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Getting Your Vote In Early

Secretary of State Tom Schedler
Sue Lincoln
Secretary of State Tome Schedler shows off sticker voters receive this election

Early voting begins today, and runs through next Tuesday, November first.

“The presidential election is usually our Super Bowl, Final Four, all put into one,” Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler says.

“Our highest voter turnout traditionally has been a presidential election. A matter of fact, Louisiana was only one of two states that had an increase from the ’08 election to the ’12 election – just south of 70-percent.”

Schedler says he’s hoping for a comparable turnout this time, since there are so many contests on the ballot.

“We also have the U.S. Senate race with a mere 24 candidates at play. We’ve got six constitutional amendments on the ballot, so there’s certainly enough there to energize the voter.”

Still, he’s not ready to make any predictions about total voter turnout until after this week of early voting is finished.

“It is truly a unpredictable election cycle.”

Schedler is concerned that the presidential race is turning off -- rather than turning on -- voters.

“You know, normally, that would be the top vote-getter, then it’s a fall off down ballot as you go.”

But the Trump-Clinton matchup has some of the same aspects as the Louisiana race that brought the most voters ever to the polls.

“You know the benchmark in Louisiana voter turnout still is the Edwin Edwards-David Duke gubernatorial race, at some 72, 73 percent,” the Secretary of State says. “I don’t think we’ll achieve that, I don’t believe, although there was one point in this election I thought we could.”

No matter how many turn out to cast their ballots, Schedler says it’s his job to make this election fair, honest and efficient. How many vote and who wins? That’s up to you.

“Nothing can happen until you go vote.”