La. R.S. § 18:1313.1 Preparation, Verification, Tabulation, and Counting of Absentee By Mail and Early Voting Ballots

• Library: Louisiana Statutes
• Edition: 2023
• Currency: Current with changes from the 2023 Legislative Session
• Year: 2023
• Citation: La. R.S. § 18:1313.1

A.

(1)

(a) Parishes may conduct the preparation and verification process for the tabulation and counting of absentee by mail and early voting ballots for a primary or general election the day before the election.

(b) However, with the written approval of the secretary of state, parishes may conduct the preparation and verification process for the tabulation and counting of absentee by mail and early voting ballot for a primary or general election beginning three days before the election.

(2) The tabulation and counting of absentee by mail and early voting ballots shall be conducted on election day.

B. The parish board of election supervisors shall be responsible for the preparation, verification, counting, and tabulation of all absentee by mail and early voting ballots in the parish. The board may utilize parish board commissioners to count the absentee by mail and early voting ballots in the parish. If the board determines that parish board commissioners are necessary for the preparation and verification process to count and tabulate the absentee by mail and early voting ballots before the election and to count and tabulate the absentee by mail and early voting ballots on election day, it shall select parish board commissioners in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 18:1314. If a majority of the members of the board are not present for the preparation and verification process to count the absentee by mail and early voting ballots or to count the absentee by mail and early voting ballots and no parish board commissioners were previously selected, the members present may select a sufficient number of parish board commissioners three days before the election or on election day, as applicable, to assist in the preparation and verification process for the tabulation and counting of absentee by mail and early voting ballots and the tabulation and counting of the ballots.

C.

(1) The preparation and verification process for the counting of the absentee by mail and early voting ballots may be conducted before the election at a public facility within the parish designated by the registrar of voters at a time fixed by the parish board of election supervisors.

(2) Absentee by mail and early voting ballots shall be counted at a public facility within the parish designated by the registrar of voters at a time fixed by the parish board of election supervisors, which time shall be on election day no later than 8:00 p.m.

(3) Prior to the counting of absentee by mail and early voting ballots on election day, any person authorized by the secretary of state may assist the registrar of voters in the challenge removal process on the early voting machines, in the reading of the early voting machine results cartridges on the secretary of state's equipment, and in producing the early voting machine results report. All early voting machine results reports shall be placed in the special, secure absentee by mail and early voting [envelope or] container.

D.

(1) If the counting and tabulation of absentee by mail and early voting ballots begins on election day prior to the closing of the polls, such counting and tabulation shall be conducted in a location and manner to prevent disclosure of the results prior to the closing of the polls. Each person except a person providing security to the parish board of election supervisors; a representative of the attorney general, with written approval of the secretary of state; the clerk of court; the registrar of voters; or a person providing technical assistance pursuant to Paragraph (2) of this Subsection who enters the location in which the absentee by mail and early voting ballots are being counted and tabulated on election day shall remain in that location and shall not be allowed to leave except temporarily, and then only when accompanied by a law enforcement officer, and shall not communicate with any person outside until the polls are closed. The parish board of election supervisors may take any action necessary to ensure that no information with respect to the counting and tabulation of absentee by mail and early voting ballots is transmitted from the location where the absentee by mail and early voting ballots are being counted and tabulated on election day prior to the close of the polls on election day.

(2) Any person authorized by the secretary of state may provide security or technical assistance including advice, analysis, diagnosis, or repair for voting machines at the location where absentee by mail and early voting votes are being counted and tabulated. Such security or technical assistance shall be provided only upon the request of the parish board of election supervisors or a team of parish board commissioners, and may be made in person at the location where absentee by mail and early voting votes are being counted and tabulated, or by telephone, or both. Any authorized person providing such security or technical assistance may enter and leave the location where absentee by mail and early voting votes are being counted and tabulated on election day before the closing of the polls and during the process of counting and tabulation. No such person shall disclose any information with respect to the counting and tabulation of absentee by mail and early voting ballots prior to the close of the polls on election day.