Louisiana’s Congressional General Election is Saturday, Dec. 7, with voters statewide set to vote on four constitutional amendments, and Baton Rouge residents on the next mayor-president.
Early voting for the election begins Friday, Nov. 22, and ends Nov. 30, excluding Sunday, Nov.24, Thursday, Nov. 28, and Friday, Nov. 29. Polls will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. On election day, polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and anyone in line at 8 p.m. can vote.
To find the proper voting location, registered voters should have received an information card in the mail indicating their polling place based on their address. The Registrar of Voters Office or the Secretary of State’s website can also provide this information.
The registration deadline passed on Nov. 16, so voters should confirm their registration status before heading to the polls. The deadline for requesting an absentee ballot is Dec. 3 by 4:30 p.m.; requests can be made at Baton Rouge’s Registrar of Voters office or online.
Upon arriving at the polls, all voters must have a photo ID such as a driver’s license, military identification or an LA Wallet digital driver’s license. Those without an ID can obtain a Louisiana special identification card by presenting their voter registration information to the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles or casting their vote via their signature on a voter affidavit.
Here is what’s on the ballot:
Amendment 1: Expansion of Judiciary Commission and Reworked Judicial Investigation Process
The Judiciary Commission of Louisiana consists of nine members who examine claims of judicial misconduct and suggest disciplinary measures for judges to the Louisiana Supreme Court. They receive hundreds of complaints every year, according to the court’s annual report.
Currently, upon receiving a commission recommendation, the Supreme Court may censure, suspend, remove or involuntarily retire a judge for misconduct as specified in the state constitution. The commission can also temporarily disqualify a judge from exercising judicial functions while pending investigatory proceedings.
This amendment would expand the Judiciary Commission from nine to 14 members, with five new appointees. The amendment does not specify the qualifications for these new members.
The Supreme Court will have new authority to direct the commission to investigate allegations of improper judicial behavior. The high court can also temporarily disqualify a judge from judicial tasks without a commission recommendation while the judge still receives a salary.
The amendment also expands the list of improper behavior judges can be disciplined for.
If the amendment were voted against, the Judiciary Commission would retain its nine members, and the Supreme Court would maintain its current limited authority over judicial issues.
Amendment 2: Waiting Period for Final Vote on Budget Bills
Every year, the state House and Senate write a budget bill designating billions in funds for different government agencies. This legislation is often the most heavily scrutinized, as the entire state depends on it.
If the budget is not approved by July 1, the state won’t have the money it needs to function. However, these bills are often passed during the final days or moments of sessions.
As of now, bills first go to the House. After approval, they move on to the Senate to be refined and changed before returning to the House. The House’s acceptance of the bill is known as concurrence. Rejection would result in three members of both parties having a conference committee for further refinements to be sent back to gain approval from the House and Senate before being passed over to the governor.
Before they can take a final vote, lawmakers must wait at least 48 hours after receiving the conference committee report. However, this waiting period can be waived by a majority vote.
This amendment proposes that lawmakers undergo a 48-hour waiting period before final voting on appropriation bills. This would apply regardless of the House’s acceptance and/or rejection of the Senate’s changes, and neither chamber could waive this.
If this amendment were voted against, the House and Senate would continue to be able to vote on appropriation bills at any point during their sessions.
Amendment 3: Extension of Regular Session to Pass Budget Bills
In even-numbered years, the state legislature can meet for up to 60 working days out of 85 calendar days and then are required to adjourn. In odd-numbered years, they can meet up to 45 working days out of 60 calendar days.
Regular sessions limit the legislation that can be passed based on even or odd-numbered years and enforce strict deadlines for filing bills. If lawmakers cannot successfully pass the bill before the end of their session and still want to, it must restart at a special session with different procedures than in the regular session.
The proposed amendment would allow lawmakers up to a six-day extension to pass a bill appropriating money if agreed upon by two-thirds of both the House and the Senate.
The nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Office estimates this extension could cost lawmakers around $155,000 a day, not including continuing to pay for staff expenses, supplies, security and more during the extension.
Voting against the amendment would result in maintaining the 85 and 60-day calendars.
Amendment 4: Revised System for Responding to Delinquent Property Taxes
If property owners fail to pay their taxes by Dec. 31, tax collectors can put the property back on the market and attempt to sell it. Anyone who can cover the taxes and interest can purchase a percentage of the property, which will be auctioned off at a tax sale.
The delinquent taxpayer has three years to get the property back by covering the sale price with an added 5% penalty and 1% interest rate, or by proving they paid the taxes before the property’s sale. They also have six months to attempt to annul the tax sale.
The passing of this amendment would result in a shift away from the tax sale process and into a tax lien process starting Jan. 1, 2026. This would give the government a legal claim over the property and allow it to sell the lien in an auction. It would also allow the original owner to sell the property to pay off the lien.
If the owner wants to reclaim the property, the same 5% penalty and 1% interest rate would be required, but the interest rate could be decreased.
The previous tax debt processes would no longer be in the constitution but in state law, making it easier for lawmakers to change them in the future.
A companion legislation would establish an extended process for selling the property. A three-day delay in filing the lien would allow the property owner more time to re-obtain their property. Furthermore, tax liens could only be enforced for seven years.
If the amendment is voted against, the tax sale process will remain the same after a property owner fails to pay their taxes.
Mayor-President Run-off
Baton Rouge voters will also be able to vote in the run-off election for mayor-president. The primary election was held earlier this month on Nov. 5, and no candidates received the minimum percentage of votes required to win. The run-off election will be between incumbent Mayor Sharon Weston Broome, a Democrat who is pursuing her third and final term, and Republican Sid Edwards, Istrouma High School’s head football coach.
The candidates debated their views of Baton Rouge’s future on Tuesday, Nov. 19, sharing differing outlooks for the city.
If any problems or questions arise on election day, Baton Rouge’s principal office of the Registrar of Voters Office will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. More information on the amendments that will be on the ballot is available here. To stay updated on what’s on the ballot, polling locations, and live election updates, voters can download the GeauxVote mobile app.