This week is Voter Registration Week in Louisiana

This week is Voter Registration Week in Louisiana.

Parish registrars of voters across the state are conducting activities aimed at registering eligible voters in time to cast ballots in the Nov. 6 elections.

“The first step to participating in the electoral process is registering to vote,” Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin said. “This fall, Louisianians will choose their congressional representation, as well as a host of other local races and propositions. Get registered today so your voice can be heard on Election Day.”

Avoyelles Registrar Gloria Moreau said staff will be at Avoyelles High to conduct a Homecoming election, and will conduct a voter registration drive targeting the older students who are already 18 or will be 18 soon. Louisiana was one of the first states to implement an easy online voter registration portal that allows any eligible voter with a Louisiana driver’s license or state ID card to register at any time from the convenience of their home or office by visiting http://voter portal.sos.la.gov.

Louisiana residents can also register in person at the parish registrar’s office or when they apply for a new or renew their driver’s license at the Office of Motor Vehicles. They can also register to vote when obtaining services from a public assistance agency or at an Armed Forces recruitment office.

If those options aren’t enough, they can download and print the registration form at http://www.sos.la.gov/ElectionsAndVoting/PublishedDocuments/ApplicationT..., complete the form to be found at a public library or through registration drives and mail it to the local registrar’s office.

To register to vote, a person must be a U.S. citizen, at least 17 years old (16 if registering in person at the ROV or OMV) but must be 18 before the next election to be able to vote.

They also cannot be under an order of imprisonment for conviction of a felony or under judgment of full interdiction for mental incompetence or partial interdiction with suspension of voting rights.

They have to be a resident of the state and parish in which they are seeking to register.

To be eligible for the next election, the registration must be done at least 20 days prior to that election date if registering online or 30 days prior if registering in person or by mail. That makes the last day to register to vote in the Nov. 6 elections Oct. 9 if registering in person or Oct. 16 if registering online.

The in-person/mail deadline is extended one day because Oct. 8 is a postal holiday in observance of Columbus Day.