PART II. ACQUISITION AND ALLOCATION OF VOTING MACHINES

SUBPART A. PROCUREMENT AND ALLOCATION OF VOTING SYSTEMS

§1361. Approval of voting systems or system components; certificate; expenses of examination

            A. Prior to the procurement and use of any new voting system, the secretary of state shall examine any type or make of voting system or system component upon the request of a representative of the maker or supplier thereof for compliance with the certification standards promulgated pursuant to R.S. 18:1353. If the secretary of state determines that the voting system or system component complies with the certification standards, he shall approve that voting system or system component for use in this state and shall issue his certificate of approval thereof.

            B. In addition to meeting any applicable certification standards, any voting system or system component procured or used in the state must have been certified according to the voluntary voting system guidelines developed and maintained by the United States Election Assistance Commission upon testing conducted by a voting system test laboratory accredited by the United States Election Assistance Commission. This certificate, together with any relevant reports, drawings, and photographs, shall be a public record.

            C. The secretary of state shall contract with no fewer than three but no more than five qualified independent experts to assist him in performing the state certification examination provided for in this Section. The expenses of the services of such experts shall be paid prior to the examination by the person requesting examination of the voting system or system component. Experts contracted to assist with the examination shall sign the certificate of approval made by the secretary of state. No voting system or system component shall be used at any election which has not been approved and certified by the secretary of state as provided in this Section.

            Acts 1976, No. 697, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1978; Acts 2001, No. 451, §6, eff. Jan. 12, 2004; Acts 2001, No. 1181, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2002; Acts 2002, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 130, §1, eff. April 23, 2002; Acts 2005, No. 220, §4, eff. Jan. 1, 2006; Acts 2014, No. 60, §1, eff. May 16, 2014; Acts 2018, No. 584, §1, eff. May 28, 2018; Acts 2019, No. 374, §1, eff. June 19, 2019; Acts 2021, No. 480, §1, eff. July 1, 2021; Acts 2025, No. 208, §§ 1, 2, eff. June 8, 2025.