§536. Notice of change of location of polling place

NOTE: Subsection A(intro. para.) eff. until July 1, 2025. See Acts 2024, No. 470.

            A. When a parish governing authority or parish president, in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 18:534, changes the location of a polling place during the period commencing on the date the qualifying period opens and ending on the date of the general election or during the period commencing on the forty-sixth day prior to an election and ending on the day of the election for an election date exclusively for bond, tax, or other propositions or questions, the governing authority shall give adequate notice of the change of the location to each voter registered to vote at that polling place and to each candidate to be voted on at that polling place, if applicable, in the following manner:

NOTE: Subsection A(intro. para.) eff. July 1, 2025. See Acts 2024, No. 470.

            A. When a parish governing authority or parish president, in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 18:534, changes the location of a polling place during the period commencing on the date that the qualifying period opens and ending on the date of the general election or during the period commencing on the forty-sixth day prior to an election and ending on the day of the election for an election date exclusively for bond, tax, or other propositions or questions, the governing authority shall give adequate notice of the change of the location and the reason for the change to each voter registered to vote at that polling place and to each candidate to be voted on at that polling place, if applicable, in the following manner:

            (1) Each candidate shall be given immediate notice by telephone and by certified mail of the new location of the polling place.

            (2) A sign shall be posted at the former polling place directing voters to the new location of the polling place.

            (3) An employee of the parish governing authority shall be stationed at the former polling place for the purpose of directing potential voters to the new location of the polling place. The eligibility requirements provided in R.S. 18:1354(C) for appointment as a deputy parish custodian of voting machines are applicable to the employee. Such employee shall be required to take the constitutional oath or affirmation. The clerk of court shall administer the oath.

            (4) If reasonable time exists, the notice of the change in location shall be published by the parish governing authority in the official journal of the parish and in any other newspaper of general circulation in the precinct or precincts affected. Publication of the notice shall appear under the heading, NOTICE OF CHANGE OF POLLING PLACE.

            B. The governing authority may take such other reasonable steps as it deems necessary or desirable to inform the voters and the candidates of the change in location, including but not limited to posting notices on utility poles and advertisements in the electronic media.

NOTE: Subsection C eff. until July 1, 2025. See Acts 2024, No. 470.

            C. The governing authority shall inform the secretary of state of all polling place location changes. The secretary of state shall list polling place location changes on his website and the parish election officials, including the registrar of voters and clerk of court, may publish polling place location changes on their website. Each website shall also include instructions on how a voter may subscribe to receive electronic notifications of polling place location changes.

NOTE: Subsection C eff. July 1, 2025. See Acts 2024, No. 470.

            C. The governing authority shall inform the secretary of state of all polling place location changes and the reason for each change. The secretary of state shall list polling place location changes and the reason for each change as provided by the governing authority on his website in a sortable format. A parish registrar of voters or clerk of court that maintains a website may publish a list of polling place location changes within the parish and the reason for each change on his website and provide a clearly visible link to the list on the secretary of state's website. Each website shall also include instructions on how a voter may subscribe to receive electronic notifications of polling place location changes.

            Acts 1978, No. 580, §2; Acts 1980, No. 506, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1981; Acts 1993, No. 418, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1994; Acts 2015, No. 307, §1, eff. June 29, 2015; Acts 2022, No. 652, §1, eff. Oct. 15, 2022; Acts 2024, No. 470, §1, eff. July 1, 2025.