§ 18:1311 — List of absentee by mail and early voters; posting; delivery of alphabetized list to

§1311. List of absentee by mail and early voters; posting; delivery of alphabetized list to
precincts; supplements; absentee by mail voter report
A.(1) The registrar shall keep a list containing the names of all persons who vote by
early voting ballot during early voting and of those whose absentee ballots by mail he has
received. He shall ensure that the list is available for inspection by members of the public
at the principal office of the registrar when the office is open. After the last day for early
voting, the registrar shall prepare a list, arranged alphabetically by precinct, of the names of
all persons who have voted during early voting or from whom absentee ballots by mail were
received on or before the last day for early voting. The registrar shall ensure that the list is
available for inspection by members of the public at the principal office of the registrar when
the office is open and retain a copy of the list for use by the parish board of election
supervisors on election night.
(2) The registrar shall prepare a supplemental list, arranged alphabetically by
precinct, of the names of all persons from whom absentee ballots by mail have been received
after the last day for early voting and before election day. The registrar shall deliver the
supplemental list for each precinct to the parish custodian. The parish custodian shall then
deliver the supplemental list for each precinct to the deputy parish custodian appointed for
that precinct when the key envelopes are delivered as provided in R.S. 18:553(A). The
registrar shall ensure that the list is available for inspection by members of the public at the
principal office of the registrar when the office is open and retain a copy of the supplemental
list for use by the parish board of election supervisors on election night.
(3)(a) The lists produced pursuant to Paragraphs (1) and (2) of this Subsection shall
be posted on the website of the secretary of state at least until the election returns have been
promulgated.
(b) The registrar shall post notice at the entrance to his office informing the public
of the availability of the lists produced pursuant to Paragraphs (1) and (2) of this Subsection.
B. The registrar shall include the first absentee ballot received from a person voting
by mail, if timely received, with those to be counted by the board. Any second or subsequent
ballot received from such person shall be considered not timely received.
C. The registrar shall print an absentee by mail voter report from the state voter
registration computer system listing all voters from whom he has received absentee by mail
ballots before election day; he shall certify to the correctness of the report and deliver the
report to the parish board of election supervisors on election day for use in the tabulation and
counting of absentee by mail ballots.
D.(1)(a) Any absentee ballot submitted by a member of the United States Service or
person who resides outside of the United States who has made application to vote absentee
by mail timely and which ballot is received by the registrar on election day shall be endorsed
with the day and hour of receipt and shall be segregated from and kept separately from any
other absentee by mail ballot received on or after election day.
(b) For any voter hospitalized who has made timely application to vote absentee in
accordance with R.S. 18:1303(D)(1) and whose absentee ballot is received by the registrar
on election day, either by hand delivery or facsimile transmission, such absentee ballot shall
be endorsed with the day and hour of receipt and shall be segregated from and kept separately
from any other absentee mail ballot received on or after election day.
(2) Upon receipt of any such absentee by mail ballot, the registrar shall include, on
a separate list prepared for this purpose, in alphabetical order and by precinct, the name of
any such voter in each precinct.
(3) The registrar shall immediately notify the commissioner-in-charge at each
precinct for which a name appears on the list.
(4)(a) If the voter has not voted in person at the precinct, the registrar shall instruct
the commissioner-in-charge to mark "voted by mail" in the place where the voter would
ordinarily sign the precinct register and to initial the precinct register opposite the words
"voted by mail". The registrar shall then include the first absentee by mail ballot received,
if received timely, with those to be counted by the board, or, if the counting and tabulation
of absentee by mail and early voting ballots has commenced, shall transmit such ballot to the
board to be counted. Any second or subsequent ballot received from such person shall be
considered as not timely received. Accompanying any such absentee by mail ballot shall be
a statement certified by the registrar that he has verified that such voter has not voted in
person at the precinct where he is registered to vote.
(b) If the voter has voted in person at the precinct, the registrar shall write across the
ballot the words "rejected, voted at precinct" and shall include such ballot with all other mail
ballots received on or after election day, to be kept unopened for six months, and destroyed.
(5)(a) Upon receipt of the special ballot for members of the United States Service
and persons residing outside of the United States, the registrar shall endorse the day and hour
of receipt on said ballots and place those received on the day of the election for which the
ballot is cast, in an envelope separate from any other mail ballot. The registrar shall include,
on a separate list for this purpose, in alphabetical order and by precinct, the name of each
voter submitting such special absentee by mail ballot.
(b) Each envelope containing such ballot shall remain sealed until the registrar, after
the close of polls on election day, has verified with the commissioner-in-charge at each
precinct for which a name appears on the list whether or not such voter has voted in person
at that precinct.
(c) If the voter has not voted in person at the precinct, the first special ballot received
from the voter by the registrar, if timely received, shall be counted and tabulated in
accordance with the provisions of this Chapter relative to absentee mail ballots.
E. The commissioners at the polling place shall use the supplemental list provided
for in Paragraph (A)(2) of this Section to ensure that persons who have voted absentee by
mail do not vote in person at the polls on election day.

Legislative History

Acts 1976, No. 697, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1978, Amended by Acts 1977, No. 513, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1978; Acts 1980, No. 506, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1981; Acts 1981, No. 76, §1, eff. June 26, 1981; Acts 1985, No. 754, §1; Acts 1985, No. 755, §1; Acts 1986, No. 425, §1; Acts 1986, No. 669, §1; Acts 1988, No. 909, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1989; Acts 1989, No. 179, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1990; Acts 1992, No. 438, §1, eff. June 20, 1992; Acts 2001, No. 1181, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2002; Acts 2002, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 130, §1, eff. April 23, 2002; Acts 2005, No. 220, §§1, 4, eff. Jan. 1, 2006; Acts 2005, No. 431, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2006; Acts 2006, No. 560, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2007; Acts 2012, No. 213, §1, eff. May 22, 2012; Acts 2013, No. 395, §1, eff. June 18, 2013; Acts 2018, No. 425, §1.