RS 114 - Registration at driver's license facilities
A. It is the intention of the legislature to encourage the broadest possible participation in the electoral process by the citizens of this state. Therefore, voter registration services provided for in this Section shall be available at all driver's license facilities in this state.
B.(1) Each application to obtain, renew, or change the name or address on a driver's license or identification card issued by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections made by an applicant who is eighteen years or older shall also serve as an application for voter registration by the applicant unless the applicant declines to register to vote through specific declination or by failing to sign the voter registration application. Each application to obtain a driver's license issued by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections made by an applicant who is sixteen years old shall also serve as an application for voter registration by the applicant unless the applicant declines to register to vote through specific declination or by failing to sign the voter registration application. In addition, any person age seventeen may register to vote at any time prior to the first election at which he shall have attained the age of eighteen years. However, no one under the age of eighteen years shall be permitted to vote in any election.
(2) Any change of address or change of name submitted to the Department of Public Safety and Corrections for the purpose of changing the information contained on a driver's license or identification card issued by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections shall serve as a notification of change of address or change of name for voter registration unless the registrant states at the time of submitting the change of address or change of name that the change is not for voter registration purposes.
C. Repealed by Acts 1994, 3rd Ex. Sess., No. 10, §2, eff. Jan. 1, 1995.
D. The secretary of state shall design and provide a standard notice informing the public of the eligibility requirements for and availability of voter registration, which notice shall be posted in each driver's license facility of the state.
E. The secretary of state and the deputy secretary for public safety services of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections shall develop voter registration application forms for use at driver's license facilities. Such forms shall be in conformity with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993.
F. Procedures for voter registration pursuant to this Section shall be as follows:
(1) The notice form, as provided for in this Section, shall be posted in a prominent place in each driver's license facility wherein voter registration applications are to be accepted.
(2) Any employee authorized to accept an application to obtain, renew, or change the name or address on a driver's license or identification card shall offer voter registration to any person making such an application, shall obtain written and signed confirmation of any declination of the offer of voter registration, and, upon request, shall provide assistance to any person who desires to register to vote. Such assistance may consist of answering any question that person might have about completing the registration form. However, if the person requesting assistance has a physical disability or is unable to read or write English, the authorized employee shall provide such assistance as is allowed to be provided by registrars of voters under the provisions of R.S. 18:106.
(3) Prior to generating the portion of the form which is an individual registration form, the authorized employee shall require the applicant to submit his current Louisiana driver's license, if he has one, or his birth certificate or birth certification card, or other documentation which reasonably and sufficiently establishes the applicant's identity, age, and residency.
(4) Each applicant shall be required to complete the registration application form in the presence of an authorized employee.
(5) Upon completion of the registration application form, the applicant shall return the form to an authorized employee.
(6) The authorized employee shall ensure that the registration form has been completely filled out.
(7) The applicant shall sign the affidavit provision of the registration form before the authorized employee who, for purposes of this Section, shall be authorized to administer any oath required on the registration form. The authorized employee shall inform the applicant that he will not be officially registered to vote until the application is received and approved by the registrar of voters.
(8) Upon completion of these procedures, the authorized employee shall, within five working days, return the completed registration application to the registrar of voters within the parish where the office is located who shall transmit such application to the appropriate registrar of voters for the parish in which the applicant resides, as determined from the information contained on the registration application. If a registration application is accepted within five days before the last day for registration, each driver's license facility shall transmit the completed voter registration application forms at the conclusion of each business day. If the information contained on the application form is insufficient to register the applicant, the registrar of voters shall mail a notice to the applicant at the address provided on the application form informing the applicant that he has ten days from the date on which the notice was mailed to provide the necessary information. If the applicant fails to provide the necessary information within that time, the applicant shall not be registered and the registrar shall so advise the applicant.
(9) Upon receipt of the completed registration form, the registrar shall, if the information thereon establishes that the applicant meets the requirements for registration, register the applicant and mail notice of registration to the applicant's residence, as provided on the application. Any completed voter registration application transmitted to and received by a registrar by a driver's license facility shall be considered an update of any existing registration for that person. However, if a registrar accepts any application for registration, change of name, or change of address that has been received by a driver's license facility while the registration records are closed for a particular election as required by R.S. 18:135(A), none of the changes in a registration shall be effective until at least the day after the particular election has been held. In the case of a change of address, the change shall be effective in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 18:110(B).
G. No individual shall be registered to vote pursuant to this Section if he does not meet the requirements for registration as provided in Chapter 4 of Title 18 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, except where said provisions are specifically in conflict herewith.
H. Any public official or employee who attempts to register any person without complying with the applicable provisions of this Section shall be subject to a fine of not more than five hundred dollars or be imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.
I. The secretary of state, after consultation with the deputy secretary for public safety services of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, shall adopt rules and regulations to provide for the implementation of this Section. Such rules and regulations shall be adopted in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act and shall be subject to oversight by the House Committee on House and Governmental Affairs and the Senate Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs.
J. The transmittal of a change of address or change of name shall be handled in the same manner as the transmittal of a voter registration application.
K. If an applicant declines to register to vote, the fact that the applicant has declined to register will remain confidential and will be used only for voter registration purposes. The fact that any particular applicant has submitted an application to register to vote at a driver's license facility shall be kept confidential and shall be used only for voter registration purposes.
L. Each driver's license facility shall maintain such statistical records on the number of applications to register to vote as requested by the secretary of state.
Acts 1989, No. 792, §1; Acts 1990, No. 107, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1991; Acts 1994, 3rd Ex. Sess., No. 10, §§1, 2, eff. Jan. 1, 1995; Acts 2000, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 118, §3, eff. April 19, 2000; Acts 2001, No. 451, §6, eff. Jan. 12, 2004; Acts 2009, No. 436, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2010; Acts 2014, No. 173, §2, eff. Jan. 1, 2015; Acts 2017, No. 176, §3.