Louisiana Redistricting After the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana found that Louisiana’s 2022 congressional map likely violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, the legislature enacted a 2024 map with two majority-Black districts, which was used in the 2024 elections. In April 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the Voting Rights Act did not require the second majority-Black district and invalidated the 2024 map as an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. The following month, Governor Jeff Landry (R) signed a new congressional map containing one majority-Black district.
Vote by Mail Louisiana meets five of the seven criteria. The state requires an excuse to vote by mail, which limits the accessibility of voting in the state. However, it has fairly lenient vote by mail policies for those that are eligible, including an application process that can be completed without a printer.
In-person Early Voting Louisiana has an early voting period beginning fourteen days before an election and ending seven days before an election, For presidential elections, early voting begins eighteen days before an election and ends seven days before the election. The Secretary of State and local elected officials have the authority to establish additional locations for early voting. Early voting is in person, generally at the registrar’s office, and only those who are in line before 6:00 p.m. can vote on a given day.
Voter ID Laws Strict photo ID requirements take effect July 1, 2027. Louisiana requires a photo identification card that contains the voter’s name and signature. Until July 1, 2027, voters who do not have a photo ID may instead sign an affidavit to verify their identity. After that
2026 Voting Rights Scorecard
date, the affidavit option will not be available. Beginning August 1, 2024, college students must enclose a copy of their student ID or fee bill to request an absentee ballot, creating an additional burden for these first-time voters. Every voter is also subject to an annual voter verification protocol whereby the secretary of state sends voters’ information to the Department of Homeland Security for citizen-verification and potential investigation according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program.
CBCF’s scorecard evaluates voting rights and access to the electoral process across 15 states with large Black populations. This fact sheet highlights key laws, policies, and recent developments affecting voting access in Louisiana.
Access to Polling Places Louisiana requires one polling place in a “suitable public building” for each precinct, which also must have sanitary facilities. Louisianans must vote in the same precinct where they are registered. If a voting location is not disability accessible, the voter may be authorized to vote at an accessible polling place that is within all the same applicable electoral districts as the voter’s assigned precinct. Also, to vote somewhere else, a disabled voter must first provide evidence of their disability to the registrar ten days before the election. Once polling places are established, they must only be changed with approval by the leader of the parish.
Key
Inclusive voting policies: These states implement policies that protect and uphold the right to vote.
Disinformation Campaigns In Louisiana, it is illegal to provide false or misleading information about elections from a source which appears to be an election official.
Felon Disenfranchisement An individual convicted of a felony in Louisiana must complete probation or parole or have not been incarcerated for the past five years to have their voting rights restored. Prohibiting formerly incarcerated people from voting on parole extends their disenfranchisement beyond their legal culpability and serves as taxation without representation.
Moderate restrictions on voting: These states have policies that impose limitations on voting rights but maintain notable access for most voters.
Highly restrictive voting policies: These states enforce policies that severely limit voting rights and access.
For more information on voting in Louisiana, visit www.vote411.org/louisiana Explore the full 2026 Voting Rights Scorecard