EARLY VOTING BEGINS SATURDAY FOR SPRING MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

The Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office is encouraging all Louisianians eligible to vote in the Spring Municipal General Election to consider voting early. Early voting begins SATURDAY, APRIL 14 and continues through SATURDAY, APRIL 21 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, excluding Sunday, April 15.

Voters should utilize Louisiana’s award-winning smartphone app, GeauxVote Mobile, to find out where to early vote as well as what’s on their ballot. Across the state, 42* parishes have elections ranging from candidate runoffs to parish and local propositions.

Citizens who want to vote early may do so in person at their parish Registrar of Voters Office or at other designated locations. For a complete listing of early voting locations, visit https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/EarlyVoting.

Election Day for the Spring Municipal General Election is Saturday, April 28.

- www.sos.la.gov -

*Parishes with elections include: Acadia, Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bossier, Caddo, Calcasieu, Cameron, Claiborne, DeSoto, East Baton Rouge, East Carroll, Franklin, Grant, Iberville, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lafourche, LaSalle, Lincoln, Livingston, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Orleans, Ouachita, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, Richland, Sabine, St. Bernard, St. Helena, St. Martin, St. Tammany, Terrebonne, Vermilion, Vernon, Washington, Webster, West Baton Rouge and Winn.

LOUISIANA TO RECEIVE MILLIONS FOR VOTING MACHINES
State Releases Request for Proposals

BATON ROUGE, La.--States across the nation received welcomed news from Congress last week with the passage of a bill (Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018) that allocates unused Help America Vote Act (HAVA) dollars to be used for the purchase of voting equipment. As a result, Louisiana stands to receive approximately $5.889 million from the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) in the coming weeks.

At the same time, Louisiana has released a Request for Proposals for new voting machines statewide.  The Secretary of State envisions replacing approximately 10,000 early and election day electronic voting machines and replacing them with smaller, more secure, touch screen models that provide a voter verified paper receipt to enhance post-election recounts or audits when necessary.

“Louisiana, like many other states, purchased our voting equipment back in 2005 when HAVA dollars were first sent to states,” said Schedler.  “Secretaries of State from across the country have been fighting for this final allocation of funding in light of recent security concerns, including hacking threats, brought to light during the 2016 Presidential Election cycle.  While this money will not cover the full cost of replacement, it certainly provides a strong infusion of welcomed federal funding without strings attached that will be pooled together with state funds to better secure and update our process.”

To date, the Secretary of State’s Office has invested approximately $500,000 self-generated dollars to jump-start voting technology efforts at the local level including secure laptops for vote tabulation and additional cybersecurity measures at registrar of voters offices. An additional allocation of $1.5 million, approved by the Legislature for the current fiscal year, could be coupled with a recommended $3 million which is included in the Appropriations Bill (HB 1) being debated the capitol. The HAVA dollars provided to Louisiana require a $294,400 state match bringing the potential total dollars available for voting equipment to almost $10 million dollars.

“Looking at the total available to date, Louisiana is in a much better position than we ever envisioned in terms of funding for new machines,” said Schedler.  “Our plan is to roll out any new equipment purchased in phases over multiple fiscal years, and the current amount funding can certainly cover our first phase.  In phase one, we would replace all early voting machines 5 parishes at a time, across the state starting in 2018.  Phase two would include election day machines rolled out in the same manner, 5 parishes at a time with full implementation expected by 2020.”

The state’s Request for Proposals for new voting equipment can be found online at: https://wwwcfprd.doa.louisiana.gov/OSP/LaPAC/agency/pdf/6770300-01.pdf.

Bids for new voting equipment will be accepted beginning May 1, 2018.  Depending on the bid amounts, Secretary Schedler has anticipating needing somewhere between $40-60 million to replace both the hardware and software necessary to conduct the state’s elections.

“The good news is, discussions at the Congressional level are continuing to address the long term fiscal needs states will face in replacing old voting equipment,” said Schedler.  “This is a positive first step, but there must be additional support in order to increase our cybersecurity defenses and replace aging voting equipment not just in Louisiana, but nationwide.”

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ELECTION DAY REMINDERS

BATON ROUGE, La.–Secretary of State Tom Schedler reminds everyone that SATURDAY, MARCH 24 is Election Day. Eligible voters will be casting ballots for a variety of local municipal, judicial and proposition elections in 41 parishes. Additionally, there are two open state representative seats in Districts 93 (Orleans) and 86 (Tangipahoa) which could be of regional interest. Since this is a Saturday election, the polls open at 7 A.M.

In preparation for Saturday’s Election Day activities, Secretary Schedler is encouraging voters to remember:

Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Anyone in line at 8 p.m. will be allowed to vote.

Voters can find their precinct and sample ballot by downloading the GeauxVote Mobile app for smartphones or by visiting www.sos.la.gov.

Voters can also sign up for text alerts via GeauxVote Mobile.

Voters should bring an ID with them to vote (Louisiana driver’s license, Louisiana Special ID card or another generally recognized picture identification card with name and signature such as a passport). Voters without an ID will be required to fill out an affidavit, but will be allowed to vote.

Election results can be viewed in real-time via GeauxVote Mobile and the secretary of state’s website at www.sos.la.gov.

“While certain areas with local races of interest will see higher turnout, based on early voting statistics, this looks to be another low participation cycle,” said Secretary of State Tom Schedler. “Spring elections with only limited items on the ballot can sometimes see turnout below 10 percent. However, some high-profile municipal and state representative races could bring voters to the polls on Saturday and boost turnout above 20 percent,” said Schedler.

Parishes with elections include: Acadia, Allen, Ascension, Assumption, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Caddo Calcasieu, Concordia, DeSoto, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Iberville, Jackson, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lafourche, LaSalle, Madison, Natchitoches, Orleans, Ouachita, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, Richland, St. Helena, St. James, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Union, Vermilion, Vernon, Webster, West Baton Rouge, West Feliciana, West Carroll and Winn.

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SECRETARY OF STATE TO TEST ELECTION RESULTS

BATON ROUGE, La.—Secretary of State Tom Schedler’s Office will test its electronic election results system Tuesday, March 20 at 2 p.m. CST. During the test period, mock results will be displayed on the secretary of state website. THESE ELECTION RESULTS ARE ONLY FOR TESTING PURPOSES AND DO NOT REFLECT ANY ACTUAL RESULTS.

Media outlets are STRONGLY urged to test their election night graphics, websites and broadcast systems so that any technical issues can be identified and remedied with assistance from the Secretary of State’s IT staff prior to Election Night. If any issues are encountered, please notify the Communications Office immediately at 225.362.5086.

The Communications Office for Election Night will be staffed by Press Secretary Meg Casper Sunstrom. If your outlet would like a seat to ERIN to watch results in real time and/or provide a backup for your election night plans, please contact her ASAP at meg.sunstrom@sos.la.gov or 225.978.6686.

In addition to a variety of local candidate and proposition elections in 41 parishes, there are also two open state representative seats in Districts 93 (Orleans) and 86 (Tangipahoa) which could be of regional interest and several judicial races.

Parishes with elections include: Acadia, Allen, Ascension, Assumption, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Caddo Calcasieu, Concordia, DeSoto, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Iberville, Jackson, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lafourche, LaSalle, Madison, Natchitoches, Orleans, Ouachita, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, Richland, St. Helena, St. James, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Union, Vermilion, Vernon, Webster, West Baton Rouge, West Feliciana, West Carroll and Winn.

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EARLY VOTING ENDS SATURDAY FOR SPRING MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

The Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office reminds voters eligible to participate in the spring municipal election cycle to consider voting early. The last opportunity to cast a ballot during early voting will be Saturday, March 17 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Voters should utilize Louisiana’s award-winning smartphone app, GeauxVote Mobile, to find out where to early vote as well as what’s on their ballot. In addition to a variety of local candidate and proposition elections in 41 parishes*, there are also two open state representative seats in Districts 93 (Orleans) and 86 (Tangipahoa) which could be of regional interest and several judicial races.

Citizens who want to vote early may do so in person at their parish Registrar of Voters Office or at other designated locations. For a complete listing of early voting locations, visit https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/EarlyVoting.

Election Day for the spring municipal election is Saturday, March 24 with the General Election scheduled for Saturday, April 28.

- www.sos.la.gov -

*Parishes with elections include: Acadia, Allen, Ascension, Assumption, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Caddo Calcasieu, Concordia, DeSoto, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Iberville, Jackson, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lafourche, LaSalle, Madison, Natchitoches, Orleans, Ouachita, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, Richland, St. Helena, St. James, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Union, Vermilion, Vernon, Webster, West Baton Rouge, West Feliciana, West Carroll and Winn.

SECRETARY SCHEDLER RESPONDS TO LAWSUIT; VOWS TO FIGHT

BATON ROUGE, La. – Secretary of State Tom Schedler shared the following comments today during a brief meeting with the press to address a lawsuit filed several weeks ago and calls for his resignation. Schedler says his intent is to fight the allegations, finish his term in office, and make amends with his family, friends and colleagues who have been hurt by his actions.

“I know staying in office, on the surface, seems surprising, even shocking,” Schedler said.  “But after some brutally honest discussion with the ones who’ve been hurt the most by my actions, all of them are in unanimous agreement. I must continue the job I was elected to do.  But, I plan to fight these allegations,” he stated.

“My first inclination was to walk away so I could protect my family and myself from what was sure to be a wave of judgement and disappointment,” Schedler shared.  “But I’ve experienced just the opposite. I have been overwhelmed by the public’s kindness,” he said.  “Friends, colleagues and complete strangers have offered their advice, their prayers, their compassion and most importantly, their forgiveness.  It’s been humbling.”

“The fact is, only politicians and editorial writers have publicly suggested I resign,” he noted.  “Staying will not be easy, but leaving is cowardly.  As is always the case, the truth about all this can be found somewhere in the middle.  All the facts will be revealed in the proper place, at the proper time.  I do not intend to feed the rumor mills and gossip columns.”

“I know, there will be some out there that will disagree with my choice to stay.  But when I think of the critical crossroads we face in terms of elections alone:  we’re in the midst of early voting right now, there are still concerns over cyberattacks on elections, we’re about to issue an RFP allowing for us to purchase new voting equipment, we have a brand new commissioner of elections; and a fast approaching mid-term election for Congress, I cannot in good conscience step down.”

“Our work will not be thrown into chaos because I’ve been targeted in an unfair lawsuit,” Schedler emphasized. “This is a time to dig in and work even harder because the deadlines for all these important issues are fast approaching and the outcomes are crucial for voters,” he said.

“From today forward, I am committed to two things: repairing my relationship with the people that mean the most to me and second, protecting the continuity of service for the people of Louisiana here at the Secretary of State’s Office.  I work for the people of this state.  They elected me to do a job and it’s much too important to just walk away with my tail between my legs,” said Schedler. “I’m a New Orleans boy at heart and I get up when I get knocked down, especially when the fight is not over.”

“After this statement, on the advice of my attorneys, I will not discuss the ongoing litigation.  Period.  I will attempt to avoid being a distraction by focusing on accomplishing the goals of the office.  I ask that everyone treat my family and staff with sensitivity and kindness. They have played no role in this mess and cannot be expected to speak on my behalf.”

“I, and I alone, stand here today, with all that I have left of my reputation as a good, honest, straight-forward guy, and say I’m sorry.  I made a mistake, and I will leave it to God to judge what’s in my heart and what’s next for me in my life,” Schedler said.

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EARLY VOTING BEGINS SATURDAY FOR SPRING MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

The Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office is encouraging all Louisianians eligible to vote in the spring municipal election cycle to consider voting early. Early voting begins Saturday, March 10 and continues through Saturday, March 17 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, excluding Sunday, March 11.

Voters should utilize Louisiana’s award-winning smartphone app, GeauxVote Mobile, to find out where to early vote as well as what’s on their ballot. In addition to a variety of local candidate and proposition elections in 41 parishes*, there are also two open state representative seats in Districts 93 (Orleans) and 86 (Tangipahoa) which could be of regional interest, and several judicial races.

Citizens who want to vote early may do so in person at their parish Registrar of Voters Office or at other designated locations. For a complete listing of early voting locations, visit https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/EarlyVoting.

Election Day for the spring municipal election is Saturday, March 24 with the General Election scheduled for Saturday, April 28.

- www.sos.la.gov -

*Parishes with elections include: Acadia, Allen, Ascension, Assumption, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Caddo Calcasieu, Concordia, DeSoto, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Iberville, Jackson, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lafourche, LaSalle, Madison, Natchitoches, Orleans, Ouachita, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, Richland, St. Helena, St. James, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Union, Vermilion, Vernon, Webster, West Baton Rouge, West Feliciana, West Carroll and Winn.

• March 24, 2018
  Municipal Primary and Special General
• April 28, 2018
  Municipal General
• Nov. 6, 2018
  Open Primary/Congressional
• Dec. 8, 2018
  Open General/Congressional

QUALIFYING BEGINS JAN. 3 FOR SPRING ELECTIONS

Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler reminds everyone that qualifying begins for the Spring municipal elections on Wednesday, Jan. 3 and runs through Friday, Jan. 5 until 4:30 p.m. daily. ALL CANDIDATES FOR LOCAL MUNICIPAL RACES WILL QUALIFY WITH THEIR LOCAL CLERK OF COURT or the parish they are registered to vote in for multi-parish races. Once qualified, candidates will appear on the Secretary of State’s website under “Elections & Voting,” “Get Election Information,” “Search for Candidates” or by visiting http://www.sos.la.gov/ElectionsAndVoting/GetElectionInformation/SearchForCandidates/Pages/default.aspx.

The following 35 parishes will be participating in qualifying: Allen, Assumption, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bienville, Calcasieu, DeSoto, East Baton Rouge, Franklin, Grant, Iberville, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafourche, Livingston, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Orleans, Ouachita, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, Richland, St. James, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Vermilion, Vernon, West Baton Rouge, West Carroll, West Feliciana and Winn.

Spring municipal primary elections will be held on Saturday, March 24, 2018 and Spring municipal general elections will be held on Saturday, April 28, 2018. Additionally, a special election to fill the vacant House of Representatives District 86 seat will be held on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018 in select parishes. For more information on qualifying, visit the Secretary of State’s website at http://www.sos.la.gov/ElectionsAndVoting/BecomeACandidate/QualifyForAnElection/Pages/default.aspx.

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SECRETARY SCHEDLER TO TESTIFY BEFORE CONGRESS

Secretary of State Tom Schedler flies to Washington D.C. this week for testimony Wednesday, Nov. 29 before the House Subcommittees on Information Technology and Intergovernmental Affairs. The hearing, scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. CST is entitled “Cybersecurity: Ensuring the Integrity of the Ballot Box.” Secretary Schedler will highlight efforts to secure and protect voting machines across the country on behalf of the National Association of Secretaries of State and specifically highlight Louisiana’s elections best practices including how we protect equipment from tampering.

“In Louisiana, we take pride that we go above and beyond with our voting machine security,” Schedler says. “We are a top down state which means the state purchases, and warehouses, every voting machine used in Louisiana. Additionally, we have the most current software available on all of our voting machines, and we test each and every one before and after the election. Because no one touches our voting machines except our staff; because they’re never sent out to the manufacturer for repairs; because they are not handled by individuals or companies who program voting machines; and because they are very tightly controlled by our office and our office alone, I have the utmost confidence in our vote tallies. The real need in terms of cybersecurity include continued guidance on best practices for election equipment and approval of our clearances from the Department of Homeland Security so that secretaries of state can receive classified information when threats arise. Most of all, states are looking for funding sources to replace aging equipment purchased more than 10 years ago. All of these messages will be important for our federal leaders to hear and consider on Wednesday,” Schedler emphasized.

The subcommittee hearing can be viewed online at https://oversight.house.gov/hearing/cybersecurity-voting-machines/. Additional participants scheduled to appear with Secretary Schedler include:

• Christopher C. Krebs, Senior Official performing the duties of the Under Secretary, National Protection and Programs Directorate, Department of Homeland Security;
• Edgardo Cortés, Commissioner, Virginia Department of Elections;
• Matthew Blaze Ph.D., Associate Professor of Computer and Information Science, University of Pennsylvania and coauthor of the DEFCON 25 report; and
• Susan Klein Hennessey (minority witness), Fellow in National Security Law in Governance Studies, Brookings Institution.

- www.sos.la.gov -

ELECTION DAY REMINDERS

Secretary of State Tom Schedler reminds everyone that SATURDAY, NOV. 18 is Election Day across the state. Eligible voters will be casting ballots for state treasurer as well as an assortment of local races including New Orleans municipal offices beginning at 7 A.M.

In preparation for Saturday’s election activities, Secretary Schedler is encouraging voters to remember:

Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Anyone in line at 8 p.m. will be allowed to vote.

Voters can find their precinct and sample ballot by downloading the GeauxVote Mobile app for smartphones or by visiting www.sos.la.gov.

Voters can also sign up for text alerts via the GeauxVote Mobile app.

Voters should bring an ID with them to vote (Louisiana driver’s license, Louisiana Special ID card or another generally recognized picture identification card with your name and signature such as a passport). Voters without an ID will be required to fill out an affidavit, but will be allowed to vote.

Election results can be viewed in real-time via the GeauxVote Mobile app and the Secretary of State’s website at www.sos.la.gov.

“Statewide turnout is only anticipated to reach approximately 13 percent, so I’m strongly urging voters in Louisiana to get out and cast a ballot in this important statewide election,” said Secretary of State Tom Schedler. “The office of treasurer is critical to our state’s financial stability and choosing a statewide elected official is something we should all weigh in on by voting. Additionally, voters in New Orleans will be electing their mayor as well as other municipal leaders, so we believe participation in that area will surpass the overall state turnout.”

- www.sos.la.gov -

SECRETARY OF STATE TO TEST ELECTION RESULTS

Secretary of State Tom Schedler’s office will test its electronic election results system TUESDAY, NOV. 14 at 2 p.m. CST. During the test period, mock results will be displayed on the secretary of state’s website. THESE ELECTION RESULTS ARE ONLY FOR TESTING PURPOSES AND DO NOT REFLECT ANY ACTUAL RESULTS.

Media outlets are STRONGLY urged to test their election night graphics, websites and broadcast systems so that any technical issues can be identified and remedied with assistance from the Secretary of State’s IT staff prior to election night. If any issues are encountered, please notify the Communications Office immediately at 225.362.5086.

The Secretary of State’s Office will also be testing the new election result feed for media on Tuesday. Media wishing to test the new site ahead of next year’s launch are encouraged to contact Press Secretary Meg Casper Sunstrom for additional instructions and log in credentials.

Finally, in preparation for election night, media outlets should reserve their seat at the Secretary of State’s Office if they are interested in watching results via ERIN (Electronic Registration Information Network).

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SECRETARY SCHEDLER TO ADDRESS NATIONAL AUDIENCE

Secretary of State Tom Schedler will make a national appearance thanks to a visit from the C-SPAN tour bus in Baton Rouge tomorrow morning.

On Tuesday, Nov. 7, a customized 45-foot motor coach will arrive in front of the State Capitol for C-SPAN’s “Washington Journal” program as part of a 14-month tour of the United States. Secretary Schedler will be interviewed at approximately 8:20 a.m. on both state and national topics surrounding elections. Viewers can watch Schedler locally in Baton Rouge on Cox Channel 141 or online at www.c-span.org/community.

From there, Schedler had planned to fly to Washington D.C. to prepare for testimony Wednesday, Nov. 8 before the Subcommittees on Information Technology and Intergovernmental Affairs. However, the hearing, entitled “Cybersecurity: Ensuring the Integrity of the Ballot Box” was cancelled late Monday night by Chairman Will Hurd due to the church shooting in Texas. The hearing will be rescheduled at a later time.

- www.sos.la.gov -

EARLY VOTING BEGINS FRIDAY DUE TO VETERANS DAY

BATON ROUGE, La.—Secretary of State Tom Schedler is asking registered voters to note that early voting for the Nov. 18 Special Treasurer/Municipal General Election will begin FRIDAY, Nov. 3 due to the observance of Veterans Day next week.

“Because Friday, Nov. 10 is Veterans Day, which is a holiday recognized by the state, we must push early voting up one day to accommodate voters not losing a day to cast their ballot,” said Secretary Schedler. “It’s the perfect time to remind voters to dedicate their vote to a current or former soldier who served our country through the Honor Vets…Vote! program. While we anticipate turnout to be extremely low based on historical data, I hope that we can all agree that voting in honor of our service members is a great reason to participate on Election Day. You can get more information on the Honor Vets…Vote! program by visiting to www.sos.la.gov/honorvets.”

All Louisianians eligible to vote in the Special/Municipal Election can begin early voting FRIDAY, NOV. 3 and continue through SATURDAY, NOV. 11 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, excluding Sunday, Nov. 5 and Veterans Day, Friday, Nov. 10. Citizens who want to vote early may do so in person at their parish Registrar of Voters Office or at other designated locations. For a complete listing of early voting locations visit https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/EarlyVoting.

Voters should utilize Louisiana’s award-winning smartphone app, GeauxVote Mobile, to find out where to early vote as well as whether they are eligible to vote in this election. Twenty-four parishes statewide only have the treasurer’s race on the ballot with an additional 32 parishes seeing the treasurer’s race as well as local propositions. Orleans Parish has high profile municipal races including mayor and city council, while eight additional parishes also have local candidate races.

- www.sos.la.gov -

Nov. 18, 2017
Open General/Orleans Municipal Parochial General/Special General Election

The following is important information for the Nov. 18, 2017 Open General/Orleans Municipal Parochial General/Special General Election:

• The deadline to register to vote in person or by mail is Oct. 18.
• The deadline to register to vote through the GeauxVote Online Registration System is Oct. 28.
• Early voting is Nov. 3-11 (except Sunday, Nov. 5 and Veterans Day holiday, Friday, Nov. 10) from 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
• The deadline to request an absentee by mail ballot is Nov. 14 by 4:30 p.m. Voters can request an absentee by mail ballot online through our Voter Portal or in writing through your Registrar of Voters Office (other than military and overseas voters).
• The deadline for a registrar of voters to receive a voted mail ballot is Nov. 17 by 4:30 p.m. (other than military and overseas voters).

For a complete listing of all dates regarding the Nov. 18 election, view our Election Quick Facts.

ELECTION DAY REMINDERS

Secretary of State Tom Schedler reminds everyone that SATURDAY, OCT. 14 is Election Day across the state. Eligible voters will be casting ballots for state treasurer and three constitutional amendments as well as an assortment of local races including New Orleans municipal offices beginning at 7 A.M.

In preparation for Saturday’s election activities, Secretary Schedler is encouraging voters to remember:

• Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Anyone in line at 8 p.m. will be allowed to vote.
• Voters can find their precinct and sample ballot by downloading the GeauxVote Mobile app for smartphones or by visiting www.sos.la.gov.
• Voters can also sign up for text alerts via the GeauxVote Mobile app.
• Voters should bring an ID with them to vote (Louisiana driver’s license, Louisiana Special ID card or another generally recognized picture identification card with your name and signature such as a passport). Voters without an ID will be required to fill out an affidavit, but will be allowed to vote.
• Election results can be viewed in real-time via the GeauxVote Mobile app and the Secretary of State’s website, www.sos.la.gov.

“We anticipate turnout on Saturday unfortunately to be very low based on historical data and early voting statistics,” said Secretary of State Tom Schedler. “I have indicated that I’ll happily eat crow if Louisiana’s voters prove me wrong, and I hope they do. Polls will be open all day Saturday and there is plenty of time to still participate in this important statewide election cycle. Every vote counts, so geaux vote!”

- www.sos.la.gov -

COMMISSIONER OF ELECTIONS HONORED FOR SERVICE

Commissioner of Elections for the State of Louisiana, Angie Rogers, was recognized Friday by the Civil Service League as this year’s Monte M. Lemann Award recipient. The Lemann Award is the highest civil service award given to administrators and unclassified employees in the state.

Rogers has served as commissioner of elections for the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office for more than a decade. Under her leadership, the state has become a national model for election preparation, implementation, integrity and innovation. Roger’s career has always been steeped in elections, from her beginnings as staff attorney to the Louisiana Legislature’s House and Governmental Affairs Committee that oversees election laws, to her service as a Civil Division lawyer in the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office where she defended high profile election cases all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

“When Louisiana voters go to the polls to cast their ballot on Election Day, the person behind the scenes, ensuring not only each citizen’s right to vote, but also their right to a fair and impartial election system, is Angie Rogers,” said Secretary of State Tom Schedler. “There is no greater demonstration of democracy than fair and reliable elections, and Angie has been integral to that work here in Louisiana under the leadership of several secretaries of state, including myself. Angie’s legal background, coupled with her instinctive determination and focus, provide the perfect framework in overseeing Louisiana’s complex election system. Her influence in an area so critical to our nation’s core beliefs and values is immeasurable and touches the lives of every one of Louisiana’s three million registered voters,” Schedler emphasized.

This winter, Rogers will retire from the State of Louisiana and the Secretary of State’s Office. She is most noted for her work after Hurricane Katrina in making sure voters in New Orleans were able to participate in municipal elections despite extensive damage to hundreds of polling places as well as thousands of individuals displaced out of state. Additionally, she oversaw the implementation of new voting machines statewide in 2005 and has been influential in the vision for Louisiana’s next generation of technology that will soon be employed. During Roger’s tenure, Louisiana led the nation in innovative practices including online voter registration, real-time election night results reporting and an award winning smartphone app, GeauxVote Mobile.

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EARLY VOTING TO CONTINUE AS NATE APPROACHES LOUISIANA

Secretary of State Tom Schedler says early voting across the state will continue through Saturday at 6 p.m. as Louisiana prepares for Nate. Schedler told registrars of voters this morning that he expects all offices to be able to complete early voting at 6 p.m. on Saturday with minimal impact due to the storm. La. R.S. 18:401.1 requires any suspension of early voting to be approved by both the secretary of state and the governor. Currently, only one early voting site, Pointe a la Hache in Plaquemines Parish, has closed due to evacuations. The other two early voting sites in Plaquemines Parish remain OPEN.

“While many parish governments are closing so that non-essential employees can prepare for the storm, early voting is considered an essential function and should continue as scheduled,” said Secretary of State Tom Schedler. “Our guidance at this time is, unless there is an imminent risk of an early voting site flooding or a mandatory evacuation called for an entire parish, early voting will be completed so that all voters can exercise their right to cast a ballot.”

Preparations continue to be made by elections officials across the state to protect their early voting/Election Day voting equipment and supplies from any potential storm impact or damage. Since Nate is expected to move through the state quickly, all election activities are anticipated to resume on Monday as the state prepares for the Saturday, Oct. 14 election.

“This storm certainly puts another wrinkle in our ability to predict overall turnout for the 14th,” said Schedler. “Overall, using historical and early voting data, I’m reducing my initial 20 percent turnout prediction because I believe we may struggle to get to 15-20 percent participation statewide. It will take all of the candidates and others encouraging voters to get out and cast a ballot to improve turnout on Election Day for sure.”

- www.sos.la.gov -

EARLY VOTING BEGINS SATURDAY FOR SPECIAL TREASUER’S RACE/MUNICIPAL PRIMARY ELECTIONS

Secretary of State Tom Schedler is encouraging all Louisianians eligible to vote in the special election to fill the state treasurer’s office vacated by John Kennedy to consider voting early. Early voting begins SATURDAY, SEPT. 30 and continues through SATURDAY, OCT. 7 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, excluding Sunday, Oct. 1.

Voters should utilize Louisiana’s award-winning smartphone application, GeauxVote Mobile, to find out where to early vote as well as whether they are eligible to vote in this election. All 64 parishes statewide have the treasurer’s race and three constitutional amendments on the ballot for Oct. 14. Additionally, New Orleans has high profile municipal races including mayor and city council, while other elections of interest across the state include two state representative seats (districts 58 and 77), public service commissioner (District 2) and various municipal/local elections.

Citizens who want to vote early may do so in person at their parish Registrar of Voters Office or at other designated locations. For a complete listing of early voting locations visit https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/EarlyVoting.

- www.sos.la.gov -

Louisiana NOT Targeted or Hacked During 2016 Elections

BATON ROUGE, La.—Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler confirms that he was notified today by the Department of Homeland Security that Louisiana was NOT one of the 21 states widely reported to have been targeted or hacked during the 2016 election cycle.

Earlier this year, DHS officials announced that 21 state elections system were targeted by Russian adversaries during the 2016 Presidential Election cycle. They did not, however, confirm publicly which states were involved. Secretaries of state throughout the country, including Secretary Schedler, have been critical of the federal government’s reluctance to release state-specific information to chief elections officers until today.

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Oct. 14, 2017
Open Primary/Orleans Municipal Parochial Primary/Special Primary Election

The following is important information for the Oct. 14, 2017 Open Primary/Orleans Municipal Parochial Primary/Special Primary Election:

• The qualifying period is July 12-14. Local and municipal candidates qualify with the clerk of court in the parish in which they are registered to vote (contact your local clerk of court for office hours). State candidates qualify in the executive offices of Secretary of State Tom Schedler at 8585 Archives Ave. in Baton Rouge between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Qualifying fees must be paid in the form of cash; certified or cashier's check on a state or national bank or credit union; U.S. postal money order; or money order issued by a state or national bank or credit union and must be accompanied by the qualifying form.
• The deadline to register to vote in person or by mail is Sept. 13.
• The deadline to register to vote through the GeauxVote Online Registration System is Sept. 23.
• Early voting is Sept. 30 through Oct. 7 (except Sunday, Oct. 1) from 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
• The deadline to request an absentee by mail ballot is Oct. 10 by 4:30 p.m. Voters can request an absentee by mail ballot online through our Voter Portal or in writing through your Registrar of Voters Office (other than military and overseas voters).
• The deadline for a registrar of voters to receive a voted mail ballot is Oct. 13 by 4:30 p.m. (other than military and overseas voters).

For a complete listing of all dates regarding the Oct. 14 election, view our Election Quick Facts.

Louisiana's annual Voter Registration Week will be observed statewide from Aug. 21-25, 2017. Below is a comprehensive listing of scheduled activities and will be revised as information is received from each parish registrar of voters. For more information, contact your parish registrar of voters.

Assumption Parish

• Monday, Aug. 21 from 8:30-10 a.m.
  Bayou L'Ourse Supermarket
• Tuesday, Aug. 22 from 8:30-10 a.m.
  Big B's Supermarket
• Wednesday, Aug. 23 from 10-11:30 a.m.
  Pierre Part Library
• Thursday, Aug. 24 from 1-2:30 p.m.
  Labadieville Library
• Friday, Aug. 25 from 9:30-11 a.m.
  Dollar General-Spur

Bienville Parish

• Tuesday, Aug. 22 from 9-9:30 a.m.
  Castor Branch Library and Castor High School
• Tuesday, Aug. 22 from 10:30-11 a.m.
  Saline Branch Library and Saline High School
• Thursday, Aug. 24 from 9:30-10:30 a.m.
  Ringgold Branch Library
• Thursday, Aug. 24 from 10:45-11 a.m.
  Bienville Parish Courthouse Annex
• Friday, Aug. 25 from 9:30-10:30 a.m.
  VF Factory Outlet Mall

Bossier Parish

• Monday, Aug. 21 from 9:30-11 a.m.
  Haughton Library, 226 W. McKinley St., Haughton, LA 71037
• Monday, Aug. 21 from 12:30-2 p.m.
  East 80 Library, 1050 Bellevue Road, Haughton, LA 71037
• Tuesday, Aug. 22 from 1-3 p.m.
  Plain Dealing Library, 208 E. Mary Lee St., Plain Dealing, LA 71064
• Wednesday, Aug. 23 from 9:30-11 a.m.
  Council on Aging, 706 Bearkat Drive, Bossier City, LA 71111
• Wednesday, Aug. 23 from 2:30-4:30 p.m.
  Benton Library, 115 Courthouse Drive, Benton, LA 71006
• Thursday, Aug. 24 from 9-11 a.m.
  Northwest Louisiana Veterans Home, 3130 Arthur Ray Teague Parkway, Bossier City, LA 71112
• Thursday, Aug. 24 from 1-3 p.m.
  Central Library, 2600 Beckett St., Bossier City, LA 71111
• Friday, Aug. 25 from 9:30-11:30 a.m.
  Aulds Library, 3920 Wayne Ave., Bossier City, LA 71112
• Friday, Aug. 25 from 1-3 p.m.
  Anna P. Tooke Library, 451 Fairview Point Road, Elm Grove, LA 71051

East Baton Rouge Parish

• Monday, Aug. 21 from 1-6 p.m.
  Bluebonnet Regional Branch Library, 9200 Bluebonnet Blvd.
• Monday, Aug. 21 from 1-6 p.m.
  Scotlandville Branch Library, 7373 Scenic Highway
• Tuesday, Aug. 22 from 1-6 p.m.
  Central Branch Library, 11260 Joor Road
• Tuesday, Aug. 22 from 1-6 p.m.
  Fairwood Branch Library, 12910 Old Hammond Highway
• Tuesday, Aug. 22 from 1-6 p.m.
  Zachary Branch Library, 1900 Church St.
• Wednesday, Aug. 23 from 1-6 p.m.
  Carver Branch Library, 720 Terrace St.
• Wednesday, Aug. 23 from 1-6 p.m.
  Delmont Gardens Branch Library, 3351 Lorraine St.
• Wednesday, Aug. 23 from 1-6 p.m.
  Main Library, 7711 Goodwood Blvd.
• Thursday, Aug. 24 from 1-6 p.m.
  Pride-Chaneyville Branch Library, 13600 Pride-Port Hudson Road
• Thursday, Aug. 24 from 1-6 p.m.
  Eden Park Branch Library, 5131 Greenwell Springs Road
• Thursday, Aug. 24 from 1-6 p.m.
  Greenwell Springs Road Regional Branch Library, 11300 Greenwell Springs Road
• Friday, Aug. 25 from 1-6 p.m.
  Jones Creek Regional Branch Library, 6222 Jones Creek Road
• Friday, Aug. 25 from 1-6 p.m.
  Baker Branch Library, 3501 Groom Road

Iberville Parish

• Wednesday, Aug. 23 from 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
  Iberville Parish Registrar of Voters Office, 58050 Meriam St., Plaquemine, LA 70764-2717

Jefferson Parish

• Monday, Aug. 21-Friday, Aug. 25 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
  Lakeside Shopping Center Mall, 3301 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie
• Monday, Aug. 21-Friday, Aug. 25 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
  East Jefferson Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon Ave., Metairie
• Monday, Aug. 21-Friday, Aug. 25 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
  Oakwood Shopping Center Mall, 197 Westbank Expressway, Gretna
• Monday, Aug. 21-Friday, Aug. 25 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
  West Jefferson Regional Library, 2751 Manhattan Blvd., Harvey
• Registration applications are available at all Jefferson Parish public libraries as well as at the following locations:
  • Kenner City Hall, 1801 Williams Blvd., Kenner
  • Harahan City Hall, 6437 Jefferson Highway, Harahan
  • Gretna City Hall, 200 Huey P. Long Ave., Gretna
  • Westwego City Hall, 419 Avenue A, Westwego 

Lafayette Parish

• Monday, Aug. 21 from 9:30-11:30 a.m.
  Lafayette Parish WD Smith Career Center, 200 18th St., Lafayette, LA 70501
• Tuesday, Aug. 22 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
  Moss Street Post Office, 1105 Moss St., Lafayette, LA 70501
• Wednesday, Aug. 23 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
  Energy Station Post Office, 455 Feu Follet Road, Lafayette, LA 70508
• Thursday, Aug. 24 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
  South Regional Library, 6101 Johnston St., Lafayette, LA 70503
• Friday, Aug. 25 from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
  Lafayette Parish Registrar of Voters Office, 1010 Lafayette St., Suite 313, Lafayette, LA 70501

Lafourche Parish

• Monday, Aug. 21 from 9:30 a.m.-noon
  Voting Machine Warehouse, 1450 Tiger Drive, Thibodaux
• Monday, Aug. 21 from 10 a.m.-noon
  South Lafourche Library, 16241 E. Main, Galliano
• Tuesday, Aug. 22 from 1-3:30 p.m.
  Choctaw Library, 1887 Choctaw Road, Choctaw
• Tuesday, Aug. 22 from 3:30-4:30 p.m.
  Lafourche Government Complex, 4876 Highway 1, Mathews
• Wednesday, Aug. 23 from 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
  Registrar of Voters Office, 307 W. Fourth St., Thibodaux
• Thursday, Aug. 24 from 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
  NSU Welcome Back Day, Student Union Building
• Friday, Aug. 25 from 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
  Registrar of Voters Office, 16241 E. Main, B-23, Galliano
• Tuesday, Aug. 29 from 7 a.m. until
  South Lafourche High School, 16911 E. Main, Galliano
• Wednesday, Aug. 30 from 7 a.m. until
  Central Lafourche High School, 4820 Highway 1, Mathews

Orleans Parish

• Monday, Aug. 21 from 10 a.m.-noon
  Uptown Health Care
• Monday, Aug. 21 from 10-11:45 a.m.
  Home Life in the Gardens
• Monday, Aug. 21 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
  Algiers Regional Library
• Tuesday, Aug. 22 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
  Delgado Community College (Westbank Campus)
• Tuesday, Aug. 22 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
  Main Library
• Tuesday, Aug. 22 from 11:30-2 p.m.
  Edna Karr High School
• Wednesday, Aug. 23 from 9-11 a.m.
  Mary Queen of Vietnam Church
• Wednesday, Aug. 23 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
  Loyola University
• Wednesday, Aug. 23 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
  Norman Mayer Library
• Wednesday, Aug. 23 from 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
  Benjamin Franklin High School
• Thursday, Aug. 24 from 9-11 a.m.
  St. Joseph Catholic Church
• Thursday, Aug. 24 from 11 a.m.-noon
  University of New Orleans
• Thursday, Aug. 24 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
  Rosa F. Keller Library
• Friday, Aug. 25 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
  Broad Community Connection
• Friday, Aug. 25 from 10:30-11:30 a.m.
  Citizens Ceremony
• Friday, Aug. 25 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
  Broad Community Connection

Rapides Parish

• Monday, Aug. 21 at 10 a.m.
  Rapides Parish Senior Citizens Center, 209 E. Shamrock St., Pineville, LA 71360
• Monday, Aug. 21 at 10 a.m.
  Ball Senior Citizen Center, 100 Municipal Lane, Ball, LA 71405
• Monday, Aug. 21 at 11 a.m.
  Rapides Council on Aging, Inc., 204 Chester St., Alexandria, LA 71301
• Tuesday, Aug. 22 at 10 a.m.
  MLK Senior Citizen Center, 3807 Smash Ave., Alexandria, LA 71302
• Tuesday, Aug. 22 at 11 a.m.
  Rapides Senior Citizens Center, 315 Bolton Ave., Alexandria, LA 71301
• Tuesday, Aug. 22 at 6 p.m.
  Kees Park, 2608 Highway 28 East, Pineville, LA 71360
• Wednesday, Aug. 23 at 10 a.m.
  Alexandria Main Library, 411 Washington St., Alexandria, LA 71301
• Wednesday, Aug. 23 at 10 a.m.
  MLK Library, 1115 Broadway Ave., Alexandria, LA 71302
• Wednesday, Aug. 23 at 11 a.m.
  Westside Regional Library, Pineville
• Thursday, Aug. 24 at 10 a.m.
  Martin Library, 801 W. Shamrock Ave., Pineville, LA 71360
• Thursday, Aug. 24 at 1 p.m.
  Robertson Library Branch, 809 Tioga High Road, Tioga
• Thursday, Aug. 24 at 2 p.m.
  Gunter Library Branch, 5630 Holloway Road, Libuse
• Friday, Aug. 25 at 10 a.m.
  Boyce Library Branch, 500 #A Lietrim Ave., Boyce, LA 71409
• Friday, Aug. 25 at 2 p.m.
  Hineston Library Branch, 1810 Highway 121, Hineston

St. Charles Parish

• Tuesday, Aug. 22 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
  Killona Community Center, 201 Highway 3141, Killona, LA 70057
• Thursday, Aug. 24 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
  St. Rose Community Center, 608 Mockingbird Lane, St. Rose, LA 70087

St. Helena Parish

• Monday, Aug. 21-Friday, Aug. 25 from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
  St. Helena Parish Registrar of Voters Office, NFC Building, First Floor, 48 Kendrick St., Greensburg
• Monday, Aug. 21 from 9:30-10:30 a.m.
  Audubon Regional Library, Greensburg
• Monday, Aug. 21 from 11 a.m.-noon
  Amite Plaza, 30006 Highway 16, Amite
• Tuesday, Aug. 22 from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
  Hatfield's Country Store, 24358 Highway 43, Greensburg (Easleyville)
• Tuesday, Aug. 22 from 1:15-2:30 p.m.
  Bebo's Truck Stop, 2938 Highway 38, Kentwood
• Wednesday, Aug. 23 from 12:30-1:30 p.m.
  Dollar General, Montpelier
• Wednesday, Aug. 23 from 2-3:30 p.m.
  Lee's Grocery, 47785 Highway 16, Denham Springs (Dennis Mills)
• Thursday, Aug. 24 from 11 a.m.-noon
  St. Helena College and Career Academy, 14340 Highway 37, Greensburg

Terrebonne Parish

• Monday, Aug. 21 from 2-3:30 p.m.
  North Branch Library, 4130 W. Park Ave., Gray
• Tuesday, Aug. 22 from 7:30-8:30 a.m.
  Terrebonne High School, 7318 Main St. 
• Tuesday, Aug. 22 from 10-11:30 a.m.
  Fletcher Technical Community College, 1407 Highway 311
• Tuesday, Aug. 22 from 2-3:30 p.m.
  Terrebonne Parish Main Library, 151 Library Drive
• Wednesday, Aug. 23 from 10-11:30 a.m.
  Fletcher Houma Facility, 310 St. Charles St.
• Thursday, Aug. 24 from 9-10 a.m.
  Chateau-Terrebonne Nursing Home, 1386 W. Tunnel Blvd.
• Thursday, Aug. 24 from 2-3:30 p.m.
  East Houma Library, 778 Grand Caillou Road
• Friday, Aug. 25 from 7:30-8:30 a.m.
  South Terrebonne High School, 3879 Highway 24

VOTER REGISTRATION WEEK 2017 BEGINS AUG. 21

BATON ROUGE, La.—Secretary of State Tom Schedler is joining registrars of voters across the state the week of Aug. 21-25, 2017 to host Voter Registration Week activities aimed at registering eligible citizens to vote. The next regularly scheduled election in Louisiana is the Statewide Special and Open/Orleans Municipal Parochial Primary on Oct. 14, 2017.

“Registering to vote is a right we should all cherish, and we’ve made it quick and easy to do so,” said Secretary of State Tom Schedler. “While this year is a slow election cycle for many communities, Louisiana will be electing a state treasurer this fall as well as hosting many local elections, propositions and constitutional amendments on the ballot. The first step in participating in government is to make sure you’re registered to vote and if not, now is a great time to do it. Then on Election Day it’s easy to GeauxVote!”

Louisiana was one of the first states in the nation to implement an easy, convenient online voter registration portal. Citizens with a valid Louisiana driver’s license can register online 24 hours a day, seven days a week from the convenience of their home or office by visiting https://voterportal.sos.la.gov.

Residents of Louisiana can also register in person at their parish Registrar of Voters Office, when they apply for/renewing their driver’s license at any Office of Motor Vehicles or when obtaining services at public assistance agencies and Armed Forces recruitment offices. Citizens wishing to register by mail can download and print the application at http://www.sos.la.gov/ElectionsAndVoting/PublishedDocuments/ApplicationToRegisterToVote.pdf, or complete an application found at public libraries or through registration drives.

To register and vote in Louisiana individuals must:

• be a U.S. citizen;
• be at least 17 years old (16 years old if registering in person at the Registrar of Voters Office or at the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles) to register and 18 years old prior to the next election to vote;
• not be under an order of imprisonment for conviction of a felony;
• not be under a judgment of full interdiction for mental incompetence or partial interdiction with suspension of voting rights;
• be a resident in the state and parish in which you seek to register and vote; and
• complete the process at least 20 days prior to an election if registering online or 30 days prior to an election if registering in person or by mail.

For a complete listing of activities in individual parishes, visit http://www.sos.la.gov/Pages/NewsAndEvents.aspx#faq166.

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MEDIA ADVISORY: QUALIFYING BEGINS WEDNESDAY FOR 2017 STATEWIDE/MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

BATON ROUGE, La.—Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler reminds everyone that qualifying for the October Statewide/Municipal Elections begins on Wednesday, July 12 and runs through Friday, July 14.

All candidates for local municipal/legislative/district judge races will qualify with their parish clerk of court. All candidates for State Treasurer, Public Service Commission District 2 and Court of Appeals Judges will qualify at the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office located at 8585 Archives Ave. in Baton Rouge. Hours of operation for the Secretary of State’s Office are 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. daily. Check with your local clerk of court for specific parish hours.

The media is invited to attend qualifying at the Secretary of State’s Office and will have the opportunity to interview and/or photograph candidates as they file their paperwork.

Once qualified, candidates will appear on the secretary of state’s website in real-time under “Elections & Voting,” “Get Election Information,” “Search for Candidates,” or by visiting https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/CandidateInquiry.

The fall Statewide/Municipal Election will be held on Saturday, Oct. 14 and the fall General Election (runoff) will be held on Saturday, Nov. 18. For more information on qualifying, visit the secretary of state’s website at www.sos.la.gov.

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SCHEDLER DENIES MASSIVE DATA REQUEST FROM PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION ON ELECTION INTEGRITY

BATON ROUGE, La.—Secretary of State Tom Schedler announced today that he will not comply with the Presidential Commission on Election Integrity request to access voter information in Louisiana. He bases his decision on a long-standing, consistent belief that voter’s private information including social security number, mother’s maiden name and date of birth should be vigorously protected by states.

“The President’s Commission has quickly politicized its work by asking states for an incredible amount of voter data that I have, time and time again, refused to release,” said Secretary of State Tom Schedler. “My response to the Commission is, you're not going to play politics with Louisiana’s voter data, and if you are, then you can purchase the limited public information available by law, to any candidate running for office. That’s it.”

Louisiana's public voter list includes only name, address, party affiliation and voter history. Voter history indicates voters’ participation in previous election cycles, NOT how they voted.

Schedler’s response mirrors his prior efforts to defend Louisiana’s data against attempts by the Obama Administration’s Department of Justice to obtain private, personal information through a lawsuit filed in the Middle District in July of 2011 claiming Louisiana does not register to vote recipients of state benefits with “sufficient vigor.” The Department of Health and Hospitals, as well as the Department of Children and Family Services, are co-defendants in the lawsuit with the Secretary of State. A discovery request by the Department of Justice demanded Schedler turn over Louisiana’s entire election database including the social security numbers, driver’s license numbers, dates of birth and mother’s maiden names of each and every registered voter, as well as the source code needed to manipulate the information contained in the database. The request for the data has since been withdrawn.

“I denied the Obama Justice Department’s request and I’m denying President Trump’s Commission’s request because they are both politically motivated,” noted Schedler. “The release of private information creates a tremendous breach of trust with voters who work hard to protect themselves against identity fraud. That’s why it is protected by six federal laws and two state laws. This Commission needs to understand clearly, disclosure of such sensitive information is more likely to diminish voter participation rather than foster it. I have been fighting this kind of federal intrusion and overreach, and will continue to fight like hell for the people who trust me with the integrity of our election process,” emphasized Schedler.

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Letter from Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity

SPECIAL ELECTION FOR SENATE DISTRICT 2 TOMORROW

Secretary of State Tom Schedler reminds all registered Louisiana voters that runoff for Senate District 2 will be held this Saturday, May 27 in eight parishes across the state. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

Below are several reminders to assist in your coverage of Election Day activities and results:

• Remind voters to download our GeauxVote Mobile smartphone app to sign up for Election Day text notifications, find polling locations, review sample ballots and monitor election results in real-time.
• Sample ballots are also available via our website at www.sos.la.gov.
• Real-time election results will be posted to our website in several formats: graphical, text and mobile. Graphical results will not display for Apple users. Allow three to five minutes between refreshing the results site for optimal functionality. Remember, the results must be transported from the polling locations to the Clerk of Court’s Office and downloaded before populating our website.

Parishes within the 2nd Senatorial District include Ascension, Assumption, Iberville, Lafourche, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist and West Baton Rouge.

- www.sos.la.gov -

SECRETARY OF STATE TO TEST ELECTION RESULTS

BATON ROUGE, La.—Secretary of State Tom Schedler’s office will test its electronic election results system TUESDAY, MAY 23 at 2 p.m. CST. During the test period, mock results will be displayed on the secretary of state website. THESE ELECTION RESULTS ARE ONLY FOR TESTING PURPOSES AND DO NOT REFLECT ANY ACTUAL RESULTS.

Media outlets are STRONGLY urged to test their election night graphics, websites and broadcast systems so that any technical issues can be identified and remedied with assistance from the Secretary of State’s IT staff prior to election night. If any issues are encountered, please notify the Communications Office immediately at 225.362.5086.

Parishes participating in the May 27 Special Senatorial District 2 Election include Ascension, Assumption, Iberville, Lafourche, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist and West Baton Rouge.

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EARLY VOTING BEGINS SATURDAY FOR SPECIAL SENATE ELECTION RUNOFF

Secretary of State Tom Schedler is encouraging all Louisianians eligible to vote in the special election to fill the 2^nd Senatorial District seat vacated by Troy Brown to consider voting early. Early voting begins SATURDAY, MAY 13 and continues through SATURDAY, MAY 20 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, excluding Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 14.

Voters should utilize Louisiana’s award-winning smartphone application, GeauxVote Mobile, to find out where to early vote as well as whether they are eligible to vote in this special election. Parishes within the 2^nd Senatorial District include Ascension, Assumption, Iberville, Lafourche, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist and West Baton Rouge.

Citizens who want to vote early may do so in person at their parish Registrar of Voters Office or at other designated locations. For a complete listing of early voting locations visit https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/EarlyVoting.

- www.sos.la.gov -

SPRING GENERAL AND SPECIAL SENATE ELECTIONS THIS SATURDAY!

Secretary of State Tom Schedler reminds all registered Louisiana voters that municipal general elections and a special Senate District 2 primary election will be held this Saturday, March 29 in 46 parishes across the state. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

Below are several reminders to assist in your coverage of Election Day activities and results:

• Remind voters to download our GeauxVote Mobile smartphone app to sign up for Election Day text notifications, find polling locations, review sample ballots and monitor election results in real-time.
• Sample ballots are also available via our website at www.sos.la.gov.
• Real-time election results will be posted to our website in several formats (graphical, text and mobile). Graphical results will not display for Apple users.

Allow three to five minutes between refreshing the results site for optimal functionality. Remember, the results must be transported from the polling locations to the Clerk of Court’s Office and downloaded before populating our website.

In addition to a variety of local candidate and proposition elections in 46 parishes*, there is one open State Representative seat in District 8 and the primary election for Senate District 2 vacated by Troy Brown, which could be of regional interest. The runoff for Senate District 2, if necessary, is scheduled for Saturday, May 27.

- www.sos.la.gov -

*Parishes with elections include, Acadia, Allen, Ascension, Assumption, Beauregard, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Cameron, Calcasieu, Caldwell, Catahoula, Concordia, East Baton Rouge, East Carroll, Evangeline, Grant, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lafourche, LaSalle, Lincoln, Livingston, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Orleans, Rapides, Richland, Sabine, St. Charles, St. James, St. John, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Terrebonne, Union, Vermilion, Webster, Washington, West Baton Rouge and Winn.

SECRETARY OF STATE TO TEST ELECTION RESULTS

BATON ROUGE, La.—Secretary of State Tom Schedler’s office will test its electronic election results system TUESDAY, APRIL 25 at 2 p.m. CST. During the test period, mock results will be displayed on the secretary of state website. THESE ELECTION RESULTS ARE ONLY FOR TESTING PURPOSES AND DO NOT REFLECT ANY ACTUAL RESULTS. (Please note, Orleans Parish will not be testing until later in the week.)

Media outlets are STRONGLY urged to test their election night graphics, websites and broadcast systems so that any technical issues can be identified and remedied with assistance from the Secretary of State’s IT staff prior to Election Night. If any issues are encountered, please notify the Communications Office immediately at 225.362.5086.

In addition to a variety of local candidate and proposition elections in 46 parishes, there is one open State Representative seat in Districts 8 and the primary election for Senate District 2 vacated by Troy Brown, which could be of regional interest. Parishes with elections include Acadia, Allen, Ascension, Assumption, Beauregard, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Cameron, Calcasieu, Caldwell, Catahoula, Concordia, East Baton Rouge, East Carroll, Evangeline, Grant, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lafourche, LaSalle, Lincoln, Livingston, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Orleans, Rapides, Richland, Sabine, St. Charles, St. James, St. John, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Terrebonne, Union, Vermilion, Webster, Washington, West Baton Rouge and Winn.

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EARLY VOTING BEGINS SATURDAY FOR SPRING GENERAL AND SPECIAL SENATE ELECTIONS

Secretary of State Tom Schedler is encouraging all Louisianians eligible to vote in the Spring Municipal Election cycle to consider voting early. Early voting begins Saturday, April 15 and continues through Saturday, April 22 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, excluding Good Friday, April 14 and Easter Sunday, April 16.

Voters should utilize Louisiana’s award-winning smartphone application, GeauxVote Mobile, to find out where to early vote as well as what’s on their ballot. In addition to a variety of local candidate and proposition elections in 46 parishes*, there is one open state representative seat in District 8 and the primary election for Senate District 2 vacated by Troy Brown, which could be of regional interest. The runoff for Senate District 2, if necessary, is scheduled for Saturday, May 27.

Citizens who want to vote early may do so in person at their parish Registrar of Voters Office or at other designated locations. For a complete listing of early voting locations visit https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/EarlyVoting.

- www.sos.la.gov -

*Parishes with elections include: Acadia, Allen, Ascension, Assumption, Beauregard, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Cameron, Calcasieu, Caldwell, Catahoula, Concordia, East Baton Rouge, East Carroll, Evangeline, Grant, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lafourche, LaSalle, Lincoln, Livingston, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Orleans, Rapides, Richland, Sabine, St. Charles, St. James, St. John, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Terrebonne, Union, Vermilion, Webster, Washington, West Baton Rouge and Winn.

ELECTION DAY REMINDERS

Secretary of State Tom Schedler reminds everyone that SATURDAY, MARCH 25 is Election Day across the state. Eligible voters will be casting ballots for a variety of local candidate and proposition elections in 37 parishes, and there are also three open state representative seats in Districts 8, 42 and 92 which could be of regional interest. Since this is a Saturday election, the polls open at 7 A.M.

In preparation for Saturday’s Election Day activities, Secretary Schedler is encouraging voters to remember:

• Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Anyone in line at 8 p.m. will be allowed to vote.
• Voters can find their precinct and sample ballot by downloading the GeauxVote Mobile app for smartphones or by visiting www.sos.la.gov.
• Voters can also sign up for text alerts via GeauxVote Mobile.
• Voters should bring an I.D. with them to vote (Louisiana Driver’s License, Louisiana Special I.D. card or another generally recognized picture identification card with your name and signature such as a passport). Voters without an I.D. will be required to fill out an affidavit, but will be allowed to vote.
• Election results can be viewed in real-time via GeauxVote Mobile and the secretary of state’s website at www.sos.la.gov.

Parishes with elections include: Acadia, Allen, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Calcasieu, Caldwell, East Carroll, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Grant, Iberia, Jackson, Jefferson Davis, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lafourche, LaSalle, Livingston, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Orleans, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, Richland, Sabine, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. John, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Tensas and Vermilion.

- www.sos.la.gov -

*NOTE: The Secretary of State’s Communications Office will be staffed by Public Information Officer Brandee Patrick on Election Night. Media with questions should contact her at brandee.patrick@sos.la.gov or 225.362.5111.

SECRETARY OF STATE TO TEST ELECTION RESULTS

BATON ROUGE, La.—Secretary of State Tom Schedler’s office will test its electronic election results system TUESDAY, MARCH 21 at 2 p.m. CST. During the test period, mock results will be displayed on the secretary of state website. THESE ELECTION RESULTS ARE ONLY FOR TESTING PURPOSES AND DO NOT REFLECT ANY ACTUAL RESULTS.

Media outlets are STRONGLY urged to test their election night graphics, websites and broadcast systems so that any technical issues can be identified and remedied with assistance from the Secretary of State’s IT staff prior to Election Night. If any issues are encountered, please notify the Communications Office immediately at 225.362.5086.

The Communications Office for Election Night will be staffed by Public Information Officer Brandee Patrick. Patrick can be reached directly at brandee.patrick@sos.la.gov, 225.362.5111 (office) or 225.328.2977 (cell).

In addition to a variety of local candidate and proposition elections in 37 parishes, there are also three open State Representative seats in Districts 8, 42 and 92 which could be of regional interest. Parishes with elections include: Acadia, Allen, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Calcasieu, Caldwell, East Carroll, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Grant, Iberia, Jackson, Jefferson Davis, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lafourche, LaSalle, Livingston, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Orleans, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, Richland, Sabine, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. John, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Tensas and Vermilion.

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QUALIFYING FOR SPECIAL SENATE DISTRICT 2 ELECTION

BATON ROUGE, La.—Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler reminds everyone that qualifying for the special election to fill State Senate seat vacated by Sen. Troy Brown in District 2 begins Wednesday, March 15 and runs through Friday, March 17 at 4:30 p.m.

Candidates will qualify with their local, parish clerk of court. Senate District 2 includes parts of Ascension, Assumption, Iberville, Lafourche, St. Charles, St. James, St. John and West Baton Rouge parishes.

Once qualified, candidates will appear on the secretary of state’s website in real-time under “Elections & Voting,” “Get Election Information,” “Search for Candidates,” or by visiting https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/CandidateInquiry.

The Special Primary Election for Senate District 2 will be held on Saturday, April 29, 2017 and the Special General Election will be held on Saturday, May 27, 2017. For more information on qualifying, visit the secretary of state’s website at www.sos.la.gov.

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EARLY VOTING BEGINS SATURDAY FOR SPRING MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

Secretary of State Tom Schedler is encouraging all Louisianians eligible to vote in the Spring Municipal Election cycle to consider voting early. Early voting begins SATURDAY, MARCH 11 and continues through SATURDAY, MARCH 18 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, excluding Sunday, March 12.

Voters should utilize Louisiana’s award-winning smartphone application, GeauxVote Mobile, to find out where to early vote as well as what’s on their ballot. In addition to a variety of local candidate and proposition elections in 37 parishes*, there are also three open state representative seats in Districts 8, 42 and 92 which could be of regional interest. (NOTE: The vacant 2nd Senatorial District seat vacated by Troy Brown is not on the ballot until April 29. Qualifying for that race is next week, March 15-17.)

Another reminder for voters impacted by the floods, or by the recent tornado in New Orleans, is to check early voting sites as well as their Election Day precincts for changes due to physical damage. Thirteen precincts in New Orleans east have recently moved due to tornado damage, and the Juban Crossing early voting site in Livingston Parish is NOT opening this election cycle. Voters in Livingston Parish should visit their Registrar of Voters Office to early vote.

Citizens who want to vote early may do so in person at their parish Registrar of Voters Office or at other designated locations. For a complete listing of early voting locations, visit https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/EarlyVoting.

- www.sos.la.gov -

*Parishes with elections include: Acadia, Allen, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Calcasieu, Caldwell, East Carroll, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Grant, Iberia, Jackson, Jefferson Davis, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lafourche, LaSalle, Livingston, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Orleans, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, Richland, Sabine, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. John, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Tensas and Vermilion.

January 25, 2017

SECRETARY SCHEDLER RESPONDS TO PRESIDENT TRUMP’S VOTER FRAUD INVESTIGATION

BATON ROUGE, La. – Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler issued the following statement today in response to President Donald Trump’s announcement of a national voter fraud investigation.

“I take any and all allegations of fraud very seriously, but I can only speak on behalf of the election system here in Louisiana since it is the one I control.  Louisiana did not have any widespread irregularities or allegations of fraud during the 2016 Presidential Election Cycle.

In our state, you must be a citizen of the United States in order to register to vote.  In fact, when you register you are in effect signing a legal affidavit and creating an official public record stating that you meet all of the necessary requirements.  Creating a false public record is a serious crime that is punishable by law.   In addition, Louisiana has a trusted, election-day photo I.D. law in our state that provides an additional level of security.

Our registrar of voters statewide are also required by law to review, monitor and update our voter registration lists for accuracy. One tool they use is a robust program called the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) which allows states to share data allowing us to clean our registration records by removing individuals who are identified as no longer living in our state or who have died. ERIC includes data from more than 21 states as well as the national change of address program giving us confidence that only those eligible to vote in Louisiana are in fact, voting.

In other words, Louisiana has many layers of legal protection to shield us from voter fraud. It is for the above reasons, and because we received no complaints or allegations of illegal citizens registering or voting on Election Day that I was able to, in good conscious, certify Louisiana's election results.

Do I believe there could be precincts in this country in which there are voters on the rolls who have moved out of state or have died?  Yes, I do. And if a presidential investigation can produce evidence concerning this scenario or any other fraudulent activity it should be shared with the states so that it can be cleaned-up and put to rest.

I can assure you that conducting free and fair elections will always be my top priority and if I feel that our laws are being broken by anyone, I will prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law."

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SECRETARY SCHEDLER SEEKS ASSISTANCE FROM PRES.-ELECT TRUMP

BATON ROUGE, La.—Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler penned a letter this week to President-elect Trump seeking his assistance in undoing a last-minute action of the Obama administration. On Friday, Jan. 6 at approximately 5:40 p.m., the National Association of Secretaries of State was notified that U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson issued a press release announcing all 50 states’ election systems had been designated as “critical infrastructure.” Nationally, there are 16 critical infrastructure sectors and 20 subsectors that are eligible to receive prioritized cybersecurity assistance from Homeland Security. Election Infrastructure was established as a subsector within the Government Facilities Sector.

“As immediate Past-President of NASS, I am appalled at the deafness of the Obama administration, but not surprised,” Schedler wrote. “The outgoing President is consistently governed by his own sense of priorities regardless of the opinions of the American people. It has been obvious and even acknowledged by Secretary Johnson in his announcement that there is much trepidation among the states concerning the critical infrastructure designation yet he forged ahead during the last minutes of the administration.”

Schedler urged President-elect Trump to rescind the designation as soon as possible describing the move as an intrusion on state’s rights held within the Constitution and a dangerous step towards nationalizing elections. Schedler recalled during the 2016 Presidential Election cycle that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security took an interest in election processes in response to cybersecurity concerns. In doing so, Secretary Johnson set up a working group to voluntarily assist states who sought guidance. Louisiana however, was already fully prepared and had implemented all of the recommendations made by Johnson’s agency.

“It was clear to me after meeting with Homeland Security, the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office that they lacked the basic understanding necessary to assist in ‘securing’ our nationally recognized system,” said Schedler. “This is a federal intrusion issue and should not be taken lightly.”

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announcement stated, “This designation does not mean a federal takeover, regulation, oversight or intrusion concerning elections in this country,” which is why Schedler, along with several other secretaries of state directly questioned Johnson during a conference call, as to the exact changes that could result from the designation and why it was necessary. Johnson admitted that election assistance would be granted to states regardless of any formal designation. Furthermore, he could not adequately explain why it was immediately necessary.

Schedler’s letter followed a strong response from the National Association of Secretaries of State which read in part, “U.S. Homeland Security Jeh Johnson’s announcement of a critical infrastructure classification for elections systems is legally and historically unprecedented, raising many questions and concerns for states and localities with authority over the administration of our voting process. Americans need to know that the November 2016 election—the voting process itself—was not hacked or subject to manipulation in any way. No credible evidence of hacking, including attempted hacking of voting machines or vote counting, was ever presented or discovered in any state. State and local autonomy over elections is our greatest asset against malicious cyberattacks and manipulation. While we recognize the need to share information on threats and risk mitigation in our elections at all levels of government, as we did throughout the 2016 election cycle, it is unclear why a critical infrastructure classification is now necessary.”

Schedler says he and other secretaries will continue to discuss the issue and possibly consider a resolution in response to the critical infrastructure designation during the NASS Winter meeting to be held in Washington D.C. in mid-February. Additionally, Louisiana citizens who oppose the designation are encouraged to visit www.protectlouisianaelections.com to sign a petition in support of his efforts.

“I have yet to hear of a single secretary of state from either side of the aisle who is in favor of this designation,” said Schedler. “We all feel railroaded by this announcement and have serious concerns about the way in which this announcement was delivered and its timing. When it comes to election integrity, I am not going to let the federal government have the keys to our secured election system unless they can better articulate their intentions,” emphasized Schedler.

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MEDIA ADVISORY: ELECTORAL COLLEGE TO MEET AT STATE CAPITOL

BATON ROUGE, La.—Secretary of State Tom Schedler will host the meeting of Louisiana’s Electoral College on Monday, Dec. 19 in the Senate Chamber of the State Capitol beginning at 11:30 a.m. Secretary Schedler will administer the oaths of office to the eight electors of the Republican Party prior to their official votes for president and vice president of the United States.

Individuals wishing to watch a live stream of the proceedings can do so through the Secretary of State’s official Facebook page or by going to www.legis.la.gov and clicking on the live streaming link.

Louisiana’s electors include: Garrett C. Monti, at large; Steven Scott Wilfong, at large; Christopher David Trahan, 1st Congressional District; Lloyd A. Harsch, 2nd Congressional District; Charles L. Buckels, Jr., 3rd Congressional District; Louis R. Avallone, 4th Congressional District; Kay Kellogg Katz, 5th Congressional District; and Lennie H. Rhys, 6th Congressional District. In the event that one of these electors is not present, an alternative elector will assume his/her duties by law.

The Electoral College, administered by the National Archives and Records Administration, is a process that began as part of the original design of the United States Constitution. The Founding Fathers established the Electoral College as a compromise between election of the president by Congress and election by a popular voter. The people of the United States vote for the electors who then vote for president.

For more information on the Electoral College, visit https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/.

- www.sos.la.gov -

Electoral College 2016 Agenda

ELECTION DAY REMINDERS 

Secretary of State Tom Schedler reminds everyone that SATURDAY, DEC. 10 is Election Day across the state. Eligible voters will be casting ballots for the U.S. Senate, the 3^rd and 4^th Congressional Districts, municipal races across the state and 156 propositions in 44 parishes. Since this is a Saturday election, the polls open at 7 A.M.

In preparation for Tuesday’s election activities, Secretary Schedler is encouraging voters to remember:

• Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Anyone in line at 8 p.m. will be allowed to vote.   
• Voters can find their precinct and sample ballot by downloading the GeauxVote Mobile app for smartphones or by visiting www.sos.la.gov.
• Voters can also sign up for text alerts via GeauxVote Mobile.
• Voters should bring an ID with them to vote (Louisiana driver’s license, Louisiana Special ID card or another generally recognized picture identification card with your name and signature such as a passport). Voters without an ID will be required to fill out an affidavit, but will be allowed to vote.
• Voters will receive a limited-edition I Voted sticker featuring Louisiana artist George Rodrigue’s beloved Blue Dog.
• Election results can be viewed in real-time via the GeauxVote app and the Secretary of State’s website at www.sos.la.gov.

“Based on historical voting patterns and participation in early voting, we are anticipating statewide turnout of just below 30 percent which is significantly lower than we saw in November,” says Secretary of State Tom Schedler. “There are still many important elections to be decided in our state, so I encourage everyone to go exercise their right to vote and to educate themselves on the candidates and the issues before going to the polls. Every vote counts, so geaux vote!”

- www.sos.la.gov -

SECRETARY OF STATE TO TEST ELECTION RESULTS

Secretary of State Tom Schedler’s office will test its electronic election results system TUESDAY, DEC. 6, 2016 at 2 P.M. CST. During the test period, mock results will be displayed on the secretary of state website. THESE ELECTION RESULTS ARE ONLY FOR TESTING PURPOSES AND DO NOT REFLECT ANY ACTUAL RESULTS. (Orleans Parish will not test until Friday, Dec. 9.)

Media outlets are STRONGLY urged to test their election night graphics, websites and broadcast systems so that any technical issues can be identified and remedied with assistance from the Secretary of State’s IT staff prior to election night. If any issues are encountered, please notify the Communications Office immediately at 225.362.5086.

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EARLY VOTING BEGINS SATURDAY FOR DECEMBER RUNOFFS

Secretary of State Tom Schedler is encouraging all Louisianians eligible to vote in the 2016 General Election to consider voting early. Early voting begins SATURDAY, NOV. 26 and continues through SATURDAY, DEC. 3 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, excluding Sunday, Nov. 27.

“Early voting during the long holiday weekend should be quick and easy,” said Secretary of State Tom Schedler. “Turnout for general elections in December is historically low, around 20 percent compared to almost 70 percent in November, and we know a lot of voters will be out of town with family which means little or no waiting for those wanting to cast their ballot early.”

Voters should utilize Louisiana’s award-winning smartphone app, GeauxVote Mobile, to find out where to early vote as well as what’s on their ballot. In addition to the runoff for U.S. Senate as well as Congressional Districts 3 and 4, voters will also be deciding municipal races in many parishes along with 156 propositions in 44 parishes.

Citizens who want to vote early may do so in person at their parish Registrar of Voters Office or at other designated locations. For a complete listing of early voting locations, visit https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/EarlyVoting.

- www.sos.la.gov -

ELECTION DAY REMINDERS

Secretary of State Tom Schedler reminds everyone that TUESDAY, NOV. 8 is Election Day across the state. Eligible voters will be casting ballots for the presidential election, U.S. Senate and six constitutional amendments as well as an assortment of local races and propositions beginning at 6 A.M.

In preparation for Tuesday’s election activities, Secretary Schedler is encouraging voters to remember:

• Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Anyone in line at 8 p.m. will be allowed to vote.
• Voters can find their precinct and sample ballot by downloading the GeauxVote Mobile app for smartphones or by visiting www.sos.la.gov.
• Voters can also sign up for text alerts via the GeauxVote Mobile app.
• Voters should bring an ID with them to vote (Louisiana driver’s license, Louisiana Special ID card or another generally recognized picture identification card with your name and signature such as a passport). Voters without an ID will be required to fill out an affidavit, but will be allowed to vote.
• Voters will receive a limited-edition I Voted sticker featuring Louisiana artist George Rodrigue’s beloved Blue Dog.
• Ballot selfies are legal, but voters are reminded to be courteous of voters waiting in line. Remember, your ballot is protected and private unless you disclose it.
• Election results can be viewed in real-time via the GeauxVote Mobile app and the Secretary of State’s website, www.sos.la.gov.

“We anticipate a strong turnout on Tuesday across the state perhaps surpassing our 2012 record of 67.9 percent,” says Secretary of State Tom Schedler. “This is an election like no other in our nation, and I encourage everyone to go exercise their right to vote and to educate themselves on the candidates and the issues before going to the polls so we can minimize wait times. Every vote counts, so geaux vote!”

- www.sos.la.gov -

Secretary of State Tom Schedler is notifying all business owners to be cautious when receiving mailers concerning “potential compliance violations” from a company called Business Compliance Division. Business Compliance Division is not affiliated or associated with Louisiana state government in any way. It is a private company, and Louisiana corporations are not required to call or have any dealings with this company at all. Mailers from this company should be discarded immediately.

In past years, Commercial Division customers have also received correspondence from Corporate Records Service, Louisiana Corporate Compliance Business Services and Corporate Compliance Company. Phone calls earlier this year came from a company named Louisiana Council for Corporations and were also fraudulent. These companies are also not affiliated or associated with Louisiana state government in any way.

As a reminder, our office offers an email notification system aimed at protecting Louisiana business owners from fraud and identity theft. Anyone can subscribe to the system which generates messages regarding changes to commercial entities, non-governmental correspondence, office closures and most importantly, warnings involving possible fraudulent activity.

For more information, visit www.sos.la.gov or contact a Commercial Division staff member at 225.925.4704 or commercial@sos.la.gov.

SECRETARY OF STATE TO TEST ELECTION RESULTS

Secretary of State Tom Schedler’s office will test its electronic election results system THURSDAY, NOV. 3 AT 10 A.M. CST. During the test period, mock results will be displayed on the secretary of state website. THESE ELECTION RESULTS ARE ONLY FOR TESTING PURPOSES AND DO NOT REFLECT ANY ACTUAL RESULTS.

Media outlets are STRONGLY urged to test their election night graphics, websites and broadcast systems so that any technical issues can be identified and remedied with assistance from the Secretary of State’s IT staff prior to election night. If any issues are encountered, please notify the Communications Office immediately at 225.362.5086.

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ATTENTION ASCENSION, EAST BATON ROUGE AND LIVINGSTON PARISH VOTERS

Due to flood damage, some Election Day polling locations have been moved for the Nov. 8 and Dec. 10, 2016 elections. View the listings by parish to find your new location.

For more information, call the Louisiana Secretary of State's Elections Division at 800.883.2805 or parish's clerk of court or registrar of voters.

Ascension
225.621.8400 COC
225.621.5780 ROV

East Baton Rouge
225.295.4765 COC
225.389.3940 ROV

Livingston
225.686.2216 COC
225.686.3054 ROV

LAST DAY OF EARLY VOTING TUESDAY

Secretary of State Tom Schedler reminds everyone that tomorrow, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2016, is the last day to cast an early vote in the 2016 Presidential Election. Turnout to date has been extremely high, breaking record numbers from 2008 and 2012. On average, close to 73,000 people cast their vote daily during the early voting period statewide. Through Saturday, 366,620 voters have participated in early voting. A total of 3 million people are registered to vote in Louisiana.

Voters should utilize Louisiana’s award-winning smartphone app, GeauxVote Mobile, to find out where to early vote as well as what’s on their ballot. In addition to the election for president, there are more than 220 races statewide involving 728 candidates. Additionally, there are six constitutional amendments voters will be asked to decide as well as 78 propositions across 38 parishes.

Citizens who want to vote early may do so in person at their parish Registrar of Voters Office or at other designated locations. For a complete listing of early voting locations visit https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/EarlyVoting.

- www.sos.la.gov -

Letter to Voters: Election Integrity

Dear Louisiana Citizens,

I and the undersigned state leaders wish to address growing concerns and rumors about the integrity of the state's election system after a series of national news stories indicated the possibility of hackers gaining access to both registration systems as well as voting machines in states other than Louisiana. It is important to emphasize the fact that Louisiana has a nationally recognized process that includes multiple layers of checks and balances which protect our election process and makes it uniquely secure.

As Secretary of State it is my job to make voting easy and cheating hard.  It's a delicate balance to make sure that our citizens can vote without hassle, but that those intent on breaking the law are easily detected. As we have reviewed our security measures, I feel we have the right balance in place. Louisiana doesn't have same day registration, Louisiana doesn't have universal registration. And Louisiana is not a mail ballot state. If we had those components, I would worry more about Election Day fraud, but we don't. What we do have is a long-standing photo I.D. law which works extremely well in identifying voters when they appear at the polls.  Our voting machines are never connected to the internet and have the most up to date software available. That's not the case in every state, but voters can rest assured that our machine counts are extremely accurate and can be backed up with a paper audit after each election.

In addition to addressing voting machine security, I along with other state leaders wish to provide reassurance that Louisiana's online voter registration system includes security features aimed at preventing hacks similar to those in Arizona and Illinois.

While citizens can register to vote online through sos.la.gov, the information collected does not flow directly into our statewide registration database. Instead, voter's information is sent from the website to each parish Registrar of Voters' Office for verification and final processing. This provides the checks and balances necessary to ensure the integrity of our election systems.

The Secretary of State's Office has also been working cooperatively with Louisiana's Clerks of Court and Registrars of Voters to reassure voters and Election Day commissioners about machine security as well as registration data.  As your secretary of state I addressed registrars during the annual Election Academy held in August and addressed the Louisiana Clerks of Court Association meeting in mid-September.

Voters should know their vote will count and should not be discouraged from participating. Voter fraud is no joking matter and executing a fair election is a job we all take very seriously as demonstrated by our processes which include back-ups and paper records which have proven valuable not only for security purposes but in times of disaster such as after Hurricane Katrina. Our systems are tested and we are on high alert for any irregularities which might be detected.

Secretary of State Tom Schedler
President of the Senate John Alario
Speaker of the House Taylor Barras
Senate Rep. Delegation Chair, Sen. Danny Martiny
House Rep. Delegation Chair, Rep. Lance Harris
Sen. Karen Carter Peterson, Chair Senate & Gov't Affairs Committee
Rep. Mike Danahay, Chair House & Governmental Affairs Committee
Senate Democratic Caucus Chair, Sen. Eric LaFleur
House Democratic Caucus Chair, Rep. Gene Reynolds

EARLY VOTING BEGINS TUESDAY, RUNS THROUGH NOV. 1

Secretary of State Tom Schedler is encouraging all Louisianians eligible to vote in the 2016 Presidential Election to consider voting early. Early voting begins on TUESDAY, OCT. 25 and continues through TUESDAY, NOV. 1 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, excluding Sunday, Oct. 30.

“Early voting is a great way to conveniently cast your ballot and can make participating quick and easy,” said Secretary of State Tom Schedler. “Presidential elections are always Louisiana’s highest turnout elections, and that means lots of people will be in line on Election Day. Early voting gives people a whole week to vote when it’s convenient for them and lines may be shorter. And remember, anyone who votes early, in-person, will receive a limited edition Blue Dog I Voted sticker to wear proudly.”

Voters should utilize Louisiana’s award winning smartphone app, GeauxVote Mobile, to find out where to early vote as well as what’s on their ballot. In addition to the election for president, there are more than 220 races statewide involving 728 candidates. Additionally, there are six constitutional amendments voters will be asked to decide as well as 78 propositions across 38 parishes.

Citizens who want to vote early may do so in person at their parish Registrar of Voters Office or at other designated locations. For a complete listing of early voting locations visit https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/EarlyVoting.

- www.sos.la.gov -

RODRIGUE BLUE DOG STICKERS TO BOOST ELECTION DAY PARTICIPATION

BATON ROUGE, La.—Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler hopes George Rodrigue’s iconic Louisiana artwork will entice voters to cast their ballot during the 2016 Presidential Elections next month. Schedler, along with Rodrigue’s widow, Wendy, and sons, Jacques and André, unveiled the state’s official “I VOTED” sticker today emblazoned with George Rodrigue’s painting featuring the Blue Dog and an American flag.

Schedler says he is proud to partner with the George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts (GRFA) in using an original image by artist George Rodrigue entitled Stand Up Straight and Tall (2001). Rodrigue’s family generously granted the Secretary of State permission to use the painting, which is part of the permanent collection of the New Orleans Museum of Art, for the “I VOTED” stickers.

“We were looking for a way to make this Presidential Election unique and exciting for Louisiana voters,” said Secretary Schedler. “We traditionally have robust turnout when we elect the President, but I’m hoping this sticker will put us over the top in terms of turnout. I have a feeling everyone is going to want to show their patriotism and pride by proudly wearing this nationally-famous Louisiana artist’s ‘I VOTED’ sticker.”

“I VOTED” stickers will be available to participating voters at each polling location on Election Day and at every early voting site in Louisiana. Early voting begins in Louisiana on Oct. 25 and runs through Nov. 1. Election Day across the country is Tuesday, Nov. 8.

A native of New Iberia, La., artist George Rodrigue (1944-2013) often demonstrated his patriotism in his paintings. In the book The Cajuns of George Rodrigue (1976, Oxmoor House), he wrote, “I have a series of paintings showing the American flag to reveal the strong national pride of the Cajun. He wanted to be a part of something; he wanted a country; he wanted to be an American. At last he found the country in which he is happy, in which he can fulfill the dream of his forefathers of living somewhere where freedom exists.”

Echoing his father’s sense of patriotism and public spirit, Jacques Rodrigue, Executive Director of the George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts, said he is excited to see his father’s work send a positive message to voters across the state. “Participating in the election process and electing good government representation is one of our most important civic duties. Partnering with Secretary Schedler to inspire citizens to take part in this election cycle is something that spoke to me and I think my dad would have loved,” said Rodrigue.

The unveiling of the “I VOTED” sticker coincides with a timely exhibit at Rodrigue Studio New Orleans which opened Oct. 6 and marks the 20th anniversary of Rodrigues’s landmark “Blue Dog for President” exhibition held at Union Station in Washington D.C. during the 1996 Presidential Election. The Rodrigue family has recreated that exhibit sharing patriotic works spanning 40 years, including Rodrigue’s strong red, white and blue designs from his Blue Dog Series his original paintings following 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina and his iconic portraits of Louisiana Governors Huey Long and Earl Long, as well as portraits of U.S. Presidents Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. Also on view is his famous Washington Blue Dog, featuring the U.S. Capitol and the White House.

“Visiting the exhibit in New Orleans and proudly displaying an ‘I VOTED’ sticker on Election Day are just a couple ways Louisianians can make this election season unique and special,” emphasized Schedler. “George Rodrigue’s Blue Dog Series is important within the story of contemporary American art. It is also such a positive symbol for our state and helps spread the word about the outstanding work done by the Rodrigue Foundation in terms of art education for our young people.”

Artist George Rodrigue established the George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts (GRFA) in 2009 to advocate the importance of the arts in the development of our youth. GRFA encourages the use of art within all curriculums and supports a variety of arts educational program, providing educators with the tools needed to incorporate the arts into their classrooms. GRFA programs are open to all accredited schools in Louisiana, and online resources benefit schools worldwide.

To learn more about the George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts visit www.georgerodriguefoundation.org. And to find out more about voting in Louisiana go to www.GeauxVote.com.

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Blue Dog "I VOTED" Sticker
Blue Dog Painting Stand Up Straight and Tall
Blue Dog "I VOTED" Sticker Printed
Blue Dog "I VOTED" Sticker Rolls

MEDIA ADVISORY: SECRETARY OF STATE TOM SCHEDLER TO ANNOUNCE ELECTION INITIATIVE

BATON ROUGE, La.—Secretary of State Tom Schedler will be announcing an exciting election initiative aimed at increasing turnout for the 2016 Presidential Election at noon during the Baton Rouge Press Club on Monday, Oct. 10, 2016. Following the Press Club announcement in Baton Rouge, a similar announcement will be made in New Orleans at the New Orleans Museum of Art beginning at 3:30 p.m. Secretary Schedler will be joined in both locations by several special guests who have partnered with him on this unique Louisiana project for the Nov. 8 election.

Louisiana was one of only two states in the nation to increase participation during the 2012 Presidential Election cycle reaching 67.9 percent turnout. The last day to register to vote for the November election is Tuesday, Oct. 11 and early voting in Louisiana begins Tuesday, Oct. 25.

Press Club meets on Mondays in the Iberville Room of the Belle of Baton Rouge Hotel located at 102 France Street in Baton Rouge. Lunch is served at 11:30 a.m. at a cost of $12 for members and $15 for non-members.

The Press Club is open to the public, but only members of the Press Club and members of the news media are allowed to ask questions during the question-and-answer portion of the program.

The New Orleans Museum of Art is located at 1 Collins Diboll Circle, New Orleans, LA 70124.

- www.sos.la.gov -

STATE ARCHIVES OFFERS ADVICE FOR SALVAGING FLOODED DOCUMENTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS

BATON ROUGE, La.—The Louisiana State Archives, under the direction of Secretary of State Tom Schedler, is offering advice for citizens trying to recover flooded documents and photographs across south Louisiana. Specific directions for all kinds of records, including photographs, can be found on the homepage of the secretary of state’s website at www.sos.la.gov.

Below are some basic steps to salvage water damaged documents:

• If items have been submerged, leave them submerged until they can be air dried or frozen. Move to clean water if possible.
• Air dry flat in small piles (1/2 inch) or individually if possible. Move into an area where the air is circulating if possible. Use fans if available. Do not direct stream of air onto documents but into the room to keep air moving. Screens can be laid on top to prevent items from blowing around.
• Put wet material on an absorbent layer of blotter material like blank newsprint or paper towels. Change blotting material beneath the materials as it becomes soaked. If small clumps of records are fanned out to dry, they should be turned every few hours to encourage evaporation from both sides.
• If the volume of material is great, freeze those items which cannot be air dried within 48 hours. The material can then be unthawed when you have the time and materials to air dry. This can be accomplished with a common household freezer. If items can be left in the freezer for a few months, they will dry themselves through a process called sublimation.

Additionally, the steps below can be used for photographs that have been water logged:

• In general, wet photographs should be air dried or frozen as quickly as possible.
• Separate photographs from their enclosures, frames and from each other. If they are stuck together or adhered to glass, set them aside for freezing.
• Spread photographs out to dry, face up, laying them flat on an absorbent material such as blotters, unprinted newsprint, paper towels or a clean cloth.
• Keep the air around the drying materials moving at all times. Fans will speed up the drying process and minimize the risk of mold growth.
• Negatives should be dried vertically. They can be hung on a line with plastic clips placed at the edges.
• Photos may curl during drying. They can be flattened later.
• Photos that are stuck together can be frozen by wrapping them in wax paper.
• Later, as stacks of photos are thawed, individual photographs can be carefully peeled from the group and placed face up on a clean, absorbent surface to air dry.

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PRESIDENTIAL QUALIFYING ONGOING DESPITE EMERGENCY

BATON ROUGE, La.—Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler says qualifying for the Presidential Election is still occurring in Louisiana despite the historic flooding emergency. The deadline for qualifying remains FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2016 at 4:30 P.M.

Staff are manning the Secretary of State’s Office to accept presidential qualifying paperwork in person, but are also accepting documents via email, fax and mail. For qualifiers who are concerned about getting original signatures to us in time, they may fax to 225.922.1167 or 225.922.0945 AND send via the U.S. Postal Service as follow up. They may also scan documents and email them to admin@sos.la.gov and then send via the U.S. Postal Service as follow up.

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MEDIA ADVISORY: QUALIFYING BEGINS WEDNESDAY FOR 2016 CONGRESSIONAL/PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

BATON ROUGE, La.—Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler reminds everyone that qualifying for the November Congressional Primary/Presidential Election begins on Wednesday, July 20 and runs through Friday, July 22.

All candidates for local municipal races will qualify with their parish clerk of court. All candidates for U.S. Senator, U.S. Representatives, Associate Justices of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals Judges and Public Service Commissioners will qualify at the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office located at 8585 Archives Ave. in Baton Rouge. Hours of operation for the secretary of state are 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. daily. Check with your local clerk of court for specific parish hours.

The media is invited to attend qualifying at the Secretary of State’s Office and will have the opportunity to interview and/or photograph candidates as they file their paperwork.

Once qualified, candidates will appear on the secretary of state’s website in real-time under “Elections & Voting,” “Get Election Information,” “Search for Candidates,” or by visiting https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/CandidateInquiry?electiondate=20161108.

***PLEASE NOTE***
By law, presidential electors for political parties that are recognized in Louisiana (Republican, Democrat, Green, Libertarian and Reform) qualify by submitting a certificate of nomination as well as an affidavit of acceptance. The deadline for the chairman and secretary of the state central committee or the chairman and secretary of the convention to file the required documentation with the Louisiana secretary of state is AUG. 16, 2016 AT 4:30 P.M. (If the state central committee does not meet the aforementioned deadline, the national chairman may file the required documentation no later than AUG. 19, 2016 AT 4:30 P.M.)

Independent candidates for president can file their Notice of Candidacy as well as an Affidavit of Acceptance of Nomination with the Louisiana secretary of state along with a qualifying fee or nominating petition beginning TUESDAY, JULY 19 through FRIDAY, AUG. 19, 2016 AT 4:30 P.M.

The Fall Congressional Primary/Presidential Election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016 and the Fall Congressional General Election will be held on Saturday, Dec. 10. For more information on qualifying, visit the secretary of state’s website at www.sos.la.gov.

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SECRETARY SCHEDLER TO COMPLETE PRESIDENCY OF NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SECRETARIES OF STATE

Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler will complete his term as president of the National Association of Secretaries of State this Sunday during that group’s annual summer conference in Nashville, Tenn. which begins today. Secretary Schedler officially assumed the presidency last year, but has presided over NASS events since January of 2015 after NASS President and Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown stepped down to become governor.

“Oregon’s Secretary Brown had to unexpectedly leave our winter conference and return to her home state to be sworn in as governor,” said Secretary Schedler. “So I stepped in and presided over the event for NASS in 2015, but wasn’t officially sworn in until last summer. For some reason, it’s been a hallmark of my political career. People I respect ask me to step into leadership positions, and I always do. The pull of public service is strong for me,” Schedler stated.

During his tenure as NASS president, Schedler and his secretary of state colleagues have focused their efforts on hosting training sessions for participating states including conferences focusing on information technology and communication strategies. Additionally, NASS assisted states impacted by the Panama Papers by suggesting national solutions using existing resources instead of costly federal legislation that has proven controversial. However, it is NASS’ spirit of non-partisan collaboration that has most impressed Schedler.

“More than ever, the efforts of NASS states to cooperate on every issue, in a bipartisan manner, is extremely refreshing,” said Schedler. “Through this organization we all have learned from our colleagues and are able to bring best practices back to our states on issues including election administration, commercial filings and archival activities just to name a few. In this leadership role I have also been able to showcase Louisiana programs such as the award-winning GeauxVote Mobile smartphone app and our geauxBIZ commercial portal to our partner states who have in many cases reached out to us for continued advice and guidance,” emphasized Schedler. Schedler is only the second Louisiana secretary of state to become NASS president besides Wade O. Martin who served 36 years as Louisiana’s secretary of state and was appointed NASS president from 1947 to 1948. Schedler was first asked to serve on the NASS Executive Board as secretary in 2013 and was later appointed as treasurer in 2014 by Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett, placing Schedler in line for the presidency in 2015.

“Tom has established great working relationships with members from across the country and is viewed as a mentor and valued resource for guidance and information,” said Secretary Tre Hargett of Tennessee. “Many of the innovative initiatives being implemented in Louisiana including the award-winning GeauxVote app, online voter registration and emergency preparedness as it relates to elections are of great interest to other secretaries of state and their staffs. One of Tom’s best assets is his willingness to share those ideas and information for the betterment of all.”

NASS is the oldest, non-partisan professional organization of public officials in the United States. Members include the 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa and Puerto Rico. NASS serves as a medium for the exchange of information between states and fosters cooperation in the development of public policy. The association has key initiatives in the areas of elections and voting, state business services and digital archiving, international relations and state securities regulation, as well as several well-established awards programs.

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SECRETARY SCHEDLER SAYS NUNGESSER GOT IT WRONG

Secretary of State Tom Schedler released the following comments in response Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser’s statements concerning voting in Louisiana which were published in an article in the Monroe News Star today.

http://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/local/2016/07/11/nungesser-people-our-best-asset/86947354/

"I was shocked to read the News Star’s article entitled, “Nungesser: People are Louisiana’s best asset” which included an irresponsible comment from the Lt. Governor throwing the state’s nationally recognized election process into question.  I hesitate to even repeat the nonsensical statement which was, at a minimum uninformed, and quite possibly an insult to not only my office but also our hard-working clerks of court and registrars of voters who are our trusted partners for every election,” said Secretary Schedler.

“Lt. Governor Nungesser implied that voters can show up by the bus load at any early voting site, even if they are not registered, sign a sheet of paper, and have their vote count.  But in reality, NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH and in practice, his claim is impossible to execute.

By law, early voters must  show up at their Registrar of Voters Office or an approved early voting site, show their I.D., be found in the voter registration data base, have a personalized precinct voting card handed to them and then cast their ballot.  If they are not a registered voter, the process for voting on a machine does not move forward.  EVER.  Louisiana does allow for provisional voting in federal elections which allows voters to cast a conditional paper ballot if questions arise as to their eligibility.  But make no mistake, by law, these votes ARE NOT COUNTED until the voter is proven to be eligible.  Not before.

After having been elected twice as Secretary of State, I think the Lt. Governor, who is only six months into his term, should know to defer to me when it comes to the complex arena of election law.  Especially since Louisiana is ranked among the top states in the nation for the integrity of our election process and procedures.”

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VOTER REGISTRATION WEEK 2016 BEGINS MAY 9

BATON ROUGE, La.—Secretary of State Tom Schedler is joining registrars of voters across the state the week of May 9-13, 2016 to host Voter Registration Week activities aimed at registering eligible citizens to vote. Voter Registration Week activities by parish can be found on the Secretary of State’s website at http://www.sos.la.gov/Pages/NewsAndEvents.aspx#faq130.

“Registering to vote is a right we should all cherish, and we’ve made it quick and easy to do so,” said Secretary of State Tom Schedler. “In addition to events held by the registrars, our Voter Outreach Division will be set up in the Rotunda of the Louisiana State Capitol on Wednesday to distribute materials to legislators and to register visitors to vote. It’s a great opportunity to meet face-to-face with lawmakers and let them know about the services provided and materials available to educate their constituents about voting in Louisiana.”

Louisiana was one of the first states in the nation to implement an easy, convenient online voter registration portal. Citizens with a valid Louisiana driver’s license can register online 24 hours a day, seven days a week from the convenience of their home or office by visiting https://voterportal.sos.la.gov.

Residents of Louisiana can also register in person at their parish Registrar of Voters Office, when they apply for/renew their driver’s license at any Office of Motor Vehicles or when obtaining services at public assistance agencies and armed forces recruitment offices. Citizens wishing to register by mail can complete the application at http://www.sos.la.gov/ElectionsAndVoting/PublishedDocuments/ApplicationToRegisterToVote.pdf, public libraries or through registration drives.

To register and vote in Louisiana individuals must be:

• a U.S. citizen;
• at least 17 years old to register and 18 years old prior to the next election to vote;
• not under an order of imprisonment for conviction of a felony;
• not under a judgment of full interdiction for mental incompetence or partial interdiction with suspension of voting rights; and
• a resident in the state and parish in which you seek to register and vote.

For more information on elections, visit www.GeauxVote.com or the GeauxVote Mobile smartphone app.

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Louisiana's annual Voter Registration Week will be observed statewide from May 9-13, 2016. Below is a comprehensive listing of scheduled activities and will be revised as information is received from each parish registrar of voters. For more information, contact your parish registrar of voters.

Acadia Parish

• Tuesday, May 10
  Staff will travel throughout the parish delivering voter registration applications to area agencies.
• Wednesday, May 11 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
  Burger Zone, 1426 N. Parkerson Ave., Crowley
• Thursday, May 12 from 8:30-11 a.m.
  USPS, 123 E. Third St., Crowley
• Friday, May 13 from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
  Acadia Parish Registrar of Voters Office, 568 NW Court Circle, Crowley

Assumption Parish

• Monday, May 9 from 9-10:30 a.m.
  Bayou L'Ourse Supermarket
• Tuesday, May 10 from 9-10:30 a.m.
  Big B's Supermarket
• Wednesday, May 11 from 10-11:30 a.m.
  Pierre Part Library
• Thursday, May 12 from 8:30-10 a.m.
  Robert's Food Store
• Friday, May 13 from 10-11:30 a.m.
  LeBlanc Payless Supermarket

Bienville Parish

• Tuesday, May 10 from 9-9:30 a.m.
  Castor Branch Library
• Tuesday, May 10 from 10:30-11 a.m.
  Saline Branch Library
• Wednesday, May 11 from 9:30-10:30 a.m.
  Ringgold Branch Library
• Wednesday, May 11 from 10:45-11 a.m.
  Bienville Parish Courthouse Annex
• Thursday, May 12 from 9:30-10:30 a.m.
  VF Factory Outlet Mall

Bossier Parish

• Monday, May 9 from 1:30-2:30 p.m.
  Haughton Library, 226 W. McKinley St., Haughton, LA 71037
• Monday, May 9 from 3-4 p.m.
  E. 80 Library, 1050 Bellevue Road, Haughton, LA 71037
• Tuesday, May 10 from 2-4 p.m.
  Plain Dealing Library, 208 E. Mary Lee St., Plain Dealing, LA 71064
• Wednesday, May 11 from 9:30-11 a.m.
  Council on Aging, 706 Bearkat Drive, Bossier City, LA 71111
• Wednesday, May 11 from 2:30-4:30 p.m.
  Benton Library, 115 Courthouse Drive, Benton, LA 71006
• Thursday, May 12 from 9-11:30 a.m.
  N.W. Veterans' Home, 3130 Arthur Ray Teague Parkway, Bossier City, LA 71112
• Thursday, May 12 from 1-3 p.m.
  Central Library, 2600 Beckett St., Bossier City, LA 71111
• Friday, May 13 from 9:30-11:30 a.m.
  Aulds Library, 3920 Wayne Ave., Bossier City, LA 71112
• Friday, May 13 from 1-3 p.m.
  Anna P. Tooke Library, 451 Fairview Point Road, Elm Grove, LA 71051

Caddo Parish

• Monday, May 9 from 9:30-11 a.m.
  Mooretown Branch, 4630 Hollywood Ave.
• Monday, May 9 from noon-1:30 p.m.
  Wallette Branch, 363 Hearne Ave.
• Monday, May 9 from 2-3:30 p.m.
  Atkins Branch, 3704 Greenwood Road
• Tuesday, May 10 from 9:30-11 a.m.
  Cedar Grove Branch, 8303 Line Ave.
• Tuesday, May 10 from noon-1:30 p.m.
  Hamilton/South Caddo Branch, 2111 Bert Kouns Industrial Loop
• Tuesday, May 10 from 2-3:30 p.m.
  Hollywood/Union Branch, 2105 Hollywood Ave.
• Wednesday, May 11 from 9:30-11 a.m.
  West Shreveport Branch, 4300 Pines Road
• Wednesday, May 11 from noon-1:30 p.m.
  North Shreveport Branch, 4844 N. Market St.
• Wednesday, May 11 from 2-3:30 p.m.
  David Raines Center, 2855 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
• Thursday, May 12 from 9:30-11 a.m.
  Mooretown Branch, 4630 Hollywood Ave.
• Thursday, May 12 from noon-1:30 p.m.
  Atkins Branch, 3704 Greenwood Road
• Thursday, May 12 from 2-3:30 p.m.
  Broadmoor Resource Center, 1212 Captain Shreve Drive
• Friday, May 13 from 10 a.m.-noon
  Vivian/North Caddo Branch, 615 N. Pine St., Vivian
• Friday, May 13 from 1-3 p.m.
  David Raines Center, 2855 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive

Calcasieu Parish

• Monday, May 9 from 9-10 a.m.
  LaGrange Senior High, 3420 Louisiana Ave., Lake Charles
• Tuesday, May 10 from 10 a.m.-noon
  Carnegie Memorial Library, 411 Pujo St., Lake Charles
• Wednesday, May 11 from 1-3 p.m.
  Epps Memorial Library, 1320 N. Simmons St., Lake Charles
• Thursday, May 12 from 11 a.m.-noon
  Lake Charles Care Center, 2701 Ernest St., Lake Charles
• Friday, May 13 from 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
  Calcasieu Parish Courthouse, 1000 Ryan St., Lake Charles

Cameron Parish

• Monday, May 9 from 9-11 a.m.
  Lowry Library, 460 Lowry Highway, Lowry, LA 70549
• Tuesday, May 10 from 9-11 a.m.
  Grand Lake Library, 10200 Gulf Highway, Grand Lake, LA 70607
• Tuesday, May 10 from 2-4 p.m.
  Cameron Library, 401 Marshall St., Cameron, LA 70631
• Wednesday, May 11 from 9-11 a.m.
  Grand Chenier Library, 2867 Grand Chenier Highway, Grand Chenier, LA 70643
• Thursday, May 12 from 9-11 a.m.
  Hackberry Library, 983 Main St., Hackberry, LA 70645
• Thursday, May 12 from noon-2 p.m.
  Johnson Bayou Library, 4586 Gulf Beach Highway, Johnson Bayou, LA 70631

East Baton Rouge Parish

• Monday, May 9 from 1-6 p.m.
  Bluebonnet Regional Branch Library, 9200 Bluebonnet Blvd.
• Monday, May 9 from 1-6 p.m.
  River Center Branch Library, 120 St. Louis St.
• Monday, May 9 from 1-6 p.m.
  Scotlandville Branch Library, 7373 Scenic Highway
• Tuesday, May 10 from 1-6 p.m.
  Central Branch Library, 11260 Joor Road
• Tuesday, May 10 from 1-6 p.m.
  Fairwood Branch Library, 12910 Old Hammond Highway
• Tuesday, May 10 from 1-6 p.m.
  Zachary Branch Library, 1900 Church St.
• Wednesday, May 11 from 1-6 p.m.
  Carver Branch Library, 720 Terrace St.
• Wednesday, May 11 from 1-6 p.m.
  Delmont Gardens Branch Library, 3351 Lorraine St.
• Wednesday, May 11 from 1-6 p.m.
  Main Library, 7711 Goodwood Blvd.
• Thursday, May 12 from 1-6 p.m.
  Pride-Chaneyville Branch Library, 13600 Pride-Port Hudson Road
• Thursday, May 12 from 1-6 p.m.
  Eden Park Branch Library, 5131 Greenwell Springs Road
• Thursday, May 12 from 1-6 p.m.
  Greenwell Springs Road Branch Library, 11300 Greenwell Springs Road
• Friday, May 13 from 1-6 p.m.
  Jones Creek Regional Branch Library, 6222 Jones Creek Road
• Friday, May 13 from 1-6 p.m.
  Baker Branch Library, 3501 Groom Road

Iberville Parish

• Monday, May 9 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
  White Castle Branch Library
• Monday, May 9-Thursday, May 12 from 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
  Iberville Parish Registrar of Voters Office
• Tuesday, May 10 from 9-11 a.m.
  Rosedale Branch Library
• Wednesday, May 11 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
  East Iberville Branch Library
• Friday, May 13 from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
  Iberville Parish Registrar of Voters Office

Jefferson Parish

• Monday, May 9-Friday, May 13 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
  Lakeside Shopping Center Mall, 3301 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie
• Monday, May 9-Friday, May 13 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
  East Jefferson Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon Ave., Metairie
• Monday, May 9-Friday, May 13 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
  Oakwood Shopping Center Mall, 197 Westbank Expressway, Gretna
• Monday, May 9-Friday, May 13 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
  West Jefferson Regional Library, 2751 Manhattan Blvd., Harvey

Registration applications  will also be available to be picked up at all Jefferson Parish public libraries and at the following locations:

• Kenner City Hall, 1801 Williams Blvd., Kenner
• Harahan City Hall, 6437 Jefferson Highway, Harahan
• Gretna City Hall, 200 Huey P. Long Ave., Gretna
• Westwego City Hall, 419 Avenue A, Westwego

Lafayette Parish

• Monday, May 9 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
  Delta College, 200 Republic Ave., Suite F, Lafayette, LA 70508
• Tuesday, May 10 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
  2016 LEDA Job Fair/Cajundome Convention Center, 444 Cajundome Blvd., Lafayette, LA 70506
• Wednesday, May 11 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
  South Regional Library, 6101 Johnston St., Lafayette, LA 70503
• Thursday, May 12 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
  United State Postal Service, 1105 Moss St., Lafayette, LA 70501
• Friday, May 13 from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
  Lafayette Parish Registrar of Voters Office, 1010 Lafayette St., Suite 313, Lafayette, LA 70501

Lafourche Parish

• Friday, May 6 from 9 a.m.-noon
  South Lafourche Library, 16241 E. Main St., Galliano
• Saturday, May 7 from 8 a.m.-noon
  Lafourche Central Market, 4484 Highway 1, Raceland
• Monday, May 9 from 2-4 p.m.
  Lockport Library, 720 Crescent Ave., Lockport
• Tuesday, May 10 from 7:30 a.m.-1:40 p.m.
  Central Lafourche High School, 4820 Highway 1, Raceland
• Tuesday, May 10 from 2-3 p.m.
  Raceland Manor Nursing Home, 4302 Highway 1, Raceland
• Wednesday, May 11 from 10-11 a.m.
  The Broadway Elder Living, 7534 Highway 1, Lockport
• Wednesday, May 11 from 1-3 p.m.
  Golden Meadow Library, 1403 N. Bayou Drive, Golden Meadow
• Thursday, May 12 from 9:30-10:30 a.m.
  St. Joseph Manor, 1201 Cardinal Drive, Thibodaux
• Thursday, May 12 from 2-4 p.m.
  the residence of Vivian Comardelle (polling location), 148 W. Bayou Road, Des Allemands
• Friday, May 13 from 10-11 a.m.
  Lafourche Home for the Aged, 1002 Tiger Drive, Thibodaux
• Tuesday, May 17 from 10-11 a.m.
  Thibodaux Healthcare Center, 1300 Lafourche Drive, Thibodaux

Madison Parish

• Monday, May 9 from 1-2:30 p.m.
  Madison Parish Library, 403 N. Mulberry St., Tallulah
• Tuesday, May 10 from 9-10:30 a.m.
  Second Annual Registrar of Voters Brunch, 100 N. Cedar St., Tallulah
• Wednesday, May 11 from 9-10 a.m.
  Olive Branch Nursing Home, 32 Crothers Drive, Tallulah
• Thursday, May 12 from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
  Madison Parish Registrar of Voters Office, 100 N. Cedar St., Tallulah
• Friday, May 13 from 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
  Annual Voter Registration Week Luncheon/Fanfare, Madison Parish Courthouse, 100 N. Cedar St., Tallulah

Orleans Parish

• Monday, May 9-Friday, May 13
  City Hall, Room 1W24
• Monday, May 9-Friday, May 13
  225 Morgan St., Room 205
• Monday, May 9-Friday, May 13
  Picture Me Rollin Barbershop, 8480 Morrison Road
• Monday, May 9-Friday, May 13
  Mr. Chill's Barbershop, 2734 Carrollton Ave.
• Monday, May 9-Friday, May 13
  all New Orleans public libraries
• Monday, May 9 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
  Algiers Regional Library
• Monday, May 9 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
  Robert E. Smith Library
• Monday, May 9 from 1-3:30 p.m.
  Whole Foods, Magazine Street
• Tuesday, May 10 from 10 a.m.-noon
  VIET
• Tuesday, May 10 from 11:30 a.m.-noon
  New Orleans Charter Science and Mathematics High School 
• Tuesday, May 10 from noon-1:30 p.m.
  Joseph S. Clark High School
• Tuesday, May 10 from 12:30-2:30 p.m.
  Home Life Garden Senior Center
• Wednesday, May 11 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
  Benjamin Franklin High School
• Wednesday, May 11 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
  East New Orleans Library
• Wednesday, May 11 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
  Main Library (Loyola) 
• Thursday, May 12 from 10:45-11:15 a.m.
  Mercy Endeavor Senior Center
• Thursday, May 12 from 1:30-3 p.m.
  Woldenberg Village
• Thursday, May 12 from 2-3:30 p.m.
  Chateau de Notre Dame
• Friday, May 13 from 10:30 a.m.-noon
  U.S. Immigration
• Friday, May 13 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
  Hope Credit Union
• Friday, May 13 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
  Rosa F. Keller

Rapides Parish

• Monday, May 9 at 1 p.m.
  Rapides Parish Senior Citizens Center, 209 E. Shamrock St., Pineville, LA 71360
• Tuesday, May 10 at 11 a.m.
  Canterbury House (Assisted Living), 1101 16th St., Alexandria, LA 71301
• Tuesday, May 10 at 10:30 a.m.
  Rapides Senior Citizens Center, 315 Bolton Ave., Alexandria, LA 71301
• Tuesday, May 10 at 10 a.m.
  Martin Luther King Senior Citizens Center, 3807 Smash Ave., Alexandria, LA 71302
• Wednesday, May 11 at 9 a.m.
  Rapides Council on Aging, Inc., 204 Chester St., Alexandria, LA 71301
• Wednesday, May 11 at 10 a.m.
  Ball Senior Citizens Center, 100 Municipal Lane, Ball, LA 71405
• Wednesday, May 11 at 2 p.m.
  Alexandria Main Library, 411 Washington St., Alexandria, LA 71301
• Wednesday, May 11
  Rapides Parish Library, 5408 #16 Provine Place, Alexandria, LA 71303
• Thursday, May 12 at 10 a.m.
  MLK Library, 3311 Third St., Alexandria, LA 71302
• Thursday, May 12 at 11 a.m.
  Pineville Library, 801 W. Shamrock Ave., Pineville, LA 71360
• Thursday, May 12 at 11 a.m.
  Robertson Library Branch, 809 Tioga High Road, Tioga
• Thursday, May 12 at 1 p.m.
  Gunter Library Branch, 5630 Holloway Road, Libuse
• Friday, May 13 at 10 a.m.
  Boyce Library Branch, 500 #A Lietrim Ave., Boyce, LA 71409
• Friday, May 13 at 2 p.m.
  Hineston Library Branch, 1810 Highway 121, Hineston

St. Bernard Parish

• Monday, May 9 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
  St. Bernard Parish Library, 2600 Palmisano Blvd., Chalmette, LA 70043
• Tuesday, May 10 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
  Stage Department Store, 8400 W. Judge Perez Drive, Chalmette, LA 70043
• Wednesday, May 11 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
  Walgreens Drug Store, 100 W. Judge Perez Drive (at corner of Paris Road), Chalmette, LA 70043
• Thursday, May 12 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
  South Lake Food Store, 7532 E. Judge Perez Drive, Violet, LA 70092
• Friday, May 13 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
  Nicosia's Express Lane, 101 Bayou Road, St. Bernard, LA 70085

St. Charles Parish

• Tuesday, May 10 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
  St. Rose Post Office, 17724 River Road
• Thursday, May 12 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
  Boutte Post Office, 13322 Highway 90

St. Helena Parish

• Monday, May 9-Friday, May 13 from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
  St. Helena Parish Registrar of Voters Office, 48 Kendrick St., NFC Building, 1st Floor, Greensburg, LA
• Monday, May 9 from 9:30-10:30 a.m.
  Audubon Regional Library, Greensburg
• Monday, May 9 from 11 a.m.-noon
  Amite Plaza, 30006 Highway 16, Amite
• Tuesday, May 10 from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
  Hatfield's Grocery, 24358 Highway 43, Easleyville
• Tuesday, May 10 from 1:15-2:30 p.m.
  Bebo's, 2938 Highway 38, Kentwood
• Wednesday, May 11 from 2-3:30 p.m.
  Lee's Grocery, 47785 Highway 16, Denham Springs (Dennis Mills)
• Friday, May 13 from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
  Darlington Grocery, 13827 Highway 10, Greensburg

Terrebonne Parish

• Wednesday, April 27 at 9 a.m.
  Fletcher Community College, St. Charles Street, Houma
• Monday, May 9 from 9-10:30 a.m.
  Terrebonne Parish Main Library, 151 Library Drive
• Tuesday, May 10 from 9-10:30 a.m.
  North Branch Library, 4130 W. Park Ave., Gray
• Tuesday, May 10 from 2-3 p.m.
  The Homestead of Houma, 1132 Cottage Drive
• Wednesday, May 11 from 10-11 a.m.
  East Houma Library, 778 Grand Caillou Road
• Thursday, May 12 from 9-10 a.m.
  Shady Land Apartments, 6516 W. Main St.
• Thursday, May 12 from 10-11 a.m.
  Shady Acres Senior Center, 6512 W. Main St.
• Thursday, May 12 from 2-3 p.m.
  Chateau-Terrebonne, 1386 W. Tunnel Blvd.
• Friday, May 13 from 9-10 a.m.
  Oaks of Houma, 400 Monarch Drive
• Friday, May 13 from 1-3 p.m.
  Bayou Black Elementary School, 4449 Bayou Black Drive

Webster Parish

• Monday, May 9-Friday, May 13 from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
  Registrar of Voters Office, Webster Parish Courthouse, 410 Main St., Minden
• Tuesday, May 10 from 1:30-2:30 p.m.
  Willie & Mary Mack Memorial Branch Library, 217 N. Main St., Springhill
• Wednesday, May 11 from 1-3 p.m.
  Minden Main Branch Library
  521 East and West St., Minden

Secretary of State Voter Outreach Division

• Wednesday, May 11 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
  Louisiana State Capitol, Rotunda

EARLY VOTING BEGINS SATURDAY, RUNS THROUGH APRIL 2ND

Secretary of State Tom Schedler is encouraging all Louisianians eligible to vote in the Saturday, April 9, 2016 Municipal General/Special Primary Election to consider voting early. Early voting begins on Saturday, March 26 and continues through Saturday, April 2 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, excluding Sunday, March 27.

“Early voting is a great way to conveniently cast your ballot on your schedule instead of having to fit it in on Election Day,” said Secretary of State Tom Schedler. “Saturdays are always busy for individuals and families, especially with Easter and Spring break. I am urging our state’s voters to think ahead and consider early voting now.”

Voters should utilize Louisiana’s award winning smartphone app, GeauxVote Mobile, to find out where to vote, what’s on their ballot and their voting districts. Statewide, there are 41 parishes holding elections including Acadia, Ascension, Allen, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Calcasieu, Caldwell, Cameron, Concordia, East Baton Rouge, Evangeline, Franklin, Jackson, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lafourche, Lincoln, Livingston, Natchitoches, Orleans, Ouachita, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, Richland, Sabine, St. Bernard, St. Helena, St. James, St. John The Baptist, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Tensas, Vermilion, Vernon, Washington, West Baton Rouge and Winn.

Citizens who want to vote early may do so in person at their parish Registrar of Voters Office or at other designated locations. For a complete listing of early voting locations visit https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/EarlyVoting.

For more information about the Secretary of State’s Elections Division, visit www.GeauxVote.com or call 225.922.0900.

- www.sos.la.gov -

STATES RECONVENE NATIONAL TASK FORCE ON BUSINESS IDENTITY THEFT

BATON ROUGE, La.—Secretaries of State from more than a dozen states are joining together to re-establish the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) Task Force on Business Identity Theft, a bipartisan initiative aimed at combating the spread of business impersonation and other forms of ID-related fraud.

North Carolina Secretary of State Elaine F. Marshall and Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate have been tapped to co-chair the task force's work.

The body is tasked with reviewing state business identity theft prevention and security practices, as well as new issues which have emerged since the original task force wrapped up its in work in 2012.

"As attempts to hijack business identities have increased and grown more sophisticated in North Carolina and other states, this task force can play an important role in coordinating information-sharing and responses," noted Marshall. "Our goal is to improve protections for business and offer practical solutions for the state registration and filing agencies that serve them."

"I am extremely pleased to co-chair this task force," said Pate. "Business ID theft is a very serious issue across the country and requires a joint effort to combat it. We will work hard to develop best practices and provide guidance for business in Iowa and around the U.S. in how to protect their company against ID theft scams."

In February 2016, after hearing member reports about a renewed wave of identity theft crimes against business, the NASS Business Services Committee recommended reconvening the Business Identity Theft Task Force.  

Public outreach and education will be a central focus for the group, which includes the following members:

• Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate, Co-Chair
• North Carolina Secretary of State Elaine F. Marshall, Co-Chair
• Colorado Secretary of State Wayne Williams
• Connecticut Secretary of State Denise Merrill
• Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner
• Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp
• Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes
• Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler
• Maine Secretary of State Matt Dunlap
• Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon
• Nevada Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske
• Oregon Secretary of State Jeanne Atkins
• Pennsylvania Secretary of State Pedro Cortés

In addition to Secretaries of State, the task force will solicit expert input on cyber security, data protection and other issues from a group of Corporate Affiliate Advisors, including: CT Corporation, Corporation Service Company, Dun & Bradstreet, NIC, Northwest Registered Agent and Tecuity Inc.

A 2012 white paper, "Developing State Solutions to Business Identity Theft," is available on the task force webpage.

Founded in 1904, NASS is the oldest, nonpartisan professional organization of public officials in the U.S. Membership is open to the all U.S. states and territories. NASS serves as a medium for the exchange of information between states and fosters cooperation in the development of public policy.

- www.sos.la.gov -

PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCE PRIMARY TOMORROW

BATON ROUGE, La.—Secretary of State Tom Schedler reminds registered voters statewide that the Presidential Preference Primary Election will be held this Saturday, March 5th. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

The PPP allows electors of each political party in the state (with 40,000 or more registered members) to express their preference for a person to be the nominee for president of the United States. The Democratic Party and the Republican Party will also have their state central committee and parish executive committee elections. In Louisiana, the PPP and the state and local party elections are the only closed elections held statewide meaning voters can only cast ballots for a candidate affiliated with the party in which the voter is registered. In other words, only Democrats can vote for Democrats, and Republicans can vote for Republicans.

However, in 24 parishes statewide, ALL VOTERS, no matter party, will be casting ballots in local elections as well. Those parishes include: Acadia, Beauregard, Caddo, Caldwell, Catahoula, Concordia, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Iberville, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Red River, St. Helena, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and West Baton Rouge.

Below are several reminders to assist citizens on Election Day:

• Download the GeauxVote Mobile smartphone app to find polling locations, review sample ballots and monitor election results in real-time.
• Sample ballots are also available at www.sos.la.gov.
• Bring a photo ID to the polls (Louisiana Driver’s License, Louisiana Special ID card or another generally recognized picture identification card with your name and signature such as a passport).
• Voters without an ID will be required to fill out an affidavit, but will be allowed to vote. Voters in line at 8 p.m. WILL BE ALLOWED TO VOTE.
• Real-time election results will be posted to the secretary of state’s website in several formats.
• Both political parties the use the results to allocate delegates, based on the party’s rules.

- www.sos.la.gov -

MEDIA ADVISORY: SECRETARY OF STATE TO TEST ELECTION RESULTS

     Secretary of State Tom Schedler’s office will test its electronic election results system for the Presidential Preference Primary on WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2nd at 2 p.m. CST. During the test period, mock results will be displayed on the secretary of state website. THESE ELECTION RESULTS ARE ONLY FOR TESTING PURPOSES AND DO NOT REFLECT ANY ACTUAL RESULTS.

     Media outlets are STRONGLY urged to test their election night graphics, websites and broadcast systems so that any technical issues can be identified and remedied with assistance from the Secretary of State’s IT staff prior to Election Night. If any issues are encountered, please notify the Communications Office immediately at 225.362.5086.

     Additionally, if your media outlet plans to be at the Secretary of State’s Office on election night and wants to reserve a seat at ERIN, please RSVP with our office as soon as possible.

###

EARLY VOTING SUSPENDED IN ANTICIPATION OF SEVERE WEATHER

BATON ROUGE, La. – In response to the state’s announcement through the Commissioner of Administration that state government offices in certain parishes will close at noon due to impending severe weather, Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler announced that early voting will be also be suspended in those parishes.

Secretary Schedler encourages voters to check with their Registrar of Voters Office before heading out to vote in case their local office is affected. "I am immediately sending a certification to the Governor so that he can issue a proclamation concerning today’s temporary suspension of early voting,” said Secretary of State Tom Schedler. “We want our citizens to play it safe this afternoon and stay at home in anticipation of severe weather.”

It is expected that the list of parishes impacted could increase over the course of the day. Currently, early voting will be suspended in the following parishes: Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Pointe Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Washington, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana.

Early voting will re-open Wednesday morning at 8:30 a.m. across the state.

###

EARLY VOTING BEGINS SATURDAY, RUNS THROUGH FEBRUARY 27TH

Secretary of State Tom Schedler is encouraging all Louisianians eligible to vote in the March 5th Presidential Preference Primary (PPP) to consider voting early. Early voting begins this SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20TH and continues through SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, excluding Sunday, February 21st.

The PPP allows electors of each political party in the state (with 40,000 or more registered members) to express their preference for a person to be the nominee for president of the United States. The Democratic Party and the Republican Party will also have their state central committee and parish executive committee elections. In Louisiana, the PPP and the state and local party elections are the only closed elections held statewide meaning voters can only cast ballots for a candidate affiliated with the party in which the voter is registered. In other words, only Democrats can vote for Democrats, and Republicans can vote for Republicans.

However, in 24 parishes statewide, ALL VOTERS, no matter party, will be casting ballots in local elections as well. Those parishes include: Acadia, Beauregard, Caddo, Caldwell, Catahoula, Concordia, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Iberville, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Red River, St. Helena, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and West Baton Rouge.

“This is an election where voters should absolutely check to see what’s on their ballot before they go vote,” said Secretary of State Tom Schedler. “Louisiana has a large number or unaffiliated or no party voters who aren’t eligible to participate in the PPP, but SHOULD VOTE in any local elections for their area. Early voting is a convenient way to get your ballot cast ahead of time and is typically quick and easy.”

Voters should utilize Louisiana’s award winning smartphone application, GeauxVote Mobile, to find out where to vote, what’s on their ballot and their voting districts. Citizens who want to vote early may do so in person at their parish Registrar of Voters’ Office or at other designated locations. For a complete listing of early voting locations, visit https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/EarlyVoting.

- www.sos.la.gov -

Jan. 7, 2016
9 a.m.
State Board of Election Supervisors Annual Meeting
Louisiana State Capitol, House Committee Room 3

Feb. 3, 2016
10 a.m.
House Concurrent Resolution No. 206 Study Committee Meeting
Louisiana State Capitol, Senate Committee Room A

Feb. 16, 2016
9 a.m.
Emergency Elections Subcommittee
Louisiana State Capitol, Senate Committee Room C

WEDNESDAY LAST DAY TO REGISTER FOR PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCE PRIMARY

BATON ROUGE, La. - Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler reminds everyone the March 5th Presidential Preference Primary is a closed primary meaning only registered Democrats and Republicans will be allowed to cast ballots.  The last day to register for the PPP is this WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016.

Individuals can register to vote online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at www.GeauxVote.com. In addition, voter registration opportunities are available at the parish’s Registrar of Voters Office, while obtaining services at the Office of Motor Vehicles, public assistance agencies, public schools, colleges and libraries and by mail.

The PPP will be held March 5, 2016 and allows electors of each political party in the state (with 40,000 or more registered members) to express their preference for a person to be the nominee for president of the United States.  The Democratic Party and the Republican Party will also have their state central committee and parish executive committee elections.  In Louisiana, the PPP and the state and local party elections are the only closed elections held statewide meaning voters can only cast ballots for a candidate affiliated with the party in which the voter is registered.  In other words, only Democrats can vote for Democrats, and Republicans can vote for Republicans.

However, in 24 parishes statewide, ALL VOTERS-no matter party, will be casting ballots in local elections as well.  Those parishes include: Acadia, Beauregard, Caddo, Caldwell, Catahoula, Concordia, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Iberville, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Red River, St. Helena, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and West Baton Rouge.

Voters are encouraged to utilize the Secretary of State’s smartphone app, GeauxVote Mobile, to check the status of their registration, review sample ballots and find polling place information.  

MEDIA ADVISORY: SECRETARY OF STATE TO TEST ELECTION RESULTS

     Secretary of State Tom Schedler’s office will test its electronic election results system TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17th at 2 p.m. CST. During the test period, mock results will be displayed on the secretary of state website. THESE ELECTION RESULTS ARE ONLY FOR TESTING PURPOSES AND DO NOT REFLECT ANY ACTUAL RESULTS.

     Media outlets are STRONGLY urged to test their election night graphics, websites and broadcast systems so that any technical issues can be identified and remedied with assistance from the secretary of state’s IT staff prior to election night. If any issues are encountered, please notify the Communications Office immediately at 225.362.5086.

###

SCHEDLER HONORS VETERANS THROUGH VOTER TURNOUT INITIATIVE

BATON ROUGE, La.—In honor of the Veterans Day holiday, Secretary of State Tom Schedler is strongly encouraging voters to participate in the upcoming Gubernatorial General Election on Saturday, November 21st. Through the secretary of state’s Honor Vets…Vote! program, individuals can dedicate their vote to a current or former member of the military, honoring their sacrifice and memorializing their election participation.

“This is a critically important election for our state and its people,” said Secretary Schedler. “Choosing not to vote is in fact, a vote to do nothing and that’s unacceptable. However, we can all agree that our military heroes, who fought in numerous wars to ensure our freedoms, deserve our respect and admiration. Exercising your right to vote and dedicating that vote to an individual is a wonderful expression of thanks.”

Individuals wishing to participate in the Honor Vets…Vote! program can access the application by visiting www.sos.la.gov/honorvets. After completing the form, each voter can choose to receive a bumper sticker, a lapel pin and/or a printable certificate documenting their vote dedication. Secretary Schedler encourages voters to participate in this patriotic program during each and every election to honor the many service members who have heroically protected our rights and freedoms.

“Early voting is in full swing this week and is a convenient way to cast a ballot on your schedule,” Schedler added. “While early voting is suspended for the Veterans Day holiday, voters still have plenty of time to participate before it closes on Saturday at 6 p.m.”

Early voting is scheduled in each parish through SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14TH from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, excluding WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11TH due to the Veterans Day holiday.

Voters should utilize Louisiana’s award winning smartphone app, GeauxVote Mobile, to find out where to vote, what’s on their ballot and their voting districts. Statewide, there are more than 153 candidate races including races for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and a number of legislative seats.

Citizens who want to vote early may do so in person at their parish Registrar of Voters Office or at other designated locations. For a complete listing of early voting locations visit https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/EarlyVoting.

###

EARLY VOTING BEGINS SATURDAY, RUNS THROUGH NOV. 14TH

Secretary of State Tom Schedler is encouraging all Louisianians eligible to vote in the Saturday, November 21, 2015 Gubernatorial General Election to consider voting early. Early voting begins on SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7TH and continues through SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14TH from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, excluding Sunday, November 8th and WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11TH  due to the Veterans Day holiday.

“Early voting is a great way to conveniently cast your ballot on your schedule instead of having to fit it in on Election Day,” said Secretary of State Tom Schedler. “With turnout disappointingly low during the primary, I am strongly urging our state’s voters to engage in this important election. No excuses. Get informed and cast your ballot.”

Voters should utilize Louisiana’s award winning smartphone app, GeauxVote Mobile, to find out where to vote, what’s on their ballot and their voting districts. Statewide, there are more than 150 candidate races including several statewide elected officials and legislators. Additionally, there are 116 propositions in 49 parishes.

Citizens who want to vote early may do so in person at their parish Registrar of Voters Office or at other designated locations. For a complete listing of early voting locations visit https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/EarlyVoting.

For more information about the Secretary of State’s Elections Division, visit www.GeauxVote.com or call 225.922.0900.

- www.sos.la.gov -

STATEWIDE GUBERNATORIAL ELECTIONS THIS SATURDAY

BATON ROUGE, La.—Secretary of State Tom Schedler reminds registered voters statewide that the Gubernatorial Primary Election will be held this Saturday, October 24^th.  Polls open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m.

Below are several reminders to assist citizens on Election Day:

• Download the GeauxVote Mobile smartphone app to sign up for Election Day text notifications, find polling locations, review sample ballots and monitor election results in real-time.
• Sample ballots are available at www.sos.la.gov.
• Bring a photo I.D. to the polls. (Louisiana Driver’s License, Louisiana Special I.D. card or another generally recognized picture identification card with your name and signature such as a passport) Voters without an I.D. will be required to fill out an affidavit but will be allowed to vote.
• By law, each voter is allowed 3 minutes to cast their ballot in order to expedite long lines.
• Voters in line at 8pm WILL BE ALLOWED TO VOTE.
• Real-time election results will be posted to the Secretary of State’s website in several formats. (Graphical, Text and Mobile)
• Allow three to five minutes between refreshing the results for optimal functionality. (Remember, the results must be transported from the polling locations to the Clerk of Court’s office and downloaded before populating our website.)

For Saturday’s elections, there are 1,069 offices to be filled statewide, with 2,095 candidates qualified.  In addition, 73 propositions in 27 parishes will be decided as well as four statewide constitutional amendments.  Based on early voting participation as well as historical data, Secretary of State Tom Schedler is anticipating turnout to be between 45-50%.

- www.sos.la.gov -

SECRETARY OF STATE TO TEST ELECTION RESULTS

     Secretary of State Tom Schedler’s office will test its electronic election results system TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20^TH at 2 p.m. C.S.T.  During the test period, mock results will be displayed on the secretary of state website. THESE ELECTION RESULTS ARE ONLY FOR TESTING PURPOSES AND DO NOT REFLECT ANY ACTUAL RESULTS.

     Media outlets are STRONGLY urged to test their election night graphics, websites and broadcast systems so that any technical issues can be identified and remedied with assistance from the Secretary of State’s IT staff prior to Election Night.  If any issues are encountered, please notify the Communications Office immediately at 225-362-5086.

     Additionally, media outlets that signed up for a morning show live shot on Friday will have a satellite test on Wednesday, October 21 from 8-8:30 a.m.  Below are the satellite coordinates to be used for the test and for Friday’s availability.

Satellite Coordinates:
Satellite: SES-2
Transponder 5K
SLOT C (12 MHz) MPEG2 (Studio)
Location: 87.0 degrees West
Uplink: 14111.250 (V)
DL Polarity: Horizontal
DL Frequency: 11811.250 MHz
L-Band: 1061.250 MHz
Modulation: DVB-S
Constellation: QPSK
FEC: 5/6
Symbol Rate: 9.9111 MSym/s
Pilot: Off
Roll off: 35%
Video Format: MPEG-2, 4:2:0
HD
TROUBLE NUMBER: (225) 767-4225 WLPB-TV, Baton Rouge

LAST DAY TO EARLY VOTE, SATURDAY, OCT. 17TH

Secretary of State Tom Schedler reminds all Louisianians eligible to vote in the Saturday, October 24, 2015 Gubernatorial Primary Election that the last day to early vote is SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17TH. Early voting locations are open from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Citizens who want to vote early may do so in person at their parish Registrar of Voters Office or at other designated locations. For a complete listing of early voting locations visit: https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/EarlyVoting.

“Early voting has been steady during the past week,” said Secretary of State Tom Schedler. “Our numbers indicate slightly less participation than we saw during the 2014 Congressional Elections which resulted in a 50% statewide turnout. The Gubernatorial Elections next Saturday could see anywhere from 40-50% turnout if history is any indication.”

Voters should utilize Louisiana’s award winning smartphone application, GeauxVote Mobile, to find out where to vote, what’s on their ballot and their voting districts. Statewide, there are more than 1,000 candidate races including all statewide elected officials and legislators. Additionally, there are four statewide constitutional amendments voters will be asked to decide as well as 73 propositions in 27 parishes.

For more information about the Secretary of State’s Elections Division, visit www.GeauxVote.com or call 225.922.0900.

- www.sos.la.gov -

EARLY VOTING BEGINS SATURDAY, RUNS THROUGH OCT. 17TH

     Secretary of State Tom Schedler is encouraging all Louisianians eligible to vote in the Saturday, October 24, 2015 Gubernatorial Primary Election to consider voting early. Early voting begins on SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10TH and continues through SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17TH from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, excluding Sunday, Oct. 11th.

     “Early voting is a great way to conveniently cast your ballot on your schedule instead of having to fit it in on Election Day,” said Secretary of State Tom Schedler. “Saturdays are always busy for individuals and families and with an LSU home game and Southern travel game scheduled, as well as the start of hunting season, many voters should think ahead and consider early voting now.”

     Voters should utilize Louisiana’s award winning smartphone app, GeauxVote Mobile, to find out where to vote, what’s on their ballot and their voting districts. Statewide, there are more than 1,000 candidate races including all statewide elected officials and legislators. Additionally, there are four statewide constitutional amendments voters will be asked to decide as well as 73 propositions in 27 parishes.

     Citizens who want to vote early may do so in person at their parish Registrar of Voters’ Office or at other designated locations. For a complete listing of early voting locations visit: https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/EarlyVoting.

     For more information about the Secretary of State’s Elections Division, visit www.GeauxVote.com or call 225.922.0900.

- www.sos.la.gov -

SMITHSONIAN TRAVELING EXHIBIT COMING TO LOUISIANA’S OLD STATE CAPITOL

These are the perennial signs of a suburban summer: the smell of hot dogs on the grill, the sound of a mower on a Saturday afternoon, pool parties and get-togethers on the patio. Secretary of State Tom Schedler and the staff of Louisiana’s Old State Capitol are proud to announce the arrival of the Smithsonian traveling exhibit, “Patios, Pools, & the Invention of the American Backyard” to Louisiana’s Old State Capitol. The exhibit, on display through Nov. 28, explores the evolution from the front porch to the outdoor living room.

Through rare photographs, historic drawings, vintage artifacts and period advertisements, the exhibit features the mid-century backyard of the 1950s from the rise of the suburbs and tract houses and the beauty of post-war garden design to the birth of the environmental movement. Drawing from the collections and research of the Smithsonian Gardens’ Archives of American Gardens, the exhibit is organized for travel by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES).

In the 1950s, America was a nation emerging from the shadow of World War II, searching for ways to enjoy its newfound peace and prosperity. Post-war trends such as the baby boom, a growing middle class, the do-it-yourself concept and a dramatic rise in home ownership remade much of the U.S. and contributed to the development of the suburban backyard. The mid-century backyard became an extension of the house, a room designed for relaxing, recreation and entertaining. Private backyard pools were an affordable luxury for many, and the patio became the perfect place for a backyard grill and patio furniture made with new materials like plastic and aluminum.

The Old State Capitol Associates will sponsor an opening reception and talk by Dr. Neil Odenwald, retired professor and former director of the LSU School of Landscape Architecture. The public reception will take place on Sept. 23 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. with a discussion on “The Backyard” beginning at 6:15 p.m. There is no charge for admission to the reception.

Louisiana’s Old State Capitol is located at 100 North Blvd. in downtown Baton Rouge. The museum is open to the public Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tours are free of charge.

###

VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINE FAST APPROACHING FOR GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION

        Secretary of State Tom Schedler is reminding Louisianians that the deadline to register to vote in the October 24th Gubernatorial Primary is WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015. This deadline is for citizens who have never registered to vote as well as voters who would like to make changes to their registration.

        “Campaign season is kicking into high gear across Louisiana, and I am encouraging citizens to get engaged in this year’s important elections,” said Secretary of State Tom Schedler. “There are more than 600 races statewide, ranging from Governor to city council, up for grabs in October. The only way for your voice to be heard is to register and vote. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to participate in democracy,” Schedler stressed.

        Citizens can register to vote online at www.GeauxVote.com; at your parish’s Registrar of Voters Office; while obtaining services at the Office of Motor Vehicles, public assistance agencies, public schools, colleges and libraries; or by mail. Louisianians can also utilize our smartphone app, GeauxVote Mobile, to access registration, ballot and polling place information.

        After registering, voters should download the GeauxVote Mobile smartphone app. The app provides registration information as well as voting districts, sample ballots, polling place information and election results.

        Early voting for the Gubernatorial Primary Election is scheduled for Saturday, October 10th through Saturday, October 17th (excluding Sunday). For more information about the Secretary of State’s Elections Division, visit www.GeauxVote.com or call 225.922.0900.

- www.sos.la.gov -

MEDIA ADVISORY: QUALIFYING BEGINS NEXT WEEK FOR GUBERNATORIAL ELECTIONS

BATON ROUGE, La.—Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler reminds everyone that qualifying for the Gubernatorial Elections begins on TUESDAY, Sept. 8th and runs through THURSDAY, Sept. 10th at 4:30 pm.

All candidates for legislative, parish and municipal races will qualify with their parish Clerk of Court. All candidates for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, Treasurer, Commissioner of Agriculture, Commissioner of Insurance and the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) will qualify at the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office located at 8585 Archives Ave. in Baton Rouge. Hours of operation for the Secretary of State’s Office are 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. daily. Check with your local Clerk of Court for specific parish hours of operation.

The media is invited to attend qualifying at the Secretary of State’s Office and will have the opportunity to interview/photograph candidates as they file their paperwork.

Once qualified, candidate information will appear on the Secretary of State’s website in real-time under “Elections & Voting,” “Get Election Information,” “Search for Candidates” or by clicking on the link below:

https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/CandidateInquiry

The Gubernatorial Primary Election will be held on Saturday, Oct. 24th, 2015 and the General Election will be held on Saturday, Nov. 21st. For more information on qualifying, visit the Secretary of State’s website at www.sos.la.gov.

###

Louisiana's annual Voter Registration Week will be observed statewide from Aug. 31-Sept. 4, 2015. Below is a comprehensive listing of scheduled activities and will be revised as information is received from each parish registrar of voters. For more information, contact your parish registrar of voters.

Assumption Parish

• Monday, Aug. 31 from 8:30-10 a.m.
  Bayou L'Ourse Supermarket 
• Tuesday, Sept. 1 from 9-10:30 a.m.
  Big B's Supermarket 
• Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 10-11:30 a.m.
  Pierre Part Library 
• Thursday, Sept. 3 from 8:30-10 a.m.
  Robert's Food Store
• Friday, Sept. 4 from 10-11:30 a.m.
  Payless Supermarket

Bienville Parish

• Monday, Aug. 31 from 9-9:30 a.m.
  Castor Branch Library
• Monday, Aug. 31 from 10:15-11:15 a.m.
  Saline Branch Library
• Tuesday, Sept. 1 from 9:15-10:30 a.m.
  Ringgold Branch Library
• Thursday, Sept. 3 from 9:30-10:30 a.m.
  VF Factory Outlet Mall

Bossier Parish

• Monday, Aug. 31 from 1:30-2:30 p.m.
  Haughton Library
  116 W. McKinley St.
  Haughton, LA 71037
• Monday, Aug. 31 from 3-4 p.m.
  East 80 Library
  1050 Bellevue Road
  Haughton, LA 71037
• Tuesday, Sept. 1 from 2:30-4 p.m.
  Plain Dealing Library
  208 E. Mary Lee St.
  Plain Dealing, LA 71064
• Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 9:30-11 a.m.
  Bossier Council on Aging
  706 Bearkat Drive
  Bossier City, LA 71111
• Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 2:30-4 p.m.
  Benton Library
  115 Courthouse Drive
  Benton, LA 71006
• Thursday, Sept. 3 from 9-11:30 a.m.
  NW LA War Veterans Home
  3130 Arthur Ray Teague Parkway
  Bossier City, LA 71112
• Thursday, Sept. 3 from 1-3 p.m.
  Central Library
  2600 Beckett St.
  Bossier City, LA 71111
• Friday, Sept. 4 from 9:30-11:30 a.m.
  Aulds Library
  3950 Wayne Ave.
  Bossier City, LA 71112
• Friday, Sept. 4 from 1-3 p.m.
  Anna P. Tooke Library
  451 Fairview Point Road
  Elm Grove, LA 71051

Caddo Parish

• Monday, Aug. 31 from 10 a.m.-noon
  Shreve Memorial Library, Atkins Branch
  3704 Greenwood Road
• Monday, Aug. 31 from 1-3 p.m.
  Shreve Memorial Library, North Shreveport Branch
  363 Hearne Ave. 
• Tuesday, Sept. 1 from 10 a.m.-noon
  Shreve Memorial Library, North Caddo/Vivian Branch
  615 N. Pine St., Vivian
• Tuesday, Sept. 1 from 1-3 p.m.
  Shreve Memorial Library, North Shreveport Branch
  4844 N. Market St.
• Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 9-11 a.m.
  Shreve Memorial Library, Cedar Grove/Line Avenue Branch
  8303 Line Ave.
• Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
  Shreve Memorial Library, Hollywood/Union Branch
  2105 Hollywood Ave.
• Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 2-4 p.m.
  Shreve Memorial Library, Mooretown Branch
  4360 Hollywood Ave.
• Thursday, Sept. 3 from 10 a.m.-noon
  Shreve Memorial Library, David Raines Center
  2855 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
• Thursday, Sept. 3 from 1-3 p.m.
  Shreve Memorial Library, West Shreveport Branch
  4380 Pines Road
• Friday, Sept. 4 from 10 a.m.-noon
  Shreve Memorial Library, Hamilton/South Caddo Branch
  2111 Bert Kouns Industrial Loop
• Friday, Sept. 4 from 1-3 p.m.
  Shreve Memorial Library, Broadmoor Resource Center
  1212 Captain Shreve Drive

DeSoto Parish

• Monday, Aug. 31-Friday, Sept. 4 from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
  DeSoto Parish Registrar of Voters Office
  105 Franklin St.
  Mansfield, LA 71052
• Tuesday, Sept. 1 from 9-9:45 a.m.
  DeSoto Parish Health Unit
  113 Jefferson St.
  Mansfield, LA 71052
• Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 9-9:45 a.m.
  DeSoto Parish Chamber of Commerce
  115 N. Washington Ave.
  Mansfield, LA 71052
• Thursday, Sept. 3 from 10-10:45 a.m.
  DeSoto Parish Council on Aging
  1015 Polk St.
  Mansfield, LA 71052
• Friday, Sept. 4 from 11 a.m.-noon
  Northwest Louisiana Technical College
  943 Oxford Road
  Mansfield, LA 71052

In addition to these events, an early voting (AVC Edge) machine will be available for demonstrations in the DeSoto Parish Registrar of Voters Office at 105 Franklin St. in Mansfield. Anyone interested in the procedure used during early voting can come to the office between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. For more information, call 318.872.1149.

East Baton Rouge Parish

• Monday, Aug. 31 from 2-7 p.m.
  Fairwood Branch Library
  12910 Old Hammond Highway
• Monday, Aug. 31 from 2-7 p.m.
  Bluebonnet Regional Branch Library
  9200 Bluebonnet Blvd.
• Tuesday, Sept. 1 from 2-7 p.m.
  Pride-Chaneyville Branch Library
  13600 Pride-Port Hudson Road
• Tuesday, Sept. 1 from 2-7 p.m.
  Scotlandville Branch Library
  7373 Scenic Highway
• Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 2-7 p.m.
  Central Branch Library
  11260 Joor Road
• Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 2-7 p.m.
  Carver Branch Library
  720 Terrace St.
• Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 2-7 p.m.
  Main Library
  7711 Goodwood Blvd.
• Thursday, Sept. 3 from 2-7 p.m.
  Jones Creek Regional Branch Library
  6222 Jones Creek Road
• Thursday, Sept. 3 from 2-7 p.m.
  Greenwell Springs Road Regional Branch Library
  11300 Greenwell Springs Road
• Thursday, Sept. 3 from 2-7 p.m.
  Zachary Branch Library
  1900 Church St.
• Friday, Sept. 4 from 2-7 p.m.
  Delmont Gardens Branch Library
  3351 Lorraine St.
• Friday, Sept. 4 from 2-7 p.m.
  Baker Branch Library
  3501 Groom Road
• Friday, Sept. 4 from 2-7 p.m.
  Eden Park Branch Library
  5131 Greenwell Springs Road

Iberia Parish

• Monday, Aug. 31 from 9-11 a.m.
  U.S. Post Office
  817 E. Dale St., New Iberia

Iberville Parish

• Monday, Aug. 31-Thursday, Sept. 3 from 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
  Iberville Parish Registrar of Voters Office
• Friday, Sept. 4 from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
  Iberville Parish Registrar of Voters Office

Jackson Parish

• Monday, Aug. 31 from 9-11 a.m.
  Chatham Town Hall
• Monday, Aug. 31 at 11:15 a.m.
  Chatham Council on Aging
• Tuesday, Sept. 1 from 9:30-11 a.m.
  Hodge Post Office
• Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 9-10:30 a.m.
  Quitman Town Hall

Jefferson Parish

• Monday, Aug. 31-Friday, Sept. 4 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
  Lakeside Shopping Center Mall
  3301 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie
• Wednesday, Sept. 2-Friday, Sept. 4 from noon-4 p.m.
  East Bank Regional Library
  4747 W. Napoleon Ave., Metairie
• Wednesday, Sept. 2-Friday, Sept. 4 from noon-4 p.m.
  West Bank Regional Library

Applications will also be available to be picked up at all Jefferson Parish public libraries and at the following locations:

• Kenner City Hall
  1801 Williams Blvd, Kenner
• Harahan City Hall
  6437 Jefferson Highway, Harahan
• Gretna City Hall
  2nd St. and Huey P. Long Ave., Gretna
• Lafitte City Hall
  2654 Jean Lafitte Blvd., Jean Lafitte
• Westwego City Hall
  419 Ave. A, Westwego

Lafayette Parish

• Tuesday, Aug. 25 at 6 p.m.
  Broussard City Hall
  310 E. Main St.
  Broussard, LA 70518
• Monday, Aug. 31 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
  Oil Center Post Office
  1031 Coolidge Blvd.
  Lafayette, LA 70503
• Tuesday, Sept. 1 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
  Bertrand Post Office
  1830 Bertrand Drive
  Lafayette, LA 70506
• Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 8:30-11 a.m.
  SMILE Community Action Agency
  501 St. John St.
  Lafayette, LA 70501
• Thursday, Sept. 3 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
  Moss Street Post Office (main office)
  1105 Moss St.
  Lafayette, LA 70501

Lafourche Parish

• Monday, Aug. 31 from 9-11 a.m.
  Voting Machine Warehouse
  1450 Tiger Drive, Thibodaux
  Early voting and Election Day voting machines will be available for viewing and mock voting.
• Tuesday, Sept. 1 from 9:30-11 a.m.
  St. Joseph Manor
  1201 Cardinal Drive, Thibodaux
• Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 1-3 p.m.
  Golden Meadow Town Hall
  107 Jervis Drive, Golden Meadow (in front of Office of Motor Vehicles) 
• Thursday, Sept. 3 from 2:30-4:30 p.m.
  Lockport Public Library
  720 Crescent Ave., Lockport
• Friday, Sept. 4 from 9-11 a.m.
  South Lafourche Public Library
  16241 E. Main St., Galliano
• Saturday, Sept. 5 from 8 a.m.-noon
  Lafourche Central Market
  4484 La. Highway 1, Raceland

Madison Parish

• Monday, Aug. 31 from 7:30-10:30 a.m.
  Registrar of Voter Brunch
  Registration/Updates/65+ Program
  Pass out literature/Q&A/Sign-in Sheet
  Fliers with Information on Fall Elections
  100 N. Cedar St., Tallulah
  Contact: Ms. Whitney at 318.574.3451
• Tuesday, Sept. 1 from 11 a.m.-noon
  Madison Voluntary Council on Aging
  Registration/Updates/65+/Fliers
  Fliers with Information on Fall Elections
  Pass out literature/Q&A/Sign-in Sheet
  300 S. Elm St., Tallulah
  Contact: Ms. Peggy Boles at 318.574.3666
• Tuesday, Sept. 1 from 1-2:30 p.m.
  Registration of 17+ Students
  Fliers with Information on Fall Elections
  Literature Handouts/Q&A/Sign-in Sheet
  Demonstration of Edge Voting Machine
  Contact: Principal Wade Heigle at 901.834.3323
• Wednesday, Sept. 2 at 9 a.m.
  Madison High School
  Registration of 17+ Students
  Fliers with Information on Fall Elections
  Literature Handouts/Q&A/Sign-in Sheet
  Demonstration of Edge Voting Machine
  Madison High School Drive
  Contact: Ms. Linda Holmes at 318.574.3529
• Thursday, Sept. 3 from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
  In-House Demo of Edge/Pass out Literature
  Fliers with Information on Fall Elections
  Contacting Felons via Telephone and Letters
• Friday, Sept. 4 from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
  Annual Voter Registration Week Luncheon/Fanfare
  Registration/Updates/Information on Fall Elections
  Pass out Literature/Program/Sign-in Sheet
  Madison Courthouse Building
  Benefactor: Tallulah Construction Company

Orleans Parish

• Monday, Aug. 31 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
  Delgado Community College (City Park)
  915 Navarre Ave.
• Monday, Aug. 31 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
  East New Orleans Public Library
  5641 Read Blvd.
• Tuesday, Sept. 1 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
  University of New Orleans
  2000 Lakeshore Drive
• Tuesday, Sept. 1 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
  Algiers Regional Library
  3014 Holiday Drive
• Tuesday, Sept. 1 from 2-4 p.m.
  Chateau de Notre Dame
  2832 Burdette St.
• Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
  Southern University
  6400 Press Drive
• Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
  Norman Mayer Library
  3001 Gentilly Blvd.
• Thursday, Sept. 3 from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
  Dillard University
  2601 Gentilly Blvd.
• Thursday, Sept. 3 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
  New Orleans Main Library
  219 Loyola Ave.
• Thursday, Sept. 3 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
  Whole Foods Market
  300 N. Broad St.
• Friday, Sept. 4 from 10 a.m.-noon
  Unity Nursing Home
  1539 Delachaise St.
• Friday, Sept. 4 from 10 a.m.-noon
  John J. Hainkel Nursing Home
  612 Henry Clay Ave.
• Friday, Sept. 4 from 10:30 a.m.-noon
  U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Office
  1250 Poydras St., Suite 1800

Applications will also be available at all New Orleans public libraries and at the following locations:

• Case Closed Barbershop
  5941 Bullard Ave., Suite 5
• Park Place Barber & Spa
  3024 Gentilly Blvd.
• Clear Vue Barbershop
  125 S. Rampart St.
• Mr. Chills Barbershop
  2734 S. Carrollton Ave.
• Picture Me Rollin
  8480 Morrison Road, Suite B

Rapides Parish

• Monday, Aug. 31 from 9-10 a.m.
  Alexandria Main Library Branch
  411 Washington St., Alexandria
• Monday, Aug. 31 from 10:30-11:30 a.m.
  Pineville City Hall
  910 Main St., Pineville
• Tuesday, Sept. 1 from 9-10 a.m.
  Cheneyville Town Hall
  403 Boyd St., Cheneyville
• Tuesday, Sept. 1 from 9:15-10:15 a.m.
  LSUA
  8100 Highway 1 South, Alexandria
• Tuesday, Sept. 1 from 11 a.m.-noon
  Glenmora Town Hall
  1100 7th St., Glenmora
• Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 10-11 a.m.
  Martin Luther King Library
  1115 Broadway Ave., Alexandria
• Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 1-2 p.m.
  Louisiana College
  1140 College Drive, Pineville
• Thursday, Sept. 3 from 9-10 a.m.
  Boyce Town Hall
  809 Londonderry Ave., Boyce
• Thursday, Sept. 3 from 10:30-11:30 a.m.
  Boyce Library Branch
  500 A Ulster Ave., Boyce
• Friday, Sept. 4 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
  Christus St. Francis Cabrini Hospital
  3330 Masonic Drive, Alexandria
• Friday, Sept. 4 from 2-3 p.m.
  England Oaks Adult Community
  6956 England Drive, Alexandria

St. Bernard Parish

• Monday, Aug. 31 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
  Walgreens
  100 W. Judge Perez Drive (at corner of Paris Road)
  Chalmette, LA 70043
  504.276.6192 
• Tuesday, Sept. 1 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
  Stage
  8400 W. Judge Perez Drive
  Chalmette, LA 70043
  504.278.2940
• Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
  St. Bernard Parish Library
  2600 Palmisano Blvd.
  Chalmette, LA 70043
  504.279.0448 
• Thursday, Sept. 3
  Courthouse
  1101 W. St. Bernard Highway
  Chalmette, LA 70043
• Friday, Sept. 4 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
  South Lake Food Store
  7532 E. Judge Perez Drive
  Violet, LA 70092
  504.682.8828

St. Charles Parish

• Monday, Aug. 31 at 9:30 a.m.
  New Sarpy Senior Activity Center
  150 Troxclair Drive, New Sarpy
• Monday, Aug. 31 at 11 a.m.
  Norco Senior Activity Center
  149 Apple St., Norco
• Monday, Aug. 31 at 12:30 p.m.
  Luling Senior Activity Center
  145 Angus Drive, Luling
• Thursday, Sept. 3 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
  St. Rose Library
  90 E. Club Drive, St. Rose
• Friday, Sept. 4 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
  Paradis Library
  307 Audubon St., Paradis

St. Helena Parish

• Monday, Aug. 31-Friday, Sept. 4 from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
  Registrar of Voters Office
  38 Kendrick St., NFC Building, Greensburg
• Monday, Aug. 31 from 9:30-10:30 a.m.
  Audubon Regional Library
  Greensburg
• Monday, Aug. 31 from 11 a.m.-noon
  Amite Plaza
  30006 Highway 16, Amite
• Tuesday, Sept. 1 from 9:30-10:30 a.m.
  St. Helena Parish Nursing Home
  32 N. Second St., Greensburg
• Tuesday, Sept. 1 from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
  Hatfield's Country Store
  24358 Highway 43, Greensburg (Easleyville)
• Tuesday, Sept. 1 from 1:15-2:30 p.m.
  Bebo's
  2938 Highway 38, Kentwood
• Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 3-4 p.m.
  Lee's Grocery
  47785 Highway 16, Denham Springs (Dennis Mills)
• Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 4:15-6 p.m.
  Highway 16 Voting Booth
  43076 Highway 16, Pine Grove
• Friday, Sept. 4 from 8:30-9:30 a.m.
  Darlington Grocery
  13827 Highway 10, Greensburg

St. Landry Parish

• Monday, Aug. 31 at 10 a.m.
  Prompt Succor Nursing Home
  954 E. Prudhomme St., Opelousas
• Monday, Aug. 31 at 1 p.m.
  Opelousas Point Apartments
  1407 Garland Ave., Opelousas
• Tuesday, Sept. 1 at 9 a.m.
  Senior Village Nursing Home
  315 Harry Guilbeau Road, Opelousas
• Tuesday, Sept. 1 at 12:30 p.m.
  Eunice Manor Nursing Home
  3859 Highway 190, Eunice
• Tuesday, Sept. 1 at 1:30 p.m.
  Oak Lane Wellness and Rehabilitation Center
  1400 W. Magnolia Ave., Eunice
• Wednesday, Sept. 2 at 9:30 a.m.
  Heritage Manor Nursing Home
  7941 I-49 N. Service Road, Opelousas
• Wednesday, Sept. 2 at 10 a.m.
  Holy Trinity Villa
  922 Perry Lane, Opelousas
• Wednesday, Sept. 2
  St. Landry Parish Courthouse Lobby
  118 S. Court St., Opelousas
• Thursday, Sept. 3 at 10 a.m.
  Tri-Community Nursing Center
  70145 Highway 71, Palmetto
• Thursday, Sept. 3 at 2 p.m.
  J. Michael Memorial Nursing Home
  883 Main St., Arnaudville

St. Tammany Parish

• Monday, Aug. 31 from 9-10 a.m.
  Camellia Gardens Retirement Community
  1925 Possum Hollow Road, Slidell
• Monday, Aug. 31 from 10:30-11:30 a.m.
  Trinity Rehabilitation Center
  1400 Lindberg Drive, Slidell
• Monday, Aug. 31 from 2-3 p.m.
  The Windsor Senior Living Center
  1770 N. Causeway Blvd., Mandeville
• Tuesday, Sept. 1 from 10-11 a.m.
  Mandeville City Hall
  3101 E. Causeway Approach, Mandeville
• Tuesday, Sept. 1 from 10-11 a.m.
  Azalea Estates Retirement Community
  354 Robert Blvd., Slidell
• Tuesday, Sept. 1 from 1-2 p.m.
  Summerfield Retirement Community
  4104 Dauphine St., Slidell
• Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 11 a.m.-noon
  Forest Manor Nursing Home
  1330 Ochsner Blvd., Covington
• Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 1:30-2:30 p.m.
  Pontchartrain Guest House
  1401 Highway 190, Mandeville
• Thursday, Sept. 3 from 9-10 a.m.
  Slidell Guest House
  1051 Robert Blvd., Slidell
• Thursday, Sept. 3 from 10-11 a.m.
  Christwood Retirement Community
  100 Christwood Blvd., Covington
• Thursday, Sept. 3 from 1-2 p.m.
  Heritage Manor of Slidell
  106 Medical Center Drive, Slidell
• Thursday, Sept. 3 from 1-2 p.m.
  Madisonville Town Hall
  403 St. Frances St., Madisonville
• Friday, Sept. 4 from 10:30-11:30 a.m.
  Heritage Manor of Mandeville
  1820 W. Causeway Approach, Mandeville
• Friday, Sept. 4 from 1-2 p.m.
  Brookdale Senior Living Center
  1414 N. Causeway Blvd., Mandeville
• Friday, Sept. 4 from 2:30-3:30 p.m.
  Lacombe Nursing Centre
  28119 Highway 190, Lacombe

Terrebonne Parish

• Monday, Aug. 31 from 9-10:30 a.m.
  Fletcher Community College
  1407 Highway 311, Schriever
• Tuesday, Sept. 1 from 2-3 p.m.
  Heritage Manor
  1701 Polk St., Houma
• Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 9-10 a.m.
  Homestead of Houma
  1132 Cottage Drive
• Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 1:30-2:30 p.m.
  The Oaks of Houma
  400 Monarch Drive
• Thursday, Sept. 3 from 9-10 a.m.
  North Branch Library
  4130 W. Park Ave.
• Friday, Sept. 4 from 9-10 a.m.
  Terrebonne Main Branch Library
  151 Library Drive

Webster Parish

• Monday Aug. 31-Friday, Sept. 4 from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
  Registrar of Voters Office
  Webster Parish Courthouse
  410 Main St., Minden
• Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 11 a.m.-noon
  Springhill Council on Aging
  403 W. Church St., Springhill
• Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 12:30-2:30 p.m.
  Willie & Mary Mack Memorial Branch Library
  217 N. Main St., Springhill
• Thursday, Sept. 3 from 9-10 a.m.
  Minden Council on Aging
  1482 Sheppard St., Minden

AVC Edge voting machine demonstrations will be available in the Registrar of Voters Office for anyone interested in becoming more familiar with the voting machines used during early voting.

Lessons Learned from Katrina Remembered by Secretary of State

BATON ROUGE, La.—Ten years after Hurricane Katrina violently slammed into the Gulf Coast, leaving more than one million people displaced, Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler joined his staff in remembering the storm’s aftermath and praising their collective efforts to support the state’s recovery. Schedler thanked his employees for pulling off an “election like no other” in New Orleans just months after the city was violently impacted by winds and floods. He also gave them credit for creating a model for emergency preparedness in the area of elections that now guides other states facing similar circumstances.

Hundreds of employees at the Secretary of State’s Office, under the direction of former Secretary of State Al Ater, conducted the 2006 Municipal Election in New Orleans under less than ideal conditions after Katrina pummeled New Orleans and many other parts of the state. Their experience in tackling the voting challenges, including large numbers of displaced citizens who were eligible to vote, would prove to be invaluable to other states years later including when Hurricane Sandy struck the East Coast just before the 2012 presidential election.

“When you think in terms of the number of mail ballots that were sent all across the country to make sure New Orleanian’s voices were heard in that election it was quite an accomplishment,” said Schedler. “In addition, we set up 60-plus mega-voting precincts because so many of our polling locations had been destroyed in the storm. Those sites included tents, generators and bottled water for commissioners. Meanwhile, we had dozens of staff members stuffed into a hotel ballroom manning scanners to count paper ballots,” recalled Schedler. “Despite these harsh and unfamiliar conditions, it was one of the most rewarding elections ever conducted in Louisiana. It was a testament to what dedicated people can do when the going gets tough, and I’m honored to work alongside many of them today.”

In light of Louisiana’s experience, Secretary of State Tom Schedler was later tapped to co-chair the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) Task Force on Emergency Preparedness for Elections, a bipartisan group with members from 24 states that produced recommendations on how states can better cope with holding elections in the aftermath of a disaster.

“No one ever wishes for a disaster to strike, but as public officials, our duty is to plan and prepare for them,” Schedler notes. “Having experienced first-hand the effects that storms such as Rita and Katrina had on elections in Louisiana, the challenges are clear. States must have a good contingency plan in place to help deal with polling place changes, power outages, equipment failures, poll worker shortages and a whole list of nightmare scenarios that can disrupt voting on Election Day.”

In 2013, the NASS task force reviewed state laws regarding elections and disaster preparedness and found that only a small minority required the development of an election emergency contingency plan by law. In addition to urging election officials to work more closely with state emergency management officials to address this shortcoming, the task force’s general recommendations included the following:

• Get ready to address the topic of postponement. In 2013, only one-third of all states reported having a law that details the process by which an election may be suspended, delayed or postponed in the event of an emergency situation. In most states, the decision is made by the governor or chief state election official, or a combination of the two. A state of emergency usually must be declared before any election activities can be postponed.
• Plan to keep the polls open. Election officials need clear guidelines for managing polling place changes, as well as handling polling place power outages, poll worker shortages, long lines and paper ballot shortages. There should also be procedures in place for securing voting machines and election materials in emergency situations where there are evacuations and other potentially threatening conditions.
• Be prepared to help enfranchise voters. This advice is particularly true for voters affected by emergencies, either because they are first responders who are helping with disaster response efforts, or because they are displaced or injured citizens who may require alternative voting options due to disaster conditions. States that have dealt with major emergencies have also stressed the use of using existing absentee, mail and early voting procedures to facilitate voting in emergency situations.
• Make a commitment to reaching people. As Election Day approaches, communicating voting rules and polling place changes to voters affected by an emergency must be a top priority for state and local governments. Notifying voters via text messages on their mobile phones has proven to be effective in a number of emergency-stricken jurisdictions with elections underway. Finding ways to help election officials and emergency management personnel partner up to send joint communications can also be helpful.

In conjunction with observing the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina with the staff at the Department of State, Secretary Schedler has also partnered with local author, Claire Boudreaux Bateman to preserve stories of heroism after the storm, through the eyes of Louisiana’s children.

Bateman’s children’s book, “Call Me Hero” follows a dog named Hero throughout the Gulf Coast region as he finds his family after the storm. Secretary Schedler and Bateman are encouraging students to interview individuals in their communities who were impacted by Katrina. The student interviews will then be preserved at the Louisiana State Archives to honor the 10-year anniversary.

“Many students don’t remember Katrina and its aftermath,” said Bateman. “But they have heard stories about the storm and how their families overcame challenges and recovered. Hero allows adults to start a conversation with the younger generation and pass along their own stories of heroism and triumph. It’s a positive way to remember otherwise tragic events.”

“Archiving student’s stories about Katrina’s heroes is a great way to chronicle our history,” said Schedler. “I look forward to reading their tales and making sure they’re secure for others to enjoy decades from now.”

For more information on “Call Me Hero” go to www.clairebatemanbooks.com.

###

VOTER REGISTRATION WEEK 2015 BEGINS AUGUST 31ST

BATON ROUGE, La.—Secretary of State Tom Schedler is joining with Registrars of Voters across the state the week of August 31st through September 4th, 2015 hosting Voter Registration Week activities aimed at registering eligible citizens to vote. Voter Registration Week activities by parish can be found on the Secretary of State’s website at http://www.sos.la.gov/Pages/NewsAndEvents.aspx#faq104.

“Our voter registration statistics are some of the most robust in the nation,” said Secretary of State Tom Schedler. Approximately 84% of our eligible citizens are already registered because we’ve made it quick and easy. This week is the perfect time to get informed, check your registration status, and if you’re not already registered, get registered leading up to the statewide elections this fall.”

Louisiana was one of the first states in the nation to implement an easy, convenient online voter registration portal. Citizens with a valid Louisiana driver’s license can register online 24 hours a day, seven days a week from the convenience of their home or office by visiting www.GeauxVote.com.

Additionally, residents of Louisiana can register in person at their parish Registrar of Voters Office, when they apply for/renew their driver’s license at any Office of Motor Vehicles or when obtaining services at public assistance agencies and armed forces recruitment offices. Citizens wishing to register by mail can complete an application which can be found at www.GeauxVote.com, at public libraries or through registration drives.

To register and vote in Louisiana individuals must be:

• a U.S. citizen; at least 17 years old to register and 18 years old prior to the next election to vote;
• not under an order of imprisonment for conviction of a felony;
• not under a judgment of full interdiction for mental incompetence or partial interdiction with suspension of voting rights;
• and a resident in the state and parish in which you seek to register and vote

“Registering to vote and participating in our election process is a precious right we all should cherish,” said Secretary Schedler. “Innovations like online voter registration make exercising that right easier than ever before, and I am proud to work hand in hand with the registrars of this state on this annual event.”

According to La. R.S. 18:18, the state’s official voter registration week shall be the last full week which occurs two weeks prior to the close of registration records for the regular fall primary election. The Gubernatorial Primary in Louisiana is scheduled for Saturday, October 24th. The last day to register to vote for the primary is Wednesday, September 23rd.

###

SECRETARY SCHEDLER WARNS BUSINESSES ABOUT MISLEADING POSTCARDS

BATON ROUGE, La.—Secretary of State Tom Schedler is alerting business owners of fraudulent postcards being mailed to businesses indicating a “potential compliance violation.” The postcards direct owners to call a Business Compliance Division to avoid penalties and fees. THIS POSTCARD IS NOT FROM THE LOUISIANA SECRETARY OF STATE’S COMMERCIAL DIVISION and should be immediately discarded.

“We are constantly watching for scams of this nature so we can warn business owners who might be fooled,” said Secretary Schedler. “We’ve seen similar attempts to defraud our customers through mailings and phone calls regarding their annual reports, but this is the first time we’ve seen postcards like these. As always, my advice to owners is to beware. If something doesn’t look or sound right, call my office immediately and we can assist.”

In past years, Commercial Division customers have also received correspondence from Corporate Records Service, Louisiana Corporate Compliance Business Services and Corporate Compliance Company. Phone calls earlier this year came from a company named Louisiana Council for Corporations and were also fraudulent. These companies are also not affiliated or associated with Louisiana state government in any way. Business owners with questions or concerns are encouraged to contact the Department of State’s Commercial Division for more information at 225.925.4704 or commercial@sos.la.gov.

Additionally, Secretary Schedler reminds owners to subscribe to the department’s commercial email notification system aimed at protecting businesses from fraud and identity theft. Anyone can sign up for the system which generates messages regarding changes to commercial entities, non-governmental correspondence, office closures and most importantly, warnings involving possible fraudulent activity.

Subscriptions to the system are voluntary, and individuals are able to easily register via the website while viewing a corporation record. Once subscribed under the specified entity, notifications will be sent if any changes are made to the company. In addition, the system will generate a message if an annual report is not filed on time; a business is not in good standing; or a business is revoked. Subscribers can also opt to receive messages via text.

- www.sos.la.gov -

Business Compliance Services postcard

LOUISIANA STATE ARCHIVES FEATURED ON TLC’S ‘WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?’

BATON ROUGE, La.—Secretary of State Tom Schedler is proud to announce that the Louisiana State Archives will be featured in an episode of TLC’s “Who Do You Think You Are?” The episode is scheduled to air this Sunday, Aug. 9 at 8 p.m. CST on TLC.

“Who Do You Think You Are?” follows the journeys of some of the most well-known names in American popular culture. Watch as celebrities discover unknown details about themselves and their families while researching their ancestry with the help of historians and genealogical experts. Previous episodes starred Rachel McAdams, Cindy Crawford and Jim Parsons, among others.

For more information on the show, visit www.tlc.com/tv-shows/who-do-you-think-you-are. For more information about the Louisiana State Archives and its holdings, call 225. 922.1000 or visit www.sos.la.gov/archives.

- www.sos.la.gov -

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SECRETARIES OF STATE HONORS 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF VOTING RIGHTS ACT

WASHINGTON, DC—The National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) is joining with its members across the nation to commemorate today as the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Voting Rights Act, which was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on August 6, 1965.

In 2006, NASS posthumously honored President Johnson with the Freedom Award for supporting the passage of the Voting Rights Act, thereby enshrining protection of the right to political participation for minority voters at the polls. The association has also honored civil rights icons Rosa Parks, Daisy Bates and the founders of the Southern Poverty Law Center, Morris Dees and Joseph Levin, Jr.

The following is a statement by NASS President Tom Schedler, who serves as Louisiana Secretary of State:

“The passage of the Voting Rights Act marks an important milestone in our nation’s history, and today is an historic occasion for celebrating the great progress that states have made in furthering the goals of the law. Thanks to incredible advances in technology – a great equalizer for voters and election officials alike – getting registered to vote and casting a ballot are easier and more convenient than anyone could have ever imagined five decades ago.

Many states have been recognized for their consistently well-run and fairly-administered elections, often using technology to spur innovation and increase opportunities for participation. Twenty-six states plus the District of Columbia have modernized their voter registration process to offer – or approve the adoption of – online registration, while nearly 15 others have state-of-the-art mobile applications for checking or updating one's voter registration status, getting election reminders, finding one's polling place and more, using a smartphone. Meanwhile, at least 28 states allow jurisdictions to use electronic poll books, which can reduce line waiting times and provide live data for get-out-the-vote efforts.

Other states, including Louisiana, have adopted sound administrative practices which also expand voting opportunities for all citizens. This includes allowing pre-registration for 16 and 17 year olds, expanding early voting, opening vote centers, allowing people with criminal convictions the chance to regain their ability to vote, increasing access to absentee and mail balloting, creating new or improved resources for language minority voters and pursuing vigorous efforts to help enfranchise overseas and military voters.

While members of our organization have passionate and often differing opinions on whether the Voting Rights Act needs revamping, we will not shy away from discussing difficult questions about the future of voting and civil rights. NASS has always been committed to sharing ideas and building higher levels of joint consensus for policymaking. In our dealings with Congress and others in federal government, we will continue to seek forward-looking administrative frameworks that treat the states as fully-engaged partners in a collaborative enterprise.

For today, let us pay tribute to the Voting Rights Act by honoring the incredible courage and spirit of those who paved the way for equality in our democratic process, and by reminding eligible citizens in every state about the importance of voting."

About NASS

Founded in 1904, NASS is the oldest, nonpartisan professional organization of public officials in the U.S. Membership is open to the 50 states and all U.S. territories. NASS serves as a medium for the exchange of information between states and fosters cooperation in the development of public policy.

NASS has two standing committees that deal with election issues:

The NASS Elections Committee is co-chaired by Colorado Secretary of State Wayne Williams and West Virginia Secretary of State Natalie Tennant. The committee is dedicated to educating and informing members about state election administration practices and laws, as well as tracking proposed federal legislation and the activities of other federal government entities.

The NASS Voter Participation Committee is co-chaired by Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill and Rhode Island Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea. The committee is devoted to identifying state strategies for increasing or enhancing practices on voter education and outreach, as well as serving as a clearinghouse for information on voter participation and civics outreach programs.

NASS also provides a non-partisan voting assistance website, www.CanIVote.org.

- www.sos.la.gov -

SCHEDLER ASSUMES PRESIDENCY OF NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

PORTLAND, Maine – Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler takes the oath of office assuming the presidency of the National Association of Secretary of States (NASS) on Sunday, July 12, 2015 in Portland, Maine. Schedler is attending the 2015 NASS Summer Conference with Lieutenant Governors and Secretaries of State from 34 states across the nation. The conference began on Thursday, July 9, 2015 and will wrap up on Sunday with a Leadership Luncheon during which Schedler will be sworn in.

NASS is the oldest, nonpartisan professional organization of public officials in the United States. Members include the 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa and Puerto Rico. NASS serves as a medium for the exchange of information between states and fosters cooperation in the development of public policy. The association has key initiatives in the areas of elections and voting, state business services and digital archiving, international relations and state securities regulation, as well as several well-established awards programs.

Schedler is only the second Louisiana Secretary of State to hold the Presidency besides Wade O. Martin who served from 1947 to 1948. In his capacity as NASS President, Schedler will also serve on the U.S. Election Assistance Commission’s (EAC) Board of Advisors. During his induction ceremony, Schedler plans outline his priorities for the nations’ secretaries of state with a hint of Louisiana culture and flare.

“I knew I wanted the final luncheon to be memorable and for my comments to resonate with my colleagues,” said Schedler. “Nothing gets folks attention like some good, south Louisiana cuisine, so I’m serving gumbo at the luncheon and providing the group my ‘Recipe for Success’ which details our organization’s priorities for 2016.”

The Recipe for Success includes:

• Governing with Excellence,
• Unwavering Public Engagement,
• Modernizing Elections,
• Building Business and Economic Growth and
• Operating with Accountability

Schedler is particularly pleased that Louisiana has a recognized track record in many of these areas including creation of the first election information app for smartphones (GeauxVote), the creation of a one-stop business portal (geauxBIZ), recognition from Pew Charitable Trusts for ranking 18th in the country for our election system and the implementation of an election technology fund to support the next generation of voting technology in Louisiana.

“I am certainly humbled to be recognized by my colleagues with this significant leadership role,” said Secretary Schedler. “As sitting President of NASS, I have the opportunity to share Louisiana’s excellent record in terms of election administration with other states and also learn best-practices in areas where we might be able to improve or grow.”

Secretary Schedler will also participate on a panel with experts in improving voter participation on Saturday morning. The focus of the discussion will include advice from Schedler on working with 3rd party registration groups to both maximize their success while minimizing public concerns including identity theft and privacy.

Additional conference highlights include:

• Bipartisan discussions on state programming and policy initiatives including voter registration and digital learning
• A traveling exhibit commemorating the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta, sponsored by the Maine State Archives.
• Workshops on the future of voting technology
• Presentation of the 2015 NASS IDEAS Award, which recognizes excellence in state member office programming and was awarded to Louisiana in 2013 for the GeauxVote Mobile smartphone app

Secretary Schedler is available for media interviews via phone by contacting Press Secretary Meg Casper at 225-978-6696 or meg.casper@sos.la.gov. Additionally, b-roll of Secretary Schedler’s induction, generic cover video and an on-camera interview will be posted by Louisiana Hometown Productions and available for download after 4:30 p.m. Sunday, July 12, 2015.

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MEDIA ADVISORY: geauxBIZ PORTAL MAKING BUSINESS EASY

BATON ROUGE, La.—Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler, Department of Revenue Secretary Tim Barfield and Workforce Commission Executive Director Curt Eysink will announce the launch of the geauxBIZ.com business portal on THURSDAY, JULY 2, 2015 at 10:30 A.M. in the lobby of the Secretary of State’s Commercial Division in Baton Rouge.

Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler, Department of Revenue Secretary Tim Barfield and Workforce Commission Executive Director Curt Eysink will announce the launch of the geauxBIZ.com business portal on THURSDAY, JULY 2, 2015 at 10:30 A.M. in the lobby of the Secretary of State’s Commercial Division in Baton Rouge.

Louisiana’s new geauxBIZ.com portal allows business owners to complete the legal steps necessary to start a business, register for a revenue number and apply for an unemployment insurance tax account number all in one visit to the website. This new system streamlines the registration process significantly for businesses by providing access to multiple agencies, including the Louisiana Secretary of State, the Louisiana Department of Revenue and the Louisiana Workforce Commission, all in one place.

B-roll and photo opportunities will be made available to working media at the event.

WHO: Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler, Department of Revenue Secretary Tim Barfield and Workforce Commission Executive Director Curt Eysink

WHAT: Launch geauxBIZ Portal

WHEN: Thursday, July 2, 2015 at 10:30 a.m.

WHERE: Louisiana Secretary of State Commercial Division Lobby, 8585 Archives Ave., Baton Rouge

For additional information or questions, Meg Casper (Secretary of State’s Office) at 225.362.5086 or meg.casper@sos.la.gov.

- www.sos.la.gov -

SECRETARY SCHEDLER TALKS ONLINE VOTER REGISTRATION ON NPR

BATON ROUGE, La.—Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler participated in an extensive interview with National Public Radio (NPR) concerning online voter registration which aired Monday on “All Things Considered.” Louisiana was one of the first states in the nation to implement online voter registration in 2006 and is considered a leader in election technology.

“I am so proud to tout Louisiana’s election system whenever I can,” said Secretary Schedler. “Most people in our state don’t realize how advanced we are in terms of using technology in voting—whether it’s online voter registration or our award-winning GeauxVote app for election information.  A total of 20 states have joined us in embracing online registration and now, several others, including Texas and Florida are considering similar programs.”

Listen to the full interview by clicking on the link below: http://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2015/05/18/407724279/cheap-and-fast-online-voter-registration-catches-on

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MUNICIPAL GENERAL ELECTIONS THIS SATURDAY

BATON ROUGE, La.—Registered Louisiana voters are reminded that municipal general elections will be held tomorrow, Saturday, May 2 in 28 parishes across the state. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

In preparation for Saturday election activities, Secretary Schedler is encouraging voters to remember:

• Anyone in line at 8 p.m. will be allowed to vote.
• Sample ballots can be reviewed by downloading the GeauxVote Mobile app for smartphones or by visiting www.sos.la.gov.
• Voters can also find polling locations and sign up for text alerts via the GeauxVote Mobile smartphone app.
• Voters should bring an ID with them to vote (Louisiana driver’s license, Louisiana Special ID card or another generally recognized picture identification card with your name and signature such as a passport). Voters without an ID will be required to fill out an affidavit but will be allowed to vote.
• Election results can be viewed in real-time via the GeauxVote Mobile app and the Secretary of State’s website at www.sos.la.gov in several formats. Graphical results will not display for Apple users.

The 28 parishes holding elections on Saturday include: Ascension, Caddo, Calcasieu, DeSoto, East Baton Rouge, Grant, Iberville, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafourche, Lincoln, Livingston, Madison, Morehouse, Orleans, Rapides, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Landry, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Tensas, Vermilion, Vernon, Washington and Winn.

- www.sos.la.gov -

ELECTIONS THIS SATURDAY IN 28 PARISHES

BATON ROUGE, La.—Registered Louisiana voters are reminded that municipal general elections will be held this Saturday, March 28th in 28 parishes across the state. Polls open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m.

Below are several reminders to assist in your coverage of Election Day activities and results: 

• Remind voters to download our GeauxVote Mobile smartphone app to sign up for Election Day text notifications, find polling locations, review sample ballots and monitor election results in real-time.
• Sample ballots are also available via our website at www.sos.la.gov.
• Real-time election results will be posted to our website in several formats (Graphical, Text and Mobile). Graphical results will not display for Apple users.
• Allow three to five minutes between refreshing the results site for optimal functionality. (Remember, the results must be transported from the polling locations to the Clerk of Court’s Office and downloaded before populating our website.)

The 28 parishes holding elections on Saturday include: Allen, Ascension, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Calcasieu, Catahoula, Claiborne, DeSoto, East Baton Rouge, Grant, Iberia, Iberville, Jackson, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Madison, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Sabine, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Union, Washington and West Baton Rouge.

- www.sos.la.gov - 

SECRETARY SCHEDLER WARNS BUSINESSES ABOUT MISLEADING CALLS

BATON ROUGE, La.—Secretary of State Tom Schedler is alerting all business owners of reports of fraudulent phone calls being made concerning the filing of their annual reports, warning them to be cautious. A company named Louisiana Council for Corporations has contacted businesses in the state seeking to file their annual reports for a service fee of $125. However, no annual report is ever filed on the company’s behalf.

“We have seen similar scams in the past using notices sent by mail,” said Secretary of State Tom Schedler. “This time, businesses are being contacted by phone, but the outcome is the same—they lose money and never receive an updated annual report. My advice is for owners to beware if contacted by phone concerning their annual reports. My office will only reach out to them if they have initiated a filing and we have follow up questions. When in doubt, hang up and call my office directly to insure you are not being taken for a ride,” emphasized Schedler.

In past years, Commercial Division customers have also received correspondence from Corporate Records Service, Louisiana Corporate Compliance Business Services and Corporate Compliance Company. These companies are also not affiliated or associated with Louisiana state government in any way. Business owners with questions or concerns are encouraged to contact the Department of State’s Commercial Division for more information at 225.925.4704 or commercial@sos.la.gov.

Additionally, Secretary Schedler reminds owners to subscribe to the department’s commercial email notification system aimed at protecting businesses from fraud and identity theft. Anyone can sign up for the system which generates messages regarding changes to commercial entities, non-governmental correspondence, office closures and most importantly, warnings involving possible fraudulent activity.

Subscriptions to the system are voluntary, and individuals are able to easily register via the website while viewing a corporation record. Once subscribed under the specified entity, notifications will be sent if any changes are made to the company. In addition, the system will generate a message if an annual report is not filed on time; a business is not in good standing; or a business is revoked. Subscribers can also opt to receive messages via text.

- www.sos.la.gov -

SECRETARY OF STATE’S OFFICE BRACES FOR STAFFING CUTS

BATON ROUGE, La. – Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler says a $930,000 mid-year budget cut will result in drastic reductions to staff and operating hours at 14 museums under his control. Downsizing at the Secretary of State’s historical sites has been ongoing for many years, but Schedler says this latest blow is the largest and most unfortunate.

Secretary Schedler shared the plans to address the mid-year figure using five main sources as a result of meetings with the Division of Administration. More than $428,000 of the mid-year reduction is realized through the postponement of a BESE election in northwest Louisiana until October. Another $364,000 is achieved through reductions in operating costs, elimination of the Elections Outreach Division as well as a hiring freeze for parish Registrars of Voters. The remaining $119,000 directly touches the Secretary of State’s museum program and will impact the most employees due to the anticipation that the cut will be annualized next fiscal year. Annualization equates to a permanent reduction of $1.7 million in funding, which is half of the Museum Division’s total budget.

“This level of reduction in the last three months of the fiscal year is truly daunting,” said Secretary Schedler. “Our strategy since I took office has been to work as an honest partner with the local communities where these assets reside and find solutions that might help fill the budget gap over time.” said Schedler. “Many of our partners have stepped up in various ways, so it’s disappointing that the state can’t continue its support. It is especially sad given our rich history.”

Schedler shared the budget numbers with his senior staff and alerted them that he will immediately seek Civil Service approval for anticipated layoffs of approximately 24 full time employees—mostly impacting museum staff—to begin as early as mid-April. The impact of the staff reductions include eliminating private elections and voter registration for schools/organizations as well as bringing the Old State Capitol in Baton Rouge and the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum in Shreveport down to operating only three days a week.  The remaining museums will open one day per week once the cuts are implemented.  Additionally, as a result of the reduced hours of operation many part-time employee positions at the museums will be eliminated and all remaining part-time employees will work no more than 8 hours per week.

“My message to our staff and supporters today was simple. Anyone or any group that has a specific interest in assisting our museums or outreach efforts in any way should step forward now,” stated Schedler. “My door is open for solutions and every offer will be carefully considered.”

Since fiscal year 2008-09, the Secretary of State’s Office has seen state general fund dollars for museums cut from $4.2 million, to $3.4 million before the latest mid-year reduction. During that time, many of the museums’ hours of operations were significantly reduced, some to as few as two days per week, while others actively recruited groups or agencies to help support their operations with private funds.

“When you outline all of the work we’ve done to avoid closing the doors of our museums it’s easy to understand why this latest round of cuts has taken the wind out of our sails,” said Schedler. “In 2013, we reverted the building housing the Garyville Timber Museum to the Garyville Museum Timber Association so they could develop the site into a tourist attraction. At the Mansfield Female College, we sold the Lyceum building back to the original donor family who worked with the DeSoto Police Jury to convert it into a community center. The Cotton Museum in Lake Providence successfully passed a local millage to assist in their activities and the Delta Music Museum in Ferriday has partnered with the city to provide grass cutting services. At this point, I fear finding additional efficiencies is practically impossible,” emphasized Schedler.

Below is a list of the museums and historical sites, and the anticipated state-funded staffing impact on each. For additional information about each site visit http://www.sos.la.gov/HistoricalResources/VisitMuseums/Pages/default.aspx.

Louisiana’s Old State Capitol (Baton Rouge) 9 full-time layoffs, 1 part-time reduction in hours

Louisiana State Exhibit Museum (Shreveport) 8 full-time layoffs, 3 part-time reduction in hours

Louisiana Military Museum (Ruston) 2 full-time layoffs

Chennault Aviation & Military Museum (Monroe) 1 full-time job appointment reduced to 8 hours/week. 1 part-time elimination

Delta Music Museum (Ferriday) 2 part-time eliminations and 1 part-time reduction in hours

Eddie G. Robinson Museum (Grambling) 1 full-time job appointment reduced to 8 hours/week, 1 part-time elimination

Germantown Colony Museum (Minden) 1 part-time reduction in hours

Military Hall of Fame (Abbeville) 1 part-time elimination, 1 part-time reduction in hours

Cotton Museum (Lake Providence) 1 part-time elimination, 1 part-time reduction in hours

Oil and Gas Museum (Oil City) 1 full-time layoff, 2 part-time eliminations

Mansfield Female College Museum (Mansfield) 1full-time layoff

Water Works Museum (Shreveport) 1 part-time elimination, 1 part-time reduction in hours

Spring Street Historical Museum (Shreveport) 1 part-time reduction in hours

Tioga Heritage Park and Museum (Tioga) 1 part-time reduction in hours

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EARLY VOTING ENDS SATURDAY FOR FEB. LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS

Secretary of State Tom Schedler reminds all Louisianians eligible to vote in the Special Primary Election on February 21st that early voting ends Saturday, February 14th. Early voting sites are open from 8:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. daily. As of Thursday, only 1,377 early votes have been cast statewide.

Four parishes including East Baton Rouge, Iberia, Rapides and Vermillion parishes have elections to fill vacant legislative seats while Evangeline Parish is hosting a mayoral race in the Village of Turkey Creek.

Citizens who want to vote early may do so in person at their parish Registrar of Voters Office or at other designated locations. For a complete listing of early voting locations, visit http://www.sos.la.gov/ElectionsAndVoting/Pages/EarlyVotingLocations.aspx. Voters can also utilize the Secretary of State’s smartphone app, GeauxVote Mobile, to find out where to vote, what’s on their ballot and their voting districts.

For more information about the Secretary of State’s Elections Division, visit www.GeauxVote.com.

- www.sos.la.gov -

EARLY VOTING BEGINS TOMORROW FOR FEB. LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS 

Secretary of State Tom Schedler reminds all Louisianians eligible to vote in the Special Primary Election on Saturday, February 21st that early voting starts tomorrow. Early voting begins Saturday, February 7th and continues through Saturday, February 14th from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily excluding Sunday, February 8th.

Four parishes including East Baton Rouge, Iberia, Rapides and Vermillion parishes have elections to fill vacant legislative seats while Evangeline Parish is hosting a mayoral race in the Village of Turkey Creek.

Citizens who want to vote early may do so in person at their parish Registrar of Voters Office or at other designated locations. For a complete listing of early voting locations, visit http://www.sos.la.gov/ElectionsAndVoting/Pages/EarlyVotingLocations.aspx. Voters can also utilize the Secretary of State’s smartphone app, GeauxVote Mobile, to find out where to vote, what’s on their ballot and their voting districts.

For more information about the Secretary of State’s Elections Division, visit www.GeauxVote.com.

- www.sos.la.gov -

QUALIFYING BEGINS WEDNESDAY FOR SPRING ELECTIONS

Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler reminds everyone that qualifying begins for the Spring Municipal Elections on Wednesday, February 4th and runs through Friday, February 6th until 4:30 p.m. daily. ALL CANDIDATES FOR LOCAL MUNICIPAL RACES WILL QUALIFY WITH THEIR LOCAL CLERK OF COURT or the parish they are registered to vote in for multi-parish races. Once qualified, candidates will appear on the Secretary of State’s website under “Elections & Voting,” “Get Election Information,” “Search for Candidates” or by visiting http://www.sos.la.gov/ElectionsAndVoting/GetElectionInformation/SearchForCandidates/Pages/default.aspx.

(Please note, in response to Gov. Jindal’s amended proclamation, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education race in northwest Louisiana has been moved to the fall election cycle, October 24, 2015.)

The following 17 parishes will be qualifying candidates beginning Wednesday: Ascension, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Caddo, Claiborne, Concordia, Grant, Iberia, Iberville, Jackson, Jefferson, Madison, Natchitoches, Plaquemines, St. Tammany, Union and Webster.

Spring Municipal Primary Elections will be held on Saturday, March 28, 2015 and Spring Municipal General Elections will be held on Saturday May 2, 2015. For more information on qualifying, visit the Secretary of State’s website at http://www.sos.la.gov/ElectionsAndVoting/BecomeACandidate/QualifyForAnElection/Pages/default.aspx.

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LPB AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE’S OFFICE LAUNCH THE LOUISIANA DIGITAL MEDIA ARCHIVE

On Jan. 20, LPB and the Secretary of State’s Office officially launched the Louisiana Digital Media Archive. This exciting new project is the home of the Louisiana Public Broadcasting Digital Collection and the Louisiana State Archives Multimedia Collection. This is the culmination of a five-year effort to give the general public a front row seat to Louisiana history through video of historic events and allows viewers a chance to visit remote and endangered Louisiana places and cultures. It’s also the kickoff of LPB’s 40th anniversary celebration.

“We see the LDMA as both an exciting educational tool for teachers and students and a way to preserve the valuable media from our state’s rich history,” LPB Presi­dent CEO Beth Courtney said.

“Preserving our state’s unique history in a format that the average person can explore and enjoy has always been one of the critical missions of the State Archives,” said Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler. “Seeing ac­tual moving pictures of federal marshals escorting Ruby Bridges as she integrated New Orleans public schools, watching President Kennedy’s assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, distributing information on Bourbon Street or witnessing the devastation left by Hurricane Camille all along the Gulf Coast brings us all back to those moments in time and makes them real. Working collaboratively with LPB makes perfect sense and allows us to continue to capture and catalog important historical moments so that they can be remembered by future generations.”

Originally discussed in 2005, actual work began on the archive in 2009 when LPB joined in the American Archive of Public Broadcasting project funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Since that time, the LDMA has digitized more than 1,500 videos including interviews with Louisiana civil rights heroes, notable po­litical figures, war heroes, artists and literary icons. Thou­sands of other videos will be added to the collection in the coming years. The public cannot download any of the content on the site, but they can view it by visiting http://ladigitalmedia.org.

Some of the items featured in the LDMA are episodes from LPB’s award-winning series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” and “Louisiana Public Square,” clips from the six-part “Louisiana: A History” series, coastal con­servation documentaries and cultural heritage programs. LPB will be adding more clips from its award-winning documentaries and series in the future. The Louisiana State Archives holds the historic collections of many of the state’s oldest and most respected news broadcasters including WWL-New Orleans; WBRZ-Baton Rouge; and KLFY-Lafayette along with hundreds of oral history inter­views recorded over the past half-century.

In addition to providing an educational resource for our state, part of the LDMA’s mission is to preserve the historic video that was recorded during the modern age. Most archival media collections contain thousands of videotapes that have outlived their shelf-life. Many have videos that have deteriorated to the point where they will be destroyed by a single play. Equipment necessary to “play” these videotapes is no longer manufactured and locating and maintaining obsolete machines is costly and will soon be impossible. Another challenge in preserv­ing this recorded history is the state’s climate. Humidity threatens videotapes and film and devastating Gulf storms pose serious problems for fragile recordings in terms of power outages, fluctuation in storage conditions and facil­ity damage. LPB and the State Archives are dedicated to saving as much of this fragile video as possible by provid­ing it with a safe, protected permanent home.

For more information, contact Bob Neese at LPB at 225.767.4274 or bneese@lpb.org or Meg Casper at the Secretary of State’s Office at 225.362.5086 or meg.casper@sos.la.gov.

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MEDIA ADVISORY: LPB AND SECRETARY OF STATE LAUNCH DIGITAL MEDIA ARCHIVE

BATON ROUGE, La. – Louisiana Public Broadcasting President Beth Courtney and Secretary of State Tom Schedler will launch the Louisiana Digital Media Archive (LDMA) TUESDAY, JANUARY 20TH at 10:00 a.m. at LPB’s Telecommunications Center in Baton Rouge.

The Louisiana Digital Media Archive is a collaborative project that has already preserved and catalogued more than 1,500 historical videos including interviews with Louisiana civil rights heroes, notable political figures, war heroes, artists and literary icons. Many of the clips have been provided through the historic collections of the state’s oldest and most respected news broadcasters including WWL-New Orleans, WBRZ-Baton Rouge and KLFY-Lafayette. Thousands of other videos will be added to the collection in the future.

B-roll and photo opportunities will be made available to working media at the event.

WHO: Louisiana Public Broadcasting President Beth Courtney and Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler

WHAT: Launch Louisiana’s Digital Media Archive

WHEN: Tuesday, January 20, 2015, 10:00 a.m.

WHERE: Louisiana Public Broadcasting’s Telecommunications Center, 7733 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge

For additional information or questions, contact Bob Neese (LPB) at 225-767-4274 or bneese@lpb.org or Meg Casper (Secretary of State’s Office) at 225-362-5086 or meg.casper@sos.la.gov.

If you are not able to attend the press conference, information and video about the LDMA will be available on the LPB FTP site FTP://FTP.LPB.ORG/LDMA. There will also be a satellite feed between 1 and 2 p.m. with video and sound from the press conference.

Satellite Coordinates:
Satellite: SES-2
Transponder 5K
SLOT C (12 MHz) MPEG2 (Studio)
Location:  87.0 degrees West
Uplink:  14111.250 (V)
DL Polarity: Horizontal
DL Frequency:  11811.250 MHz
L-Band:  1061.250 MHz
Modulation:  DVB-S
Constellation:  QPSK
FEC:  5/6
Symbol Rate:  9.9111 MSym/s
Pilot: Off
Roll off:  35%
Video Format: MPEG-2, 4:2:0
HD

TROUBLE NUMBER:  (225) 767-4225 WLPB-TV, Baton Rouge

SECRETARY OF STATE’S OFFICE FACING MILLIONS IN CUTS

BATON ROUGE, La. – Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler says a proposed $3.8 million mid-year budget reduction by the Jindal administration will force him to implement an agency-wide employee furlough as early as next week. Schedler has been advised to prepare an impact statement to the Division of Administration by Friday outlining how the reduction would be realized.

“This level of reduction this late in the fiscal year is truly daunting,” said Secretary Schedler. “After holding the largest election our state has seen in decades just this past fall, my office’s resources are down to the bone. The administration is asking for us to give up bone marrow, and it is extremely painful. You can’t cut enough pens, pencils and travel allowances to get to this number,” said Schedler.

Schedler shared the budget numbers with his senior staff this morning and alerted them that if the agency receives an Executive Order calling for the cuts, he will immediately seek Civil Service approval for a furlough to begin Tuesday, January 20, 2015 or soon thereafter. Once approved, all Secretary of State employees, both classified and unclassified (including Secretary Schedler), will be required to take one day off per pay period through the rest of the fiscal year. Furlough days will be staggered throughout the agency so that office hours can be maintained for the public.

Through the one day furlough, the Secretary of State’s Office anticipates a savings of $1.1 million through June 30th. Additionally, the Jindal administration has requested $2.6 million in state general funds used for elections. The remaining balance will be achieved from various savings in operational costs.

“I recognize that this kind of reduction is unsustainable in the long run. So, as I have my entire career, I plan to be fiscally responsible,” said Schedler. “As we await an Executive Order and Civil Service approval, immediate action was necessary to maximize savings while continuing to look for a more permanent solution if the budget picture does not improve.”