The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument, were prepared by Matt DeVille.
DIGEST
SB 422 Engrossed 2020 Regular Session Bernard
Present law provides that the clerk of court, in the presence of a majority of the parish board of
election supervisors, will reopen any voting machine for reinspection by a candidate or his
representative at 10:00 a.m. on the fifth day after the election and at any time ordered by a court of
competent jurisdiction after receipt of a written request for reinspection by the candidate or at 10:00
a.m. on the next working day if the fifth day after the election falls on a holiday or weekend.
Proposed law provides that the clerk of court, in the presence of a majority of the parish board of
election supervisors, will reopen any voting machine for reinspection by a candidate or his
representative at a time set by the secretary of state, in conjunction with the registrar of voters and
the clerk of court on the fifth day after the election and at any time ordered by a court of competent
jurisdiction after receipt of a written request for reinspection by the candidate or on the next working
day at a time set by secretary of state, in conjunction with the registrar of voters and the clerk of
court.
Present law provides that the deadline for filing a written request for reinspection with the clerk of
court will be the last working day prior to the date of the reinspection.
Proposed law provides that the deadline for filing a written request for reinspection with the clerk
of court will be 4:30 p.m. on the third calendar day after the election.
Present law provides that all recounts of absentee by mail and early voting ballots will be held at
10:00 a.m. or following the reinspection of voting machines on the fifth day after the election and
at any time ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction or at 10:00 a.m. on the next working day if
the fifth day after the election falls on a holiday or weekend.
Proposed law provides that all recounts of absentee by mail and early voting ballots will be held on
the fifth day after the election at a time set by the secretary of state, in conjunction with the registrar
of voters and the clerk of court, or following the reinspection of voting machines on the fifth day
after the election and at any time ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction or at a time set by the
secretary of state, in conjunction with the registrar of voters and the clerk of court on the next
working day if the fifth day after the election falls on a holiday or weekend.
Present law provides that the deadline for filing a written request with the clerk of court for a recount
of absentee by mail and early voting ballots will be 4:30 p.m. on the last working day prior to the
date of the recount.
Proposed law provides that the deadline for filing a written request with the clerk of court for a
recount of absentee by mail an early voting ballots will be 4:30 p.m. on the third calendar day after the election.
Present law provides that a candidate or his representative, in the presence of a majority of the parish
board of election supervisors, will be allowed to inspect the flaps removed from valid absentee by
mail ballots and the flaps removed from the valid early voting ballots when paper ballots are used
for early voting at 10:00 a.m. or following the recount of absentee by mail and early voting ballots
on the fifth day after the election and at any time ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction or at
10:00 a.m. on the next working day if the fifth day after the election falls on a holiday or weekend.
Proposed law provides that a candidate or his representative, in the presence of a majority of the
parish board of election supervisors, will be allowed to inspect the flaps removed from valid
absentee by mail ballots and the flaps removed from the valid early voting ballots when paper ballots
are used for early voting at a time set by the secretary of state, in conjunction with the registrar of
voters and the clerk of court, or following the recount of absentee by mail and early voting ballots
on the fifth day after the election and at any time ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction or at
a time set by the secretary of state, in conjunction with the registrar of voters and the clerk of court
on the next working day if the fifth day after the election falls on a holiday or weekend.
Present law provides that the deadline for filing a written request with the clerk of court for
inspection of the flaps removed from the valid absentee by mail ballots and the flaps removed from
the valid early voting ballots when paper ballots are used for early voting will be the last working
day prior to the date of the inspection.
Proposed law provides that the deadline for filing a written request with the clerk of court for
inspection of the flaps removed from the valid absentee by mail ballots and the flaps removed from
the valid early voting ballots when paper ballots are used for early voting will be 4:30 p.m. on the
third calendar day after the election.
Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 18:573(A)(3) and 1313(J)(2)(b) and (3))