WHAT IS VOTE BY MAIL?
Vote by mail (VBM) is a method of voting in which an official ballot is mailed to your home (either by request or, in some states, automatically). You then fill out your ballot at home and simply send it back to the registrar of voters through mail, fax, or hand delivery.
CURRENT LOUISIANA LAW
In Louisiana, you must have a specific reason to be eligible to vote by mail, unless you are a military or overseas voter. This means that you may only request a mail ballot if you have a valid excuse for not being able to vote at your polling place on Election Day. There is a short list of accepted excuses that qualify eligible voters to vote by mail, which can be found here on the Secretary of State's website.
​If you do qualify to vote by mail, you must request a ballot, have it sent to your address, and pay for postage to return your ballot to the Registrar of Voters through the postal service.
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THE GOAL
Vote By Mail Louisiana is urging the state of Louisiana to implement a universal vote-by-mail system that would allow all Louisiana voters to request a mail ballot without a specified excuse. Furthermore, we believe that voting by mail should pose no cost to those who request a ballot, seeing this as essential to removing unnecessary barriers to voting. These proposed changes align with House Bill 419 by Representative Mandie Landry, a bill that we support and encourage the Legislature to pass upon return to session. Considering the global pandemic caused by COVID-19 and the upcoming election season, we urge the Legislature to act expeditiously and in the interest of the public’s health and safety.
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