As the upcoming 2024 presidential election draws near, all voters must register prior to the election by the given deadlines.
The registration deadline to vote in person at the local election office or by mail is Oct. 7. If voters are registering online, the deadline is Oct. 15. Louisiana voters can visit the Louisiana Secretary of State website or the GeauxVote app to register online.
To register to vote, Louisiana voters must be a U.S. citizen and at least 17 years old. To vote, they must be 18 years old, not be under an order of imprisonment for conviction of a felony, not be under a judgment of full interdiction for mental incompetence or partial interdiction with suspension of voting rights, reside in the state and parish in which they seek to register and be registered at least 20 days prior to an election, according to the Louisiana Secretary of State website.
Kathrin Holden, Natchitoches parish registrar of voters, explained that Louisiana voters’ only requirement prior to voting on Election Day is registration.
“Voters just need to register, then once they register and get ready to vote, they need to make sure that they have their identification and they need to know their polling place,” Holden said.
At polling locations in Natchitoches parish, in-person voters must have a Louisiana driver’s license or state identification in hand. United States passports and other forms of identification will not be accepted.
Students attending Northwestern State University of Louisiana are able to register to vote in Natchitoches parish. If a student lives 4 hours away from their hometown or wherever they’re registered to vote, then changing their registration might be an easier option to participate in elections, which is why Holden recommends changing the voter’s voting location.
Holden explained that students wishing to change their voter registration to Natchitoches can do so online.
David Stamey, Natchitoches clerk of court, explained students from other parishes may already be registered in their home parish, so he suggested students changing voting locations should refer to geauxvote.com.
Stamey assured that his office is open to those who need help with the voting process.
“Very little is more important to us than all citizens getting involved in the election process,” Stamey said. “We will work hard to get students, especially first-time voters, informed of this process. From getting registered, to voting by mail, to early voting and the Election Day process, we want to help you.”
Students, and all voters, also have the option for early voting. Early voting will start on Oct. 18 and will run until Oct. 29.
“On Election Day, there are going to be other polling places, but if they come and early vote, that’s gonna be in our office,” Holden said.
The Registrar of Voters office is located at 200 Church St, Natchitoches, LA 71457.
Voters who wish to participate in absentee-ballot voting have the option to visit the office as well. As defined by vote.org, absentee voting is conducted by a mail-in ballot before Election Day. The deadline to request an absentee ballot must be received by Nov. 1 by 4:30 p.m. CDT, and to return a ballot by mail or in-person, ballots must be received by Nov. 4 by 4:30 p.m. CST, according to the Louisiana Secretary of State website.
Ronnie Williams, mayor of Natchitoches, encouraged all students to vote in whichever way they can. He urged participation in elections is a crucial aspect of one’s civic duty.
“At the end of the Constitutional Convention of 1787, Benjamin Franklin said, ‘It’s a republic, if you can keep it,’” Williams recalled the quote. “America is yet a great experiment, and it takes all Americans to continue to sustain our democracy. One such way is by voting.”
Williams stressed that voting is a form of empowerment to those who participate in the process, as it allows them representation among elected officials.
“Your vote is your directive to those who represent you. It gives you a voice in shaping the policies that affect your community, your state, our country and the world around us,” Williams said. “Elected officials, like myself, also understand that the voting process ensures accountability.”
It is that sense of accountability which allows voters to elect candidates whose campaigns align with their ideals. With this, a voter must be prepared prior to voting.
“When voters take the time to research candidates and issues, they can make more informed decisions about the candidate or issues they choose to support and being an informed, active voter is crucial to effecting positive change,” Williams said.
Each vote is capable of impacting the world for the better, Williams added.
“The future of our democracy demands we all do our part to be good stewards with a lifelong commitment to civic engagement and an unrelenting devotion to voting,” he said.
For more information from the Secretary of State on voting in the presidential election, visit https://www.sos.la.gov/ElectionsAndVoting/RegisterToVote/FrequentlyAskedQuestions/Pages/default.aspx?OwnershipName=RegisterToVote&faqid=0&PF=1.
