
(Amends R.S. 18:114(F)(8), 115(E)(1), 116(D), 135(A)(1) and (2)(a) and (b), 152(C)(2)(b), and 157;
adds R.S. 18:1309(E)(7); repeals R.S. 18:101(D), 115(B), and 135(A)(2)(c) and (d))