§ 18:196 — Inactive list of voters; procedure for voting

§196. Inactive list of voters; procedure for voting
A.(1) In addition to the official list of voters, there shall be an inactive list of voters
which shall consist of registrants who have been mailed an address confirmation notice. The
names of registrants on the inactive list of voters shall not be counted in computing the
number of ballots required for an election, the number of voters required to divide or
constitute a precinct, the number of signatures required on any petition, the number of
commissioners at a precinct pursuant to R.S. 18:425, the number of voting machines to be
allocated and used in each voting precinct pursuant to R.S. 18:1363, or the number of
registered voters necessary to recognize or determine the organization of a political party or
committee.
(2) However, any registrant whose name appears on the inactive list of voters shall
be eligible to sign a petition and such petition signature, if valid, shall be sufficient to return
the registrant to the official list of voters. If the registrant still resides at the address on file
at the office of the registrar of voters, the address on the petition shall be considered written
confirmation of the continuation of that address for that registrant. However, if the address
is different from that on file at the office of the registrar of voters, the address on the petition
shall be considered written confirmation of the change of address of the registrant.
B. A registrant whose name is on the inactive list of voters may vote:
(1) If the registrant has not changed residence, at the polling place of the registrant's
last address upon affirming in writing by completing an address confirmation notice
affirming that the registrant still resides at the address on file at the office of the registrar of
voters.
(2) If the registrant has moved to an address within the parish in the same precinct,
at the polling place of the registrant's last address on file at the office of the registrar of voters
upon affirming in writing that the registrant resides in the precinct by completing an address
confirmation notice affirming the new address within the precinct.
(3) If the registrant has moved to an address within the parish in a different precinct,
at the polling place of the registrant's last address on file at the office of the registrar of voters
for that election only upon affirming in writing that the registrant still resides in the parish
by completing an address confirmation notice affirming the new address within the parish.
(4) If the registrant has moved to an address outside of the parish, at the polling place
of the registrant's last address on file at the office of the registrar of voters for that election
only upon affirming in writing that the registrant has moved within the last three months and
no longer resides in the parish by completing an address confirmation notice affirming the
new address outside of the parish and that the length of time since the move has not exceeded
three months. If the registrant does not affirm that he has moved within the last three
months, the registrant shall not be permitted to vote.
C.(1)(a) If a registrant whose name is on the inactive list of voters appears at the
polls and votes as provided under Paragraph (B)(1), (2), or (3) of this Section, the registrar
shall transfer the registrant's name to the official list of voters and make any necessary
corrections in the registrant's registration records.
(b) If the registrant appears at the polls and confirms that he has permanently moved
to a different parish, the registrar shall transfer the registrant's registration information to the
registrar of the new parish of residence.
(c) If the registrant appears at the polls and confirms that he has permanently moved
outside the state, the registrar shall cancel the registrant's registration.
(2)(a) If a registrant whose name is on the inactive list of voters votes absentee by
mail or during early voting, the registrar shall transfer the registrant's name to the official list
of voters and make any necessary corrections in the registrant's registration records if the
information on the address confirmation notice, as required by R.S. 18:1309, or the residence
address provided in an application to vote by mail so indicates.
(b) If the registrant confirms that he has permanently moved to a different parish, the
registrar shall transfer the registrant's registration information to the registrar of the new
parish of residence.
(c) If the registrant confirms that he has permanently moved outside the state, the
registrar shall cancel the registrant's registration.
(3) If a registrant whose name appears on the inactive list of voters has returned an
address confirmation notice or other signed notice confirming an address change to the
registrar of voters that was received after the close of books prior to a primary election and
before the close of books for the general election, the registrar shall transfer the registrant's
name to the official list of voters prior to the general election and make any necessary
corrections in the registrant's registration records.
D. If a registrant who has failed to respond to an address confirmation notice and
whose name appears on the inactive list of voters does not vote in any election from the date
the registrant is placed on the inactive list of voters until the day after the second regularly
scheduled general election for federal office held after such date, the registrar shall cancel
the registration of the registrant.

Legislative History

Acts 1994, 3rd Ex. Sess., No. 10, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1995; Acts 1997, No. 1420, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1998; Acts 1999, No. 254, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2000; Acts 2001, No. 1181, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2002; Acts 2004, No. 526, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2005; Acts 2005, No. 220, §4, eff. Jan. 1, 2006; Acts 2008, No. 136, §1, eff. June 6, 2008; Acts 2009, No. 369, §1, eff. Aug. 15, 2009, and §2, eff. Jan. 1, 2010; Acts 2017, No. 176, §1, eff. June 14, 2017; Acts 2023, No. 91, §1 eff. June 6, 2023.