We are on the brink of one of the most important elections in our history. This, the first major election post-Katrina, will test the strength of our city’s electoral system and also illustrate what the electorate of New Orleans looks like. On Saturday the city of New Orleans will elect its mayor.
The election has already been postponed once. U.S. District Judge Lemelle, whose own home was flooded, moved the election from February to April 22 but refused any further appeals for a later date. Lemelle stated that the mayoral election will aid the city in healing and rebuilding. He also told the state and plaintiff to solve any problems that might be in the way of displaced residents going out and voting.
And there are quite a few problems. Less than 200,000 people live in New Orleans. Before Katrina, New Orleans’ population hovered at around 450,000 people, 70 percent of whom were black. So it makes sense that more than twice as many blacks compared to whites were displaced out of state after the hurricanes, said a recent survey by Brown University. The Current Population Survey released by the U.S. Department of Commerce in December shows there are only an about 31,000 black residents in New Orleans, compared to 92,000 whites.
So where is everyone? Residents of New Orleans could very well be in all 50 states, so what is being done to make sure they can vote for their city, their mayor?
Well, Louisiana election officials created satellite polling places in nine cities in addition to New Orleans in Louisiana and have attempted a multiple-state effort to inform displaced voters of how to voice their opinion in this crucial decision. Despite efforts the whereabouts of many displaced residents remain unknown.
So let’s pretend a former resident living in Colorado wants to vote. Here’s the catch – the rules for absentee and satellite voting derived from the Elections Division Homepage from the Louisiana Secretary of State’s office:
“You are ELIGIBLE to vote absentee by mail:
-If you registered IN PERSON but have never voted.
-If you are already registered and have previously VOTED.
-If you are a displaced voter who registered BY MAIL from October 5th, 2004 through September 24th, 2005 and have NEVER VOTED, you MUST complete a Displaced Voter Affidavit in addition to the request for ballot.
All eligible Orleans Parish voters who registered on or before September 24th, 2005 can vote at any one of the satellite voting sites around the state.”
Sadly, many displaced residents may have never registered to vote and, in accordance with Louisiana law, those who have never registered are not allowed to vote in this election. Louisiana is one of only five other states that require residents who register by mail to vote for the first time in person.
If the resident is eligible for absentee voting then he must simply request (a few times) and fill out the forms, which sometimes take quite awhile to receive, and then mail – faxes are not allowed off to New Orleans where the Postal Service is still not quite up to par. What a cinch!
And what political discussion is complete unless we talk about Iraq, right? This actually applies, so stay with me. You might remember how the United States installed satellite voting locations all over both Iraq and the States for Iraqi people to vote in the recent Iraqi national elections. “Certainly we can do no less for Americans temporarily displaced by Hurricane Katrina,” said NAACP President and CEO Bruce S. Gordon. However, Louisiana state law prohibits satellite voting locations out of state.
As of Monday, 16,393 people had voted in the mayoral election either by absentee or in-person voting. But only one-third of absentee ballots have been received. These numbers already are outpacing the total from past years; however, think of the amount of people who would vote if simply given an outlet.
What’s the main reason for a low voter turnout in elections? Apathy. Do you think that really applies here? I truly doubt that many of the displaced residents of New Orleans could be described as “apathetic” about what happens to their city, their homes and their lives.
New Orleans is in dire need of strong leadership, but tens of thousands of residents not be able to decide in the future leader of their city. I want our city to be rebuilt, by the strength of as many residents as possible. This election may portray the “new” New Orleans, and I wish that I didn’t think that race had anything to do with it – but maybe Kanye was right.
 
Laura is a communication studies senior. Contact her at [email protected]