2020 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE BILL NO. 75
BY SENATOR MIZELL AND REPRESENTATIVES AMEDEE, BACALA, BUTLER,
CARRIER, DUBUISSON, EDMONDS, EDMONSTON, FIRMENT,
FONTENOT, FRIEMAN, GADBERRY, GOUDEAU, HARRIS,
HORTON, ILLG, MIGUEZ, CHARLES OWEN, PRESSLY,
SCHAMERHORN, SEAB AUGH, THOMAS AND WRIGHT
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 18:1306(E)(2)(a) and 1307(A), relative to absentee voting; to
3 prohibit the sending of absentee by mail ballots to certain addresses; to limit who
4 may witness more than one certificate of a voter to an immediate family member;
5 and to provide for related matters.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 18:1306(E)(2)(a) and 1307(A) are hereby amended and reenacted
8 to read as follows:
9 §1306. Preparation and distribution of absentee by mail and early voting ballots
10 * * *
11 E.(1) * * *
12 (2)(a) An absentee by mail ballot envelope flap shall also contain a line for
13 the handwritten signature of one witness and a line for the printed name of the
14 witness. The voter shall sign the certificate in the presence of one witness and his
15 certificate shall be made under penalty of perjury for providing false or fraudulent
16 information. Above the perforation and along the seal line, the words "DO NOT
17 DETACH FLAP" shall be printed. No person except the immediate family
18 member of the voter, as defined in this Code, shall witness more than one
19 certificate of a voter.
20 * * *
21 §1307. Application by mail
22 A. A person qualified to vote absentee by mail under this Chapter may make
23 application therefor to the registrar by letter; over his signature or mark if the voter
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1 is unable to sign his name, signed by two witnesses who witnessed the applicant's
2 mark; setting forth:
3 (1) The election or elections for which he requests an absentee ballot.
4 (2) The reason for his request to vote absentee by mail and attaching any
5 documents in support thereof that are required by law. Any person who is or expects
6 to be temporarily outside the territorial limits of the state or absent from the parish
7 in which he is qualified to vote during the early voting period and on election day
8 and who requests an absentee ballot be mailed to an address within the parish shall
9 indicate in his application the dates he will be outside the territorial limits of the state
10 or absent from the parish.
11 (3) The address to which the absentee ballot or ballots shall be sent. If the
12 address is within the parish or an adjacent parish, such address shall only be the
13 address at which the applicant is registered to vote, his mailing address on file with
14 the registrar of voters, or an address at which he regularly receives mail.
15 (4) Notwithstanding Paragraph (3) of this Subsection, the absentee by
16 mail ballots shall not be sent to the following addresses:
17 (a) The address of a political party.
18 (b) The residential, business, or campaign address of a candidate, unless
19 the address is for the candidate's ballot or a ballot of an immediate family
20 member of the candidate.
21 (c) A business address, unless the business address is the mailing address
22 on file with the registrar of voters or an address at which the person regularly
23 receives mail.
24 (d) The address of a political organization as defined in 26 U.S.C. 527.
25 (e) The address of an organization which has tax-exempt status under
26 Section 501(c)(3) or (c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code, unless the organization
27 address is the mailing address on file with the registrar of voters or an address
28 at which the person regularly receives mail.
29 (5) The ward and precinct in which the person is qualified to vote, if known.
30 (5)(6) The date of birth of the voter.
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1 (6)(7) The maiden name of the voter's mother or other identifying
2 information provided in the voter's application for registration pursuant to R.S.
3 18:104(A)(12).
4 (7)(8) The street address in the parish where the voter resides. A post office
5 box is insufficient.
6 (8)(9) If the person requests that a ballot for a general election be sent in
7 addition to a ballot for the primary, he shall declare in writing to the registrar that he
8 will be eligible to vote absentee by mail in the general election.
9 * * *
10 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
11 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
12 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
13 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
14 effective on the day following such approval.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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