Louisiana

Find nonpartisan voter education and local coverage for Louisiana. A summary of Louisiana voting rules is below, and each county on the map has its own page.

Explore Louisiana Parishes

Loading the county map…

All 64 Louisiana parishes (A–Z)

Voting in Louisiana

Voting rules are set by each state. This is a summary of Louisiana voting rules, checked Nov. 4, 2026, from Vote.gov (U.S. government), the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and Ballotpedia. Rules and dates can change, so confirm with Louisiana’s official election website or your local election office before each election.

Registering to vote

Online: by 20 days before Election Day.
By mail: must be postmarked 30 days before Election Day.
In person: by 30 days before Election Day.
Register or check your registration (Louisiana on Vote.gov)

Primary elections

Louisiana rules vary by office. Party primaries (semi-closed) are used for U.S. Senate, state Supreme Court, the state board of education (BESE) and Public Service Commission. Most other offices use an all-candidate primary in which every voter gets the same ballot. U.S. House races used the all-candidate system in 2026 only.

Voter ID

Louisiana asks voters to show a photo ID. If you don’t have one, there are other ways to cast a ballot that counts, such as being identified by a poll worker or signing an affidavit, depending on state rules.

Early voting

Starts: Fourteen days before election. Ends: Seven days before election. Locations and hours are set locally.

Voting by mail

Louisiana requires an approved reason (excuse) to vote by absentee/mail ballot. Check the state’s list of qualifying reasons.

Your local election office

Find contact information for your local election office on Louisiana’s official election website.

Sources: Vote.gov (registration deadlines); NCSL voter ID (updated Sept. 3, 2026), early voting (updated Aug. 11, 2026) and absentee voting (updated July 17, 2026); Ballotpedia primary types (as of Aug. 2026).