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Baton Rouge election guide: What to know before you cast your ballot in June 27 runoffs

Baton Rouge election guide: What to know before you cast your ballot
Louisiana residents at a voting precinct.
Louisiana residents at a voting precinct.
KEY DATES AND DEADLINES HOW TO VOTE WHO IS RUNNING? PARISHWIDE PROPOSITIONS
KEY DATES AND DEADLINES

Election dates

  • Party Primary Election: May 16
  • 2nd Party Primary Election: June 27
  • Congressional General Election/Open Party Election: Nov. 3
  • Open General Election: Dec. 12

Voter Registration Deadlines

  • Party Primary:

    • In person or by mail: April 15
    • Online (via GeauxVote): April 25

  • 2nd Party Primary:

    • In person or by mail: May 27
    • Online (via GeauxVote): June 6

  • Congressional General/Open Party

    • In person or by mail: Oct. 5
    • Online (via GeauxVote): Oct. 13

  • Open General

    • In person or by mail: Nov. 12
    • Online (via GeauxVote): Nov. 21

Early Voting

  • Party Primary: May 2-9 (excluding Sunday, May 3) from 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
  • 2nd Party Primary: June 12-20 (excluding Sunday, June 14, and Friday, June 19, for Juneteeth) from 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
  • Congressional General/Open Party: Oct. 20-27 (excluding Sunday, Oct. 25) from 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
  • Open General: Nov. 28-Dec. 5 (excluding Sunday, Nov. 29) from 8:30 a.m.- 6 p.m.

Absentee Ballots

  • Request deadline:
    • Party Primary: May 12 by 4:30 p.m.
    • 2nd Party Primary: June 23 by 4:30 p.m.
    • Congressional General/Open Party: Oct. 30 by 4:30 p.m.
    • Open General: Dec. 8 by 4:30 p.m.
    • Note: Military, overseas voters, and hospitalized individuals may request ballots up to 4:30 p.m. CST the day before Election Day.

  • Return deadline:

    • Primary: May 15 by 4:30 p.m.
    • 2nd Party Primary: June 26 by 4:30 p.m.
    • Congressional General/Open Party: Nov. 2 by 4:30 p.m.
    • Open General: Dec. 11 by 4:30 p.m.
    • Note: Deadlines apply to all except military and overseas voters.

Election Day poll hours: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

HOW TO VOTE

Are you eligible?

To vote in Louisiana, you must be:

  • Registered by the deadline
  • At least 18 years old
  • A U.S. citizen
  • A legal resident
  • Not under an order of imprisonment for conviction of a felony
  • Not judicially declared mentally incompetent

Are you registered?

The Louisiana Secretary of State's website has a voter portal you can use to check whether you’re registered to vote.

  1. To find your voting information, select "Search by Voter" 
  2. Enter your first and last name, zip code, birth month and year 
  3. Click "Submit," and the portal should pull up your information 

If you missed the deadline, you won’t be able to vote, but you can register for the next election online. If you’ve moved, changed your name, address or party affiliation, you should notify the registrar of voters in your parish or make changes online.

Can you vote by mail?

Unless you’re a military or overseas voter, you’ll need to have a specific reason to vote absentee. If you’re eligible, you can request an absentee ballot through the state’s online voter portal or you may print and mail an application directly to your registrar of voters. Disabled, military and overseas voters may be able to get their absentee ballot electronically. For more information, they can contact their registrar of voters.

How to vote early 

If you’re registered to vote, you should be able to vote early.

Designated polling places will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. for each day of early voting.

Here’s a list of early voting locations in East Baton Rouge Parish:

Motor Vehicle Building

2250 Main Street

Baker, LA 70714-2529

Fire Station Building

11010 Coursey Boulevard

Baton Rouge, LA 70816

Louisiana State Archive Building

3851 Essen Lane

Baton Rouge, LA 70809

Central Branch Library

11260 Joor Road

Baton Rouge, LA 70818

Baton Rouge City Hall
222 St. Louis Street, Room 604

Baton Rouge, LA 70802

Find your polling place 

The state’s online voter portal tells you where to cast your vote. Search by voter or parish to find your polling location.

What should I bring to the polls?

You’ll need to have a current and valid photo ID with your signature.

Options include:

  • Louisiana driver’s license
  • Louisiana special ID 
  • LA Wallet digital driver’s license
  • Military ID
  • Some other generally recognized picture ID 

If your ID does not have your picture or signature, you can still cast your vote by signature on a voter affidavit.

WHO IS RUNNING?

U.S. Senate: Democratic Primary

U.S. Senate: Republican Primary

Public Service Commission: District 1 Republican Primary

BESE District 1: Republican Primary

PARISHWIDE PROPOSITIONS

Library Millage Continuation

BALLOT LANGUAGE: Shall the Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana (the "Parish") be authorized to continue to levy and collect a 9.50 mills ad valorem tax (the "Tax") (an estimated $59,573,265 is reasonably expected to be collected from the levy of the Tax for an entire year), for a period of ten (10) years, beginning with the tax collection for the year 2026, and annually thereafter, to and including the year 2035, and shall the proceeds of the Tax (after paying reasonable and necessary expenses of collecting and administering the Tax) be used entirely and exclusively for the purpose of maintaining and operating the public library system of the Parish and its branches, and improving services, acquiring land and constructing new library facilities, title to which is and shall be in the public, and shall the avails or proceeds of the Tax to be administered by the East Baton Rouge Parish Library Board of Control, in the manner required by law?

Council on Aging Millage Renewal

BALLOT LANGUAGE: Shall the Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana (the "Parish") be authorized to continue to levy and collect a 2 mills ad valorem tax (the "Tax") (an estimated $12,541,000 reasonably expected to be collected from the levy of the Tax for an entire year), for a period of ten (10) years, beginning with the year 2027 and ending with the year 2036, and shall the proceeds of the Tax (after paying reasonable and necessary expenses of collecting and administering the Tax) be used entirely and exclusively by the East Baton Rouge Council on the Aging, Inc., or any successor thereto (the "Council on Aging") to provide funds to operate and maintain programs, services, and activities for elderly citizens in the Parish, including Meals on Wheels, Senior Centers, Respite Services, Housing, Transportation, Nutrition, Wellness, and Recreational Programs; to acquire, construct, operate and maintain facilities to serve elderly citizens in the Parish; and to otherwise fund the operating budget of the Council on Aging?

Recreation and Park Commission Millage Renewal

BALLOT LANGUAGE: Shall the Recreation and Park Commission for the Parish of East Baton Rouge ("BREC"), continue to levy a special tax of 3.96 mills tax on all property subject to taxation in the Parish (an estimated $24,800,000 reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year), for a period of 10 years, beginning with the year 2027 and ending with the year 2036, to provide funds for maintaining and operating the public parks and recreational properties and facilities of BREC, and making available funds for the operating budget of BREC?

Zachary Community School System Ad Valorem Tax

BALLOT LANGUAGE: Shall the Zachary Community School System, Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana (the "System"), be authorized to levy and collect an ad valorem tax of twenty-four (24) mills on the dollar of assessed valuation on all property subject to taxation within its boundaries (the "Tax") (an estimated $8,400,000 is reasonably expected to be collected from the levy of the Tax for an entire year), for twenty (20) years, beginning with the tax year 2026, and annually thereafter, to and including 2045, and shall said Tax (after paying reasonable and necessary expenses of collection and administration), be used entirely and exclusively for the purpose of providing additional support to public elementary and secondary schools within the System and for any lawful school purposes, including paying salaries and benefits of school system personnel, but in no event shall the levy and collection of the Tax, together with any millage levied to debt service any heretofore existing outstanding general obligations of the System, exceed twenty-four (24) mills in any tax collection year?

City of Baker Proposition

BALLOT LANGUAGE: Shall the City of Baker, State of Louisiana (the "City") be authorized to levy and collect a special ad valorem tax of ten (10) mills on all property subject to taxation in the City (an estimated $937,180 reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year) (the "Tax") for a period of ten (10) years, beginning with the year 2027 and ending with the year 2036, the proceeds of the Tax to be used entirely and exclusively to provide funds for salaries for third engine personnel and increasing salaries and benefits for all employees of the Fire Department of the City who are members of the Municipal Fire and Police Civil Service System?