Vote by Mail

(R.S. 18:1303 and R.S. 18:1307) (external)

In Louisiana you must have a reason to be eligible to vote by mail, unless you are a military or overseas citizen. There are 12 reasons to vote by mail.

View upcoming election dates and apply online to vote by mail or print an application to vote by mail (PDF), complete and mail to your parish registrar of voters.

Visit our Louisiana Voter Portal to apply online to vote by mail following these procedures:

• Click the 'By Voter' button
• Click the 'Voting Information' tab
• Click the 'Online Absentee Request' hyperlink found in the first sentence of 'Frequently Asked Questions'
• Note: you must be logged in to the voter portal as the voter for whom the request is intended to electronically submit a request for an absentee ballot.

Timeline to Request an Absentee Ballot by Mail

• Military Personnel: Anytime before 4:30 p.m. on the day before election day
• U.S. Citizens residing outside the U.S.: Anytime before 4:30 p.m. on the day before election day
• Hospitalization: By 4:30 p.m. on the day before election day
• All others: Anytime before 4:30 p.m. on the 4th day before election day

Deadlines for returning your voted ballots

• Military Personnel: By 8 p.m. on election day
• U.S. citizens residing outside the U.S.: By 8 p.m. on election day
• Hospitalization: By 8 p.m. on election day
• All others: By 4:30 p.m. on the day before election day

Return Your Application for Mail Ballot and Voted Mail Ballot to Your Parish Registrar of Voters

12 reasons to vote by mail:

If eligible for any of the following two reasons, you are entitled to receive a ballot by mail automatically for all elections thereafter under the Senior Citizen or Disability Program after enrollment and acceptance by the registrar of voters.

1. Senior Citizen: You are 65 years of age or older;
2. Disabled/Homebound/Nursing or Veterans' Home: You are at home or a nursing or veterans' home resident and you have been previously approved for the Disability Program, or you are disabled, homebound or a nursing or veterans' home resident and you are submitting current proof of disability with your application of either:
   1. a copy of a mobility impaired identification card issued by the Office of Motor Vehicles;
   2. a copy of social security disability benefits, veteran’s disability benefits, paratransit services, benefits from the Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities, or benefits from Louisiana Rehabilitation Services; or
   3. a physician’s letter certifying your disability (this is required for a new homebound or nursing home application).

If submitting your application by mail, you must also enclose a copy of a photo ID (La. driver’s license, La. special ID card or other photo ID with name and signature) or a letter (PDF) where you have listed the names and addresses of two persons residing in your precinct who could make oath, if required, to the fact that you are physically disabled. 

If eligible for any of the following 10 reasons, you are entitled to receive a ballot by mail for either the primary election and/or the general election, if you request a mail ballot for each election. Be sure to write the date of the election(s) for which you are requesting a mail ballot. View the upcoming election dates.

1. Higher Education: You are a student, instructor, or professor located and living outside of your parish of registration, or the spouse/dependent thereof. If a student and voting for the first time, you must include a copy of your student ID.
2. Clergy: You are a minister, priest, rabbi, or other member of the clergy assigned outside of your parish of registration, or the spouse/dependent thereof.
3. Temporarily Absent: You are or expect to be temporarily outside the territorial limits of the state or absent from your parish of registration during the early voting period and on election day. View the early voting election dates. If you request a ballot to be mailed to an address within the parish, you must indicate the dates you will be temporarily absent from the state/parish.
4. Moved Out of Parish: You moved your residence to another parish more than 100 miles from the parish seat of your former residence after the voter registration books closed. The books close 30 days prior to an election.
5. Involuntary Confinement: You are involuntarily confined in an institution for mental treatment outside your parish of registration and you are not interdicted and not judicially declared incompetent.
6. Hospitalized: You expect to be hospitalized on election day and you did not have knowledge until after the time for early voting had expired; or you were hospitalized during the time for early voting and you expect to be hospitalized on election day; or you were either hospitalized or restricted to bed by your physician during early voting and on election day.  View early voting dates.
7. Offshore: You expect to be out of your precinct of registration and upon the waters of the state both during the early voting period and on election day because of your employment or occupation. View early voting dates.
8. Incarcerated: You are incarcerated in an institution inside or outside of your parish of registration and you are not under an order of imprisonment for conviction of a felony. You must attach a certification of the sheriff.
9. Address Confidentiality Program: You are a program participant in the Department of State's ACP. 
10. Juror: You will be sequestered on the day of the election. You must attach a certified copy of the court order of sequestration.

Visit our Frequently Asked Questions (PDF) for more information on voting by mail.