ENROLLED
ACT No. 381
2021 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 581
BY REPRESENTATIVES MIKE JOHNSON AND STEFANSKI AND SENATORS
BERNARD, LUNEAU, MORRIS, AND WOMACK
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 18:134(E), 154(C)(2), 198(D), 423(J)(1), 435(B)(1)(a),
3 469(D)(1), 573(E)(2), 1280.21(A), 1280.22(B)(1), 1285(B)(1)(a), 1300(C)(2),
4 1308(B), 1309(B) and (M)(1)(a), 1309.1(A), 1313.1(L)(2)(b) and (3), 1315(C), 1363,
5 1373(A)(1), 1376(B)(2), 1461.7(A)(5), 1491.6(C)(3), and 1495.4(C)(3) and to enact
6 R.S. 18:1461.7(A)(6), relative to the Louisiana Election Code; to revise the
7 Louisiana Election Code; to provide relative to elections procedures and
8 requirements; to provide relative to registrar of voters office; to provide relative to
9 records of the registrar of voters; to provide relative to confidentiality of certain
10 records relative to candidates; to provide relative to voter registration; to provide
11 relative to a change of address of a voter; to provide relative to compensation of
12 parish boards of election supervisors; to provide relative to procedures for reopening
13 qualifying; to provide relative to a challenge of a voter; to provide relative to
14 cancellation of voter registration; to provide relative to the date of a presidential
15 preference primary; to provide relative to qualifying period for presidential
16 candidates; to provide relative to changes to a notice of elections; to provide relative
17 to delivery of absentee ballots; to provide relative to additional early voting branch
18 offices; to provide relative to notice of preparation of voting machines; to provide
19 relative to the date of preparation of voting machines; to provide relative to deadline
20 for a challenge of ballots; to provide relative to clearing of voting machines and
21 results; to provide relative to election offenses; to provide relative to campaign
22 finance reports; to provide relative to watchers; to provide relative to the recount of
23 absentee by mail and early voting ballots; to provide relative to allocation of voting
24 machines; and to provide for related matters.
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1 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
2 Section 1. R.S. 18:134(E), 154(C)(2), 423(J)(1), 469(D)(1), 573(E)(2), 1280.21(A),
3 1280.22(B)(1), 1285(B)(1)(a), 1300(C)(2), 1308(B), 1309(B) and (M)(1)(a), 1309.1(A),
4 1313.1(L)(2)(b) and (3), 1315(C), 1363, 1373(A)(1), 1376(B)(2), 1491.6(C)(3), and
5 1495.4(C)(3) are hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
6 §134. Office hours
7 * * *
8 E.(1) On election days the principal office of the registrar shall remain open
9 from 7:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m.,or until all precinct results have been submitted to the
10 clerk of court and the absentee by mail and early voting results have been submitted
11 to the registrar of voters, whichever is earlier. The registrar or a deputy registrar
12 designated by him shall remain in the office during that time.
13 (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection, on
14 days when a regularly scheduled congressional primary election is held, the principal
15 office of the registrar shall remain open from 6:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m., or until all
16 precinct results have been submitted to the clerk of court and the absentee by mail
17 and early voting results have been submitted to the registrar of voters, whichever is
18 earlier. The registrar or a deputy registrar designated by him shall remain in the
19 office during that time.
20 * * *
21 §154. Records open to inspection; copying; exceptions
22 * * *
23 C.
24 * * *
25 (2)(a) The provisions of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection shall not apply to
26 voter registration data transmitted to the office of motor vehicles of the Department
27 of Public Safety and Corrections, for the purposes of verifying the accuracy and
28 authenticity of the social security number, driver's license number, or full date of
29 birth provided by the voter. The office of motor vehicles shall not disclose
30 information concerning a registered voter transmitted pursuant to this Subparagraph,
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1 except that it may transmit such information to the United States Social Security
2 Administration for the purposes of verifying the accuracy and authenticity of the
3 social security number provided by the voter.
4 (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection, the
5 Department of State or registrar of voters may transmit the full date of birth and last
6 four digits of the social security number, if available, of a registered voter to the
7 Supervisory Committee on Campaign Finance Disclosure to verify the identity of a
8 candidate for purposes of campaign finance reporting. The supervisory committee
9 shall not disclose information transmitted to it pursuant to this Subparagraph.
10 (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection, the
11 Department of State or registrar of voters may transmit the email address, if
12 available, of a candidate to the Supervisory Committee on Campaign Finance
13 Disclosure for purposes of contacting the candidate regarding campaign finance
14 reporting. The supervisory committee shall not disclose information transmitted to
15 it pursuant to this Subparagraph.
16 (d) Notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection, the
17 Department of State or registrar of voters may provide to a clerk of court the full date
18 of birth of a registered voter for the preparation of a general venire selection in
19 accordance with R.S. 18:175. The clerk of court shall not disclose the full date of
20 birth of a registered voter provided pursuant to this Subparagraph.
21 (d)(e) The provisions of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection shall not apply to
22 voter registration information or data transmitted to a state or the Electronic
23 Registration Information Center for purposes of determining whether a voter is
24 registered to vote in more than one state and for the maintenance of the state voter
25 registration computer system.
26 * * *
27 §423. Parish boards of election supervisors
28 * * *
29 J.(1) Notwithstanding Subsection E of this Section, in a parish where the
30 parish board of election supervisors tabulates and counts absentee by mail and early
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1 voting ballots in accordance with R.S. 18:1313.1, a member of the board may be
2 compensated not more than eight days for a presidential or regularly scheduled
3 congressional primary or general election or seven days for any other primary or
4 general election.
5 * * *
6 §469. Reopening of qualifying period; effect
7 * * *
8 D.(1) If the qualifying period for candidates reopens within thirty days
9 before a primary election, and the ballots have been printed, all the votes cast in the
10 primary election for that public office are void, unless the qualifying period for the
11 office reopened and closed without additional candidates qualifying for the office.
12 If additional candidates qualify for the office and the votes for the primary will be
13 void for that reason, the clerk of court with whom any of the additional candidates
14 qualified shall immediately publish in the official journal of the parish a notice to the
15 electorate that the election for that office has been voided because new candidates
16 qualified. Such notice shall include the dates for the rescheduled primary and
17 general elections. If the election district includes all or part of more than one parish,
18 the clerk of court shall notify the secretary of state, who shall notify the clerk of
19 court of each of the parishes, and the clerk of court shall publish such notice. If the
20 additional candidates have qualified with the secretary of state, he shall publish such
21 notice in the official state journal.
22 * * *
23 §573. Evidence of election results
24 * * *
25 E. Transmission and disposition of original challenges, duplicate voters'
26 affidavits, and address confirmation cards.
27 * * *
28 (2) The registrar shall utilize the procedures set forth in Part V of Chapter
29 4 of this Code to determine the validity of the registration of each challenged voter
30 who did not submit an address confirmation card. In any instance where an address
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1 confirmation card was received that stated an address different from the address on
2 file in the registrar's office for a registrant, the registrar shall change or cancel the
3 registration. change the registrant’s address to the address on the address
4 confirmation card if the change of address is in the parish; transfer the registrant’s
5 registration to another parish if the address on the address confirmation card is in
6 another parish; or cancel the registration if the address on the address confirmation
7 card is in another state. If an address confirmation card was received that affirmed
8 the address on file in the registrar's office, the registrar shall reinstate the registrant
9 to the official list of voters if he appears on the inactive list of voters. If the address
10 confirmation card was a result of a valid challenge, the registrar shall so inform the
11 district attorney and shall transmit to him the address confirmation card of that
12 person.
13 * * *
14 §1280.21. Presidential preference primary election
15 A. A statewide presidential preference primary election shall be held on the
16 first last Saturday in March in 2016 2024 and every fourth year thereafter for the
17 purpose of allowing the electors of each political party in the state which has forty
18 thousand or more registered members to express their preference for a person to be
19 the nominee of the party for president of the United States.
20 * * *
21 §1280.22. Candidates; procedure for qualifying
22 * * *
23 B.(1) The qualifying period for presidential candidates shall open on the first
24 third Wednesday in December and shall close at 4:30 p.m. on the following Friday.
25 During the qualifying period, presidential candidates shall file notices of candidacy
26 with the secretary of state.
27 * * *
28 §1285. Notice of election
29 * * *
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1 B.(1)(a) Written notice of the election and the certificate required by
2 Subparagraph (b) of this Paragraph shall be transmitted to the secretary of state and
3 each clerk of court and registrar of voters in the area affected by the election. If the
4 election is to be held on a primary election date, then such notice and certificate shall
5 be received by the secretary of state at least four weeks prior to the opening of the
6 qualifying period for the primary election. If the election is not to be held on a
7 primary election date, then the notice and certificate shall be received by the
8 secretary of state on or before the fifty-fourth day prior to the election. The secretary
9 of state shall not accept any revisions to propositions, including but not limited to
10 changes in title, text, or numerical designations, after the last day for submission of
11 the notice and certificate to the secretary of state., unless prior to the printing of the
12 ballots the revision will correct a typographical error and the revision has been
13 approved by the governing authority that called the proposition election.
14 * * *
15 §1300. Procedures; notice of election; expenses
16 * * *
17 C.
18 * * *
19 (2) The secretary of state shall not accept any revisions to propositions or
20 questions, including but not limited to changes in title, text, or numerical
21 designations, after the last day for submission of the notice to the secretary of state.,
22 unless prior to the printing of the ballots the revision will correct a typographical
23 error and the revision has been approved by the governing authority that called the
24 proposition election. The secretary of state shall not include any proposition or
25 question on any ballot of any election if such notice is not timely received by the
26 secretary of state.
27 * * *
28 §1308. Absentee voting by mail
29 * * *
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1 B. The ballot shall be marked as provided in R.S. 18:1310 and returned to
2 the registrar by the United States Postal Service, a commercial courier, or hand
3 delivery. If delivered by other than the voter, a commercial courier, or the United
4 States Postal Service, the registrar shall require that the person making such delivery
5 sign a statement, prepared by the secretary of state, certifying that he has the
6 authorization and consent of the voter to hand deliver the marked ballot. For
7 purposes of this Subsection, "commercial courier" shall have the same meaning as
8 provided in R.S. 13:3204(D). No person except the immediate family of the voter,
9 as defined in this Code, shall hand deliver more than one marked ballot per election
10 to the registrar. Upon its receipt, the registrar shall post the name and precinct of the
11 voter as required by R.S. 18:1311.
12 * * *
13 §1309. Early voting; verification
14 * * *
15 B.(1) For the purpose of facilitating early voting, the registrar may designate,
16 in addition to the location for early voting provided in Subsection A of this Section,
17 one or more branch office offices wherein early voting may be conducted. Any such
18 branch office shall be located in a public building, and the days during which early
19 voting may be conducted therein shall be fixed by the registrar, with the approval of
20 the secretary of state, at least thirty days prior to a primary election and twenty-one
21 days prior to a general election, as provided in Subsection A of this Section, and the
22 registrar shall post at his office adequate notice of the days on which early voting
23 will be held at a each branch office. However, if a branch office of a registrar is
24 destroyed, inaccessible, or unsafe during or following a gubernatorially declared
25 state of emergency, the registrar may utilize a temporary building as a branch office
26 to discharge his duties until an office that meets the requirements of this Section
27 becomes available. Such temporary office shall be located within the parish, or if
28 there is no appropriate location within the parish due to the emergency, then in an
29 immediately adjacent parish, or if there is no appropriate location in any immediately
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1 adjacent parish due to the emergency, then in the nearest parish in which there is an
2 appropriate location.
3 (2) The registrar shall provide or post the voters' bill of rights and
4 informational posters, if required, the statement of proposed constitutional
5 amendments on the ballot, and a certified screenshot as a sample ballot prepared by
6 the secretary of state in a conspicuous place at the principal entrance to the early
7 voting polling place, where they shall remain posted throughout early voting.
8 * * *
9 M.(1)(a) In a parish where early voting is conducted at an additional location
10 pursuant to R.S. 18:1309.2, the registrar may fix the hours and days during which
11 early voting shall be conducted at the additional location during the early voting
12 period, with the approval of the secretary of state, at least thirty days prior to a
13 primary election and twenty-one days prior to a general election. if such hours and
14 days of voting are approved by the secretary of state no later than twenty-five days
15 prior to the election.
16 * * *
17 §1309.1. Preparation of machines for early voting; examination by candidate or his
18 representative; sealing machines
19 A. At the time of qualifying, the parish custodian shall notify each candidate
20 to contact the registrar of voters for the time and place at which the voting machines
21 will be prepared for early voting. The registrar of voters shall post at his office
22 adequate notice of the date, time, and place at which the voting machines will be
23 prepared for early voting and shall post the same information on his officer's website,
24 if possible. The candidate or his representative may be present to observe the
25 preparation of the machines by the registrar of voters with the assistance of the
26 secretary of state's technicians and to observe the testing and sealing of the machines
27 by the registrar of voters in the presence of the parish board of election supervisors.
28 Each candidate or his representative shall be afforded a reasonable opportunity to
29 view the test vote tape for each machine to see that they are in the proper condition
30 for use in the election, which opportunity shall not be less than thirty minutes
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1 beginning at the time designated by the registrar of voters to begin preparation of the
2 machines for sealing. However, no candidate, representative, or citizen shall
3 interfere with the registrar of voters, secretary of state's technicians, parish board of
4 election supervisors, or any employee or technician or assume any of their duties.
5 * * *
6 §1313.1. Preparation, verification, tabulation, and counting of absentee by mail and
7 early voting ballots; parishes with one thousand or more absentee by mail
8 ballots
9 * * *
10 L.
11 * * *
12 (2)
13 * * *
14 (b) All recounts of absentee by mail and early voting ballots shall be held at
15 10:00 a.m. a time set by the secretary of state, in conjunction with the registrar of
16 voters and the clerk of court, or following the reinspection of voting machines on the
17 fifth day after the election and at any time ordered by a court of competent
18 jurisdiction. If the fifth day after the election falls on a holiday or weekend, such
19 recount shall be held on the next working day at 10:00 a.m. a time set by the
20 secretary of state, in conjunction with the registrar of voters and the clerk of court,
21 or following the reinspection of voting machines. Any written request for recount
22 of absentee by mail and early voting ballots shall be filed with the clerk of court.
23 The deadline for filing a request for recount of absentee by mail and early voting
24 ballots shall be 4:30 p.m. on the last working day prior to the date of the recount.
25 third calendar day after the election. Immediately upon receiving any request, the
26 clerk of court shall prominently post in his office a notice of the time and place
27 where the absentee by mail and early voting ballots will be recounted and the name
28 of the candidate or the voter in the proposition election requesting the recount.
29 * * *
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1 (3) A candidate or his representative, in the presence of a majority of the
2 parish board of election supervisors, shall be allowed to inspect the flaps removed
3 from the valid absentee by mail ballots and the flaps removed from the valid early
4 voting ballots when paper ballots are used for early voting. All such inspections
5 shall be held at 10:00 a.m. a time set by the secretary of state, in conjunction with the
6 registrar of voters and the clerk of court, or following the recount of absentee by mail
7 and early voting ballots on the fifth day after the election and at any time ordered by
8 a court of competent jurisdiction. If the fifth day after the election falls on a holiday
9 or weekend, such inspection shall be held on the next working day at 10:00 a.m. a
10 time set by the secretary of state, in conjunction with the registrar of voters and the
11 clerk of court, or following the recount of absentee by mail and early voting ballots.
12 Any written request for inspection shall be filed with the clerk of court. The deadline
13 for filing a request for inspection shall be the last working day prior to the date of the
14 inspection. 4:30 p.m. on the third calendar day after the election. Immediately upon
15 receiving any request, the clerk of court shall prominently post in his office a notice
16 of the time and place where the inspection will occur and the name of the candidate
17 requesting the inspection. The candidate requesting the inspection shall be
18 responsible for all reasonable costs associated with such inspection, which shall be
19 payable to the clerk of court. The costs shall be paid at the time the written request
20 for the inspection is filed with the clerk of court and shall be paid in cash or by
21 certified or cashier's check on a state or national bank or credit union, United States
22 postal money order, or money order issued by a state or national bank or credit
23 union.
24 * * *
25 §1315. Challenge of absentee by mail or early voting ballot
26 * * *
27 C.(1) During the counting of absentee by mail and early voting ballots, at
28 least a majority of the members of the board shall hear and determine the validity of
29 any ballot challenged in accordance with the provisions of Subsection A or B of this
30 Section.
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1 (2) If a challenge in accordance with the provisions of Subsection A of this
2 Section is sustained, the vote shall not be counted, the ballot or early voting
3 confirmation sheet shall be placed in the special absentee by mail and early voting
4 ballot envelope or container, and the board shall notify the voter in writing of the
5 challenge and the cause therefor. This notification shall be on a form provided by
6 the secretary of state and shall be signed by at least a majority of the members of the
7 board. The notice of the challenge and the cause therefor shall be given within three
8 four business days by mail, addressed to the voter at his place of residence. The
9 board shall retain a copy of the notification. However, if the challenge is based upon
10 a change of residence within the parish or is based upon a change of residence
11 outside the parish that has occurred within the last three months, the ballot shall be
12 counted provided that the voter confirmed his current address as shown by the
13 affidavit of the absentee by mail ballot envelope flap or early voting confirmation
14 sheet or, if the voter is on the inactive list of voters, as shown by the information
15 provided on an address confirmation card.
16 (3)(a) If a challenge in accordance with the provisions of Subsection B of
17 this Section is sustained, the vote shall not be counted, the board shall write
18 "rejected" and the cause therefor across the ballot envelope or early voting
19 confirmation sheet, and shall place the ballots and early voting confirmation sheets
20 so rejected in the special absentee by mail and early voting ballot envelope or
21 container. The board shall notify the voter in writing of the challenge and the cause
22 therefor. The notification shall be on a form provided by the secretary of state and
23 shall be signed by at least a majority of the members of the board. The notice of the
24 challenge and the cause therefor shall be given within three four business days by
25 mail addressed to the voter at his place of residence. The board shall retain a copy
26 of the notification.
27 (b) If a ballot is rejected pursuant to the provisions of R.S. 18:1316, the vote
28 shall not be counted, the board shall write "rejected" and the cause therefor on a
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1 separate slip of paper and attach it to the ballot, and shall place the ballots so rejected
2 in the special absentee by mail and early voting ballot envelope or container.
3 * * *
4 §1363. Number of machines; allocation to precincts; exception; reserve machines
5 A. In determining the number of voting machines to be purchased and
6 allocated for each voting precinct in each parish or municipality, the minimum
7 number to be allocated shall be as follows:
8 (1) One machine for each precinct where three hundred or less voters were
9 registered to vote thirty days prior to the election.
10 (2) Two machines for each precinct where more than three hundred but not
11 more than one thousand voters were registered to vote thirty days prior to the
12 election.
13 (3) Three machines for each precinct where more than one thousand voters
14 but not more than fourteen hundred voters were registered to vote thirty days prior
15 to the election.
16 (4) Four machines for each precinct where more than fourteen hundred
17 voters were registered to vote thirty days prior to the election.
18 B. The parish board of election supervisors custodian of voting machines
19 may reduce the number of voting machines to be allocated and used in elections
20 called under the provisions of Chapter 6-A or 6-B of this Code when the election is
21 not held at the same time as the election of any public official. In such case, the
22 parish board of election supervisors shall notify the parish custodian of voting
23 machines and shall notify the secretary of state at least four weeks prior to such
24 election of the number of machines to be prepared and delivered for the polling
25 places.
26 C. The number of voting machines to be allocated and used in an election,
27 including the election of any public official, where more than one polling place is
28 within the same location and the parish board of election supervisors has
29 consolidated polling places in that location may be reduced for that election in
30 accordance with the provisions of R.S. 18:425.1.
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1 D. The parish board of election supervisors custodian of voting machines
2 may reduce the number of voting machines to be allocated and used in an election
3 called under the provisions of Part III of Chapter 6 of this Title where the only other
4 election on the ballot is for the election of political party committee members. Not
5 less than twenty-nine days prior to such an election, the parish board of election
6 supervisors shall notify the parish custodian of voting machines and shall notify the
7 secretary of state of the number of voting machines to be prepared and delivered to
8 each polling place.
9 E. If any voting machines remain unallocated for an election, the secretary
10 of state first shall reserve a sufficient number, not to exceed five percent of the total
11 available, for use at precincts where a machine is disabled, damaged, or unavailable
12 during election day. The remaining machines shall be allocated by the parish
13 custodian, after consultation with the secretary of state, to the various precincts. As
14 far as practicable the machines shall be distributed so that the precincts having equal
15 or nearly equal numbers of registered voters shall have the same number of
16 machines. If the secretary of state and a parish custodian agree that the use of the
17 remaining machines is unnecessary for the proper and orderly conduct of the
18 election, it shall not be necessary to allocate and use such machines.
19 F. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section, if the secretary of state
20 determines that a voting machine shortage exists in a parish, the secretary of state
21 shall first reallocate and move any available voting machines of like type in excess
22 of the requirements of Subsection A of this Section to the parish where the shortage
23 exists. However, if a shortage continues to exist after relocation, the secretary of
24 state may reduce the allocation of voting machines for each precinct and polling
25 place in order to ensure that each polling place is allocated at least one voting
26 machine. Prior to any reduction in allocation of voting machines the secretary of
27 state shall immediately notify the parish board of election supervisors custodian of
28 voting machines in each affected parish of the reduction of the allocation of voting
29 machines and the parish board of election supervisors custodian of voting machines
30 shall take whatever action is necessary consistent with the Louisiana Election Code
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1 to accommodate the reduced allocation. In addition, the secretary of state shall
2 notify in writing the standing committees of each house of the legislature which have
3 oversight over elections of the shortage and the reasons therefor.
4 G. The parish board of election supervisors custodian of voting machines
5 may submit a written request to the secretary of state for additional voting machines
6 for overcrowded precincts. The written request shall be submitted on or before the
7 twenty-ninth day prior to the election and shall include the number of additional
8 voting machines requested and an explanation of the need for additional voting
9 machines. If the secretary of state determines that there is a need for additional
10 voting machines and that the provision of additional voting machines is feasible, he
11 may allocate additional voting machines.
12 H. The parish board of election supervisors custodian of voting machines
13 may submit a written request to the secretary of state to reduce the number of voting
14 machines to be allocated and used in an election other than an election provided for
15 in Subsection B or D of this Section. The written request shall be submitted on or
16 before the twenty-ninth day prior to a primary election and at least four weeks prior
17 to a general election and shall include the proposed reduced number of voting
18 machines and an explanation of the need for the reduction in the number of voting
19 machines. If the secretary of state determines that the reduction in the number of
20 voting machines is feasible, he may reduce the number of voting machines.
21 * * *
22 §1373. Notice of preparation of machines for election; preparation of machines for
23 election; testing and adjusting; examination by candidate or his
24 representative; securing and sealing machines
25 A.(1) The secretary of state shall notify each parish custodian of the time and
26 place at which he will begin preparing and testing the voting machines for an
27 election. The qualifying official shall at the time of qualifying provide each
28 candidate in the election with a chronological table of procedures for the election that
29 instructs the candidate to contact the parish custodian registrar of voters for the time
30 and place at which the preparation and testing of the early voting machines will be
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1 conducted and the appropriate election official for the time and place at which the
2 preparation and testing of the machines will be conducted and when the machines
3 will be sealed and states that the candidate or his representative may be present to
4 observe the preparation and testing of the machines by the secretary of state's
5 technicians.
6 * * *
7 §1376. Release of voting machines; return to warehouse; retention of totals; clearing
8 machines and election result cartridges
9 * * *
10 B.
11 * * *
12 (2) If an action contesting an election is not instituted within the period of
13 time prescribed in R.S. 18:1405(B), then on the day after the lapse of the time for
14 filing such an action the secretary of state shall direct that the voting machines and
15 any election result cartridges be cleared. If an action contesting such an election is
16 timely filed, the secretary of state shall direct that the voting machines and any
17 election result cartridges be cleared when the trial judge certifies to him that the
18 court has obtained all the information from the machines or cartridges necessary for
19 the trial of the action. The trial judge shall so certify no later than the end of the
20 sixth day after the day on which the suit was filed. after all data from each voting
21 machine and election result cartridge used in the contested election is copied to
22 removable memory devices.
23 * * *
24 §1491.6. Reports required; reporting times and periods
25 * * *
26 C. During the period beginning at midnight of the twentieth day prior to a
27 primary election and extending through midnight of primary election day, and during
28 the period beginning at midnight of the twentieth day prior to a general election and
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1 extending through midnight of general election day, each committee shall file a
2 report with the supervisory committee of:
3 * * *
4 (3) Each report required by this Subsection shall be filed within forty-eight
5 hours after the time the contribution or loan is received or expenditure made. two
6 business days of the contribution or loan being received or expenditure being made.
7 If such time falls other than during regular working hours, the report shall be filed
8 as soon as possible after the opening of the office of the supervisory committee on
9 the next working day after the time at which the report is otherwise due.
10 * * *
11 §1495.4. Reports required; reporting times and periods; extension
12 * * *
13 C. During the period beginning at midnight of the twentieth day prior to a
14 primary election and extending through midnight of primary election day, and during
15 the period beginning at midnight of the twentieth day prior to a general election and
16 extending through midnight of general election day, each candidate shall file a report
17 with the supervisory committee of:
18 * * *
19 (3) Each report required by this Subsection shall be filed within forty-eight
20 hours after the time the contribution or loan is received or expenditure made. two
21 business days of the contribution or loan being received or expenditure being made.
22 If such time falls other than during regular working hours, the report shall be filed
23 as soon as possible after the opening of the office of the supervisory committee on
24 the next working day after the time at which the report is otherwise due.
25 * * *
26 Section 2. R.S. 18:1461.7(A)(5) is hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.
27 18:1461.7(A)(6) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
28 §1461.7. Miscellaneous election offenses; penalties
29 A. No person shall knowingly, willfully, or intentionally:
30 * * *
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1 (5) Transmit or otherwise provide false or misleading information
2 concerning an election from a source disguised to appear to be or while
3 impersonating the secretary of state, a registrar of voters, a clerk of court, or other
4 election official.
5 (6) Breach any mandatory provision of this Title.
6 Section 3. R.S. 18:198(D) and 435(B)(1)(a) are hereby amended and reenacted to
7 read as follows:
8 §198. Change of residence or change in address; inquiry by registrar; change of
9 records
10 * * *
11 D. If the registrant fails to return the card, within thirty days after the date
12 on which the card was mailed, the registrar then shall follow the procedures set
13 forth in R.S. 18:193 with respect to challenge. the registrar shall place the
14 registrant on the inactive list of voters. The registrant shall remain on the inactive
15 list of voters in accordance with the procedures set forth in R.S. 18:196 or not
16 later than a period of two regularly scheduled federal general elections, at which
17 time the registrar shall cancel the registration of the registrant.
18 * * *
19 §435. Watchers; appointment and commission
20 * * *
21 B.(1)(a) A list of watchers shall be filed with the clerk of court by hand
22 delivery, facsimile, mail, or commercial courier before 4:30 p.m. on the tenth
23 business day before the primary or general election; however, if the tenth business
24 day before the primary or general election falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or other
25 legal holiday, the list shall be filed on the next day which is not a Saturday,
26 Sunday, or other legal holiday. For purposes of this Paragraph, "commercial
27 courier" shall have the same meaning as provided in R.S. 13:3204(D). If the
28 office that the candidate seeks is voted on in more than one parish, a list of
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1 watchers shall be filed with the clerk of court in each parish where the candidate
2 will have watchers.
3 * * *
4 Section 4.(A) This Section and Section 1 of this Act shall become effective upon
5 signature by the governor or, if not signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time
6 for bills to become law without signature by the governor, as provided by Article III,
7 Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If vetoed by the governor and subsequently
8 approved by the legislature, Section 1 and this Section of this Act shall become effective
9 on the day following such approval.
10 (B) Section 2 of this Act shall become effective on January 1, 2022.
11 (C) Section 3 of this Act shall become effective on February 1, 2022.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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