Early voting is available in Louisiana. Here's what you should know. | Local elections

Louisiana's 2024 election season enters the home stretch Friday as early voting begins across the state.

As the results of the six congressional races are finalized, the head-to-head presidential election between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump is expected to draw huge voter turnout.

Early voting in Louisiana is open to all voters in the state and runs Oct. 18-29, excluding Sun. Oct. 20 and Sun. Oct. 28. Polling stations are open from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m

Expected voter turnout

Presidential elections attract far more voters in Louisiana — 68% to 70% since 2004 — than even gubernatorial elections. In the October 2023 election, only 36% of the state's registered voters voted, which sent Jeff Landry to the governor's office.

Randal Gaines, chairman of the state Democratic Party, predicts a 65% turnout by the end of voting on November 5th. Woody Jenkins, chairman of the East Baton Rouge Parish Republican Party, expects about 70% of the state's 3 million registered voters to participate.

While the presidential race has been the focus of most, Louisianans also need to cast their vote on who represents them in Congress and weigh in on a state constitutional amendment and local races.

For those who cannot vote early, Election Day is November 5th.

Republicans aren't particularly pushing early voting, but the party has been reminding voters to cast their ballots early for months.

Democrats are focusing their efforts on getting their members to vote early through messaging, outreach and other engagements, Gaines said.

“We have found that early voting is the most important and effective way to vote,” he said.

How to find your early voting location

More than 100 polling places are open for early voting in Louisiana, with at least one polling place open in each of the 64 parishes.

Multiple locations will be open in major jurisdictions. Baton Rouge and New Orleans, for example, have five. Lafayette has three and Shreveport has two.

The Secretary of State's Office provides a complete list of open early voting locations on its website.

Voters can find their nearest polling place using voter information search on the Geaux Vote website, SOS's official online voter portal.

What to bring and what not to bring

SOS said Louisiana residents should bring photo ID to the polls, and LA Wallet digital licenses will be accepted. Those without photo ID must complete an affidavit.

In Louisiana, it is illegal to carry or distribute campaign images or literature. So leave the flyers, pins and campaign T-shirts at home.

Firearms are not allowed in polling stations, even with a concealed carry permit.

Additionally, a new state law this year will allow observers for each party at every early voting polling place.

What's on the ballot?

Across the country, voters will mark their choice for the 47th President of the United States. Although Trump and Harris are the most well-known, nine other candidates will also appear on the ballot.

All voters in Louisiana must vote on a constitutional amendment that, if passed, would result in the federal money Louisiana receives from offshore alternative energy production being reallocated to the state's Coastal Protection and Restoration Fund, where it can only be used for projects worthy of protection can be used the coastal area.

There is also a vacant seat for the Louisiana Public Service Commission, which regulates utilities and intrastate trucking, and voters from Baton Rouge, Lafayette and Houma will champion it.

Running for one of the five commissioners are state Sen. Jean-Paul Coussan, R-Lafayette; Nick Laborde, a Democrat and human resources consultant from Baton Rouge; and former St. Tammany Parish state Sen. Julie Quinn, a Republican who now practices law in Baton Rouge. They are seeking to replace outgoing Commissioner Craig Greene in the heavily Republican PSC district, and the race will likely go to a runoff

There are also several members of Congress across the state, though five incumbents — Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson; U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, D-New Orleans; U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins, R-Lafayette; and U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow, R-Start — are expected to win re-election outright.

The only competitive congressional race is for the newly created 6th Congressional District, which the Legislature redrawn in January to create a majority Black race. Incumbent U.S. Rep. Garret Graves, R-Baton Rouge, chose not to seek re-election.

Louisianans can use the Geaux Vote portal to get more details about their individual ballot.

Here's a closer look at what other local races will be on the ballot in your area.

New Orleans

In the New Orleans area, voters in the 1st Congressional District, which includes parts of Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Tammany and Tangipahoa parishes, decide who represents them in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Those in the 2nd Congressional District, which includes parts of Jefferson, Orleans, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James and St. John the Baptist parishes, will also elect their representative.

At the community level, Orleans and Jefferson residents will see options for school board positions and other charter changes.

Here's a closer look at the ballots in and around New Orleans.

Baton Rouge

Voters in Baton Rouge will elect their next mayor in this November election and decide whether to re-elect their incumbent mayor or support a new candidate.

Shreveport

Some Shreveport voters in the newly redrawn 6th Congressional District will vote for their representative for the first time since boundaries were implemented. Lawmakers in the 5th District will also decide whether to re-elect U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson to Congress.

Here's what else will appear on ballots in the Shreveport area.