HLS 24RS-508 ORIGINAL
2024 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 324
BY REPRESENTATIVE BOYD
VOTERS/VOTING: Provides for early voting on Sundays
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 18:1309(A)(1)(b)(ii), (2), and (4) and 1400.8, relative to early
3 voting; to provide for early voting on Sunday during the early voting period; to
4 provide for the expense of conducting early voting on Sunday; and to provide for
5 related matters.
6Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 18:1309(A)(1)(b)(ii), (2), and (4) and 1400.8 are hereby amended
8and reenacted to read as follows:
9 §1309. Early voting; verification
10 A.(1)
11 * * *
12 (b)
13 * * *
14 (ii) The additional day shall be the first day preceding the period described
15 in Item (a)(i) of this Paragraph that is not a Sunday or a holiday required to be
16 observed pursuant to Paragraph (4) of this Subsection.
17 (2)(a) During the early voting period, the registrar shall maintain regular
18 office hours, remaining remain open from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through
19 Saturday each day, including Saturday and Sunday. Early voting on each day of the
20 early voting period shall terminate when all persons who were in line to vote at the
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HB NO. 324
1 close of the regular office hours of the registrar's office, as provided in this
2 Paragraph, have been allowed to vote.
3 (b) If the secretary of state determines that the office space of the registrar
4 is insufficient or inconvenient to accommodate early voting, the registrar may
5 provide for an alternate location to conduct early voting, which location shall be in
6 an accessible and conveniently located public facility within the parish, and in such
7 case, adequate notice shall be posted at the registrar's office informing the public of
8 the location where early voting is being conducted.
9 * * *
10 (4) A registrar shall observe the holidays, other than Sundays and Saturdays,
11 which are provided by law or proclaimed by the governor for state departments
12 during any period for conducting early voting.
13 * * *
14 §1400.8. Expenses incurred by registrars of voters conducting early voting; payment
15 by secretary of state
16 Election expenses incurred by a registrar of voters and his permanent
17 employees to perform election duties and responsibilities associated with early
18 voting on any day during the week between 4:30 p.m. and the time that early voting
19 terminates that day and on any Saturday or Sunday on which early voting is
20 conducted shall be paid by the state from funds appropriated to the secretary of state
21 for that purpose and shall be a reimbursable election expense as provided by R.S.
22 18:1400.2.
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 324 Original 2024 Regular Session Boyd
Abstract: Requires the registrar of voters to remain open on Sunday during the early voting
period.
Present law provides that the period for conducting early voting shall be from 14 days to
seven days prior to any scheduled election. Further provides that for the presidential
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HB NO. 324
election, the period for conducting early voting shall be from 18 days to seven days prior to
the presidential election. Proposed law retains present law.
Present law provides that during the early voting period, the registrar of voters shall maintain
regular office hours, remaining open from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Proposed law instead requires the registrar of voters to remain open from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00
p.m. on each day, including Saturdays and Sundays, during the early voting period.
Present law provides that the registrar shall observe holidays which are provided by law or
proclaimed by the governor for state departments during any period to conduct early voting.
Proposed law excepts Sundays and Saturdays from the legal holidays that the registrar is
required to observe.
Present law provides that election expenses incurred by a registrar of voters and his
permanent employees to perform election duties and responsibilities associated with early
voting on any day during the week between 4:30 p.m. and the time that early voting
terminates that day and on any Saturday on which early voting is conducted shall be paid by
the state from funds appropriated to the secretary of state for that purpose and shall be a
reimbursable election expense.
Proposed law retains present law and further provides the same for any Sunday on which
early voting is conducted.
(Amends R.S. 18:1309(A)(1)(b)(ii), (2), and (4) and 1400.8)
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.