State election error affects 67,000 Louisiana voters

Approximately 67,000 Louisiana voters were mistakenly classified as inactive following a computer database maintenance error at the Louisiana Secretary of State's Office, just weeks before the Nov. 3 election.

The error occurred Monday, Oct. 5, during routine maintenance of the state's voter registration system. State officials attributed the incident to human error, which inadvertently changed the registration status of thousands of voters across Louisiana. Trey Williams, deputy secretary for communications and policy, said the office identified the problem and began correcting the affected records. “Our staff immediately identified the issue and began correcting it,” Williams told the Louisiana Illuminator. “We also implemented additional safeguards to prevent this from happening again.” In a subsequent statement to The Center Square, Williams confirmed that the error had been corrected and all affected voters were returned to active status. State officials emphasized that the temporary classification did not affect anyone's eligibility or ability to vote in the upcoming election. Under Louisiana law, voters listed as inactive remain eligible to cast ballots. The designation generally indicates that election officials need to confirm a voter's current residential address or registration information. The state's inactive voter list is maintained as part of routine election procedures designed to keep registration records accurate. Voters may be placed on the list when their addresses cannot be verified or when certain registration requirements are not met. In this instance, however, the affected voters were incorrectly classified because of the database maintenance mistake rather than individual registration is

T h e p r o b l e m came to public attention after voters began noticing une x p e c t e d changes to their registration information. One East B a t o n Rouge Parish resident reported discovering that her status had changed despite living at the same address for more than a decade. The incident raised questions about the accuracy of voter registration records as Louisiana prepares for the November election. Although officials have confirmed the corrections, the situation serves as a reminder for residents to check their voter information before heading to the polls. Voters who discover an inactive designation can contact their parish registrar of voters to verify their information and determine whether any updates are necessary. Louisiana residents can review their registration status, polling location and other election information through the Secretary of State's voter portal at GeauxVote.com or through the Geaux Vote mobile app. Early voting for the Nov. 3 election is scheduled for Oct. 20-27, excluding Sunday, Oct. 25. State election officials continue to encourage voters to review their registration information ahead of Election Day to avoid confusion or delays at the polls.