The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument, were prepared by Jonathon Wagner.
DIGEST
SB 420 Original 2024 Regular Session Hodges
Proposed law creates the crime of election fraud or forgery. Proposed law provides a person cannot
knowingly, willfully, or intentionally:
(1)Vote or attempt to vote more than once in an election.
(2)Vote or attempt to vote, knowing that he is not qualified, or influence or attempt to influence
another to vote, knowing the voter to be unqualified or the vote to be fraudulent.
(3)Register, vote, or attempt to register or vote in the name of another or in an assumed or
fictitious name, or in any manner other than as provided in present law (La. Election Code).
(4)Forge the name of another or use a fictitious name on an affidavit or document required
under present law (La. Election Code).
(5)Procure or submit voter registration applications that are known by the person to be
materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent.
(6)Forge, alter, add to, deface, take, destroy, or remove from proper custodial care any book,
card, record, voter registration application, election return, nomination papers, withdrawals
of candidacy, election supplies, election paraphernalia, or any affidavit or other document
required or provided for under present law (La. Election Code), unless required to be
removed by a court of competent jurisdiction for inspection and photostatic copying for the
court record.
(7)Have in his possession an official ballot in violation of any provision of present law (La.
Election Code).
(8)Have in his possession the registration certificate of another with intent to violate present law
(La. Election Code).
(9)For purposes other than fulfilling the person's duties relative to registration of voters as
provided by present law, copy or reproduce a voter registration application that has been
submitted by an applicant.
A first offense violation of proposed law is punishable by imprisonment, with or without hard labor,
for not more than two years, or a fine of up to $2,000, or both. A second or subsequent offense is
punishable by imprisonment at hard labor for not more than five years, or a fine of up to $5,000, or
both. Present law provides that certain offenses relating to election fraud, voter registration, and forgery
are punishable by a fine of not more than $2,000, or imprisonment with or without hard labor for not
more than two years, or both for a first offense, or a fine of not more than $5,000 and imprisonment
with hard labor for not more than five years, or both for subsequent violations.
Proposed law deletes present law and provides that the penalties for violating present law are the
penalties set forth in proposed law relative to the crime of election fraud or forgery.
Effective August 1, 2024.
(Amends R.S. 18:1461.2(B); adds R.S. 14:133.1.1)