§ 18:114 — Registration at driver's license facilities

Louisiana § 18:114

• Jurisdiction: Louisiana
• Title 18: Conservation

Text

§114. Registration at driver's license facilities
A. It is the intention of the legislature to encourage the broadest possible
participation in the electoral process by the citizens of this state. Therefore, voter registration
services provided for in this Section shall be available at all driver's license facilities in this
state.
B.(1) Each application to obtain, renew, or change the name or address on a driver's
license or identification card issued by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections
made by an applicant who is eighteen years or older shall also serve as an application for
voter registration by the applicant unless the applicant declines to register to vote through
specific declination or by failing to sign the voter registration application. Each application
to obtain a driver's license issued by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections made
by an applicant who is sixteen years old shall also serve as an application for voter
registration by the applicant unless the applicant declines to register to vote through specific
declination or by failing to sign the voter registration application. In addition, any person age
seventeen may register to vote at any time prior to the first election at which he shall have
attained the age of eighteen years. However, no one under the age of eighteen years shall be
permitted to vote in any election.
(2) Any change of address or change of name submitted to the Department of Public
Safety and Corrections for the purpose of changing the information contained on a driver's
license or identification card issued by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections shall
serve as a notification of change of address or change of name for voter registration unless
the registrant states at the time of submitting the change of address or change of name that
the change is not for voter registration purposes.
C. Repealed by Acts 1994, 3rd Ex. Sess., No. 10, §2, eff. Jan. 1, 1995.
D. The secretary of state shall design and provide a standard notice informing the
public of the eligibility requirements for and availability of voter registration, which notice
shall be posted in each driver's license facility of the state.
E. The secretary of state and the deputy secretary for public safety services of the
Department of Public Safety and Corrections shall develop voter registration application
forms for use at driver's license facilities. Such forms shall be in conformity with the
National Voter Registration Act of 1993.
F. Procedures for voter registration pursuant to this Section shall be as follows:
(1) The notice form, as provided for in this Section, shall be posted in a prominent
place in each driver's license facility wherein voter registration applications are to be
accepted.
(2) Any employee authorized to accept an application to obtain, renew, or change the
name or address on a driver's license or identification card shall offer voter registration to any
person making such an application, shall obtain written and signed confirmation of any
declination of the offer of voter registration, and, upon request, shall provide assistance to
any person who desires to register to vote. Such assistance may consist of answering any
question that person might have about completing the registration form. However, if the
person requesting assistance has a physical disability or is unable to read or write English,
the authorized employee shall provide such assistance as is allowed to be provided by
registrars of voters under the provisions of R.S. 18:106.
(3) Prior to generating the portion of the form which is an individual registration
form, the authorized employee shall require the applicant to submit his current Louisiana
driver's license, if he has one, or his birth certificate or birth certification card, or other
documentation which reasonably and sufficiently establishes the applicant's identity, age, and
residency.
(4) Each applicant shall be required to complete the registration application form in
the presence of an authorized employee.
(5) Upon completion of the registration application form, the applicant shall return
the form to an authorized employee.
(6) The authorized employee shall ensure that the registration form has been
completely filled out.
(7) The applicant shall sign the affidavit provision of the registration form before the
authorized employee who, for purposes of this Section, shall be authorized to administer any
oath required on the registration form. The authorized employee shall inform the applicant
that he will not be officially registered to vote until the application is received and approved
by the registrar of voters.
(8) Upon completion of these procedures, the authorized employee shall, within five
working days, return the completed registration application to the registrar of voters within
the parish where the office is located who shall transmit such application to the appropriate
registrar of voters for the parish in which the applicant resides, as determined from the
information contained on the registration application. If a registration application is accepted
within five days before the last day for registration, each driver's license facility shall
transmit the completed voter registration application forms at the conclusion of each business
day. If the information contained on the application form is insufficient to register the
applicant, the registrar of voters shall mail a notice to the applicant at the address provided
on the application form informing the applicant that he has ten days from the date on which
the notice was mailed to provide the necessary information. If the applicant fails to provide
the necessary information within that time, the applicant shall not be registered and the
registrar shall so advise the applicant.
(9) Upon receipt of the completed registration form, the registrar shall, if the
information thereon establishes that the applicant meets the requirements for registration,
register the applicant and mail notice of registration to the applicant's residence, as provided
on the application. Any completed voter registration application transmitted to and received
by a registrar by a driver's license facility shall be considered an update of any existing
registration for that person. However, if a registrar accepts any application for registration,
change of name, or change of address that has been received by a driver's license facility
while the registration records are closed for a particular election as required by R.S.
18:135(A), none of the changes in a registration shall be effective until at least the day after
the particular election has been held. In the case of a change of address, the change shall be
effective in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 18:110(B).
G. No individual shall be registered to vote pursuant to this Section if he does not
meet the requirements for registration as provided in Chapter 4 of Title 18 of the Louisiana
Revised Statutes of 1950, except where said provisions are specifically in conflict herewith.
H. Any public official or employee who attempts to register any person without
complying with the applicable provisions of this Section shall be subject to a fine of not more
than five hundred dollars or be imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.
I. The secretary of state, after consultation with the deputy secretary for public safety
services of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, shall adopt rules and regulations
to provide for the implementation of this Section. Such rules and regulations shall be
adopted in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act and shall be subject to
oversight by the House Committee on House and Governmental Affairs and the Senate
Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs.
J. The transmittal of a change of address or change of name shall be handled in the
same manner as the transmittal of a voter registration application.
K. If an applicant declines to register to vote, the fact that the applicant has declined
to register will remain confidential and will be used only for voter registration purposes. The
fact that any particular applicant has submitted an application to register to vote at a driver's
license facility shall be kept confidential and shall be used only for voter registration
purposes.
L. Each driver's license facility shall maintain such statistical records on the number
of applications to register to vote as requested by the secretary of state.

Legislative History

Acts 1989, No. 792, §1; Acts 1990, No. 107, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1991; Acts 1994, 3rd Ex. Sess., No. 10, §§1, 2, eff. Jan. 1, 1995; Acts 2000, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 118, §3, eff. April 19, 2000; Acts 2001, No. 451, §6, eff. Jan. 12, 2004; Acts 2009, No. 436, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2010; Acts 2014, No. 173, §2, eff. Jan. 1, 2015; Acts 2017, No. 176, §3.