How to vote · 2026

Louisiana

Mail voting requires an excuse

Every date below comes from the Louisiana election office and links to the page that states it. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

Deadlines move. Courts and legislatures were still changing 2026 rules as this page was compiled (last reviewed September 1, 2026). Confirm anything that affects your vote with the Louisiana election office ↗.

Dates and rules

Registration, mail ballots, and early voting

Registration deadlineOctober 13, 2026Register in person or by mail (postmarked) by Oct. 5; online via GeauxVote by Oct. 13, 2026. No same-day registration.

Mail-ballot request deadlineOctober 30, 2026

Mail ballots first sentAbout October 21, 2026Mail absentee voting requires a qualifying excuse (65+, disabled, absent from parish, etc.). Ballots are mailed to approved applicants beginning about Oct. 21, 2026 per CEIR's 2026 compilation; applications must be received by 4:30 p.m. Oct. 30 (4 days out).

Return ruleMust be received by 4:30 p.m. the day before Election Day (Nov. 2, 2026)

Early in-person votingOctober 20, 2026through October 27, 2026 · Early voting Oct. 20-27, 2026 (excluding Sunday), 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m., at parish registrar offices and designated sites.

Official LA election site ↗Dates last verified against the official site September 1, 2026.Sources: [1] USA.gov directory of official state election offices [2] Excuse-required mail voting Oct. 21-Nov. 2, 2026 [3] CEIR 2026 voter registration deadlines (June 25, 2026 dataset; per-mode deadlines and same-day registration windows)[4] NCSL Table 5: statutory absentee ballot application deadline [5] NCSL Table 11 (updated Dec. 2025): ballot receipt/postmark deadline

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The full table of mail-ballot send dates, registration deadlines, and early-voting windows for all fifty states and DC, plus the documented record of government actions on mail voting this cycle.

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