§58. Powers and duties of registrars

            A. Subject to the direction of the secretary of state and as provided by law, the registrar in each parish shall be responsible for the registration of voters in the parish he serves and for the administration and enforcement of the laws and the rules and regulations of the secretary of state relating to the registration of such voters. He shall participate in the state voter registration computer system established pursuant to R.S. 18:31 and shall provide all necessary assistance to the secretary of state to effectuate the inclusion of his parish in that system.

            B.(1) The registrar shall be responsible for conducting absentee by mail and early voting in the parish he serves, as provided by Chapter 7 of this Code.

NOTE: Paragraph (B)(2) eff. until June 12, 2025, for certain purposes, and eff. until Jan. 1, 2026, for all other purposes. See Acts 2024, No. 640 and Acts 2025, No. 386.

            (2) The registrar shall assign voters in the state voter registration computer system according to each voting district in the parish from which an election is to be conducted. For a primary election, the assignment of voters shall be completed on or before the fifth business day prior to the opening of qualifying for the primary election. For a general election, the assignment of voters shall be completed on or before the fifty-first day prior to the general election.

NOTE: Paragraph (B)(2) eff. June 12, 2025, for certain purposes, and eff. Jan. 1, 2026, for all other purposes. See Acts 2024, No. 640 and Acts 2025, No. 386.

            (2) The registrar shall assign voters in the state voter registration computer system according to each voting district in the parish from which an election is to be conducted. For a primary election, the assignment of voters shall be completed on or before the fifth business day prior to the opening of qualifying for the primary election. For a general election, the assignment of voters shall be completed on or before the fifty-eighth day prior to the general election.

            C. The registrar may administer any oath required by Chapters 2, 3, 4, and 7 of this Code.

            D.(1) The registrar shall notify the secretary of state, or his designee, by telephone, electronic mail, or facsimile within twenty-four hours following the discovery of a cyber incident that impacts the office of the registrar, including but not limited to a computer system maintained by the secretary of state.

            (2) As used in this Subsection, "cyber incident" means an event that may jeopardize the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of digital information or information systems.

            E. The registrar shall appear before the parish governing authority upon the request of the parish governing authority.

            Acts 1976, No. 697, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1978; Acts 1980, No. 506, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1981; Acts 1981, No. 77, §1, eff. June 26, 1981; Acts 1984, No. 672, §1; Acts 1989, No. 574, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1990; Acts 1992, No. 978, §1; Acts 1994, 3rd Ex. Sess., No. 10, §2, eff. Jan. 1, 1995; Acts 1995, No. 312, §2, eff. Jan. 1, 1996; Acts 2001, No. 451, §6, eff. Jan. 12, 2004; Acts 2005, No. 220, §4, eff. Jan.1, 2006; Acts 2014, No. 60, §1, eff. May 16, 2014; Acts 2020, No. 217, §2; Acts 2024, No. 640, §1, eff. See Act; Acts 2025, No. 371, §1, eff. June 20, 2025; Acts 2025, No. 386, §4, eff. June 20, 2025.