Louisiana Resources for Voters with Disabilities

In Louisiana, you have the right to the following as protected by federal law. Election staff must respect these rights:

• Accessible voter registration
• Accessible polling places
• Policies and procedures that do not discriminate against you based on your disability
• Accessible, available, and operational voting systems, features
• Your service animal to accompany you inside the polling place
• The right to vote privately and independently or with assistance, if needed
• Assistance from a person of choice, who can be a friend, family member, or poll worker (but not your boss, union agent, or a candidate unless this person is your family member)
• Election Staff trained to understand the rights above

In Louisiana, you also have the right to:  

• Independently mark and cast your ballot without interference, coercion, or intimidation. 
• Vote in privacy and cast a secret ballot.
• Receive assistance when voting.
• Review a sample ballot before voting. 
• Vote by absentee ballot if you have a disability that prevents you from voting in person on Election Day.
• File a complaint about voting accessibility or other violation.

Federal law requires assistance in registering to vote from offices that provide public assistance or state-funded programs serving people with disabilities. Responsibilities include:

• Providing voter registration forms
• Assisting voters in completing the forms
• Transmitting completed forms to the appropriate election official
• All aspects of voter registration must be accessible

• You may request assistance from a poll worker or receive assistance from a person of your choice with the following exceptions:  
  • your employer, an agent of your employer
  • an officer or agent of your union
  • a candidate on the ballot
  • A staff member from a state-owned developmental center
  • A commissioner-in-charge at the polling place
     
• If you are voting absentee by mail, the person who assists you must sign the absentee by mail ballot envelope. 
   
• If you are voting in person, the person assisting you must sign the early voting register (during early voting) or the precinct register (on election day.)
   
• A poll worker cannot force you to accept assistance.

Louisiana offers accessible ballots at polling locations. If you need an alternative ballot to vote from home, please contact your local election official. 

If you require assistance on election day or while early voting, you must show one of the following documents to the registrar of voters before election day:

• Doctor’s certificate;
• Current mobility impairment ID card;
• Documentation of government disability benefits; or a
• Completed and signed voter registration application attesting that the voter has a disability and needs assistance.

Federal law requires polling places to meet minimum compliance standards for individuals with special needs. 

Louisiana law requires that all polling places be accessible in the following manner:

• The doors should be wide enough for a wheelchair;
• There should be ramps or elevators if there are steps; and
• There must be reserved accessible parking and all walkways must be accessible and free of obstacles.

If you are unable to stand in line, you can:

• Request to be moved to the front of the line or refuse to be moved to the front of the line
• Request that a chair be provided or refuse to accept a chair
• Request to have your place in line held and notified when it is your turn

An accessible ballot marking device is available at all polling places. This can be used to make choices audibly or by a touchscreen display. It allows for the following alternatives:

• Audio 
• Tactile keys
• Customizable displays

Louisiana also guarantees that:

• You may adjust the voting machine if you use a wheelchair or prefer to sit while voting
• If you want to use an audio voting keypad, inform the poll worker before you begin voting. Voting machines are audio accessible and anyone may use the audio voting keypad to vote
• You may bring personal headphones to use with the audio voting keypad
• You may request a 2X magnifier to use in voting. The magnifier is available in every polling place and during early voting at the Registrar of Voters Office.
• Early voting machines allow you to adjust the screen text size
• You may bring your own flashlight if you need additional lighting.
• You may bring your own signature tool to assist you in signing your name
• You may use the Braille Voting Instructions available at each Registrar of Voters’ Office and in each polling place
• If you need assistance in voting or you will be using the audio voting keypad, you will have 20 minutes to vote instead of 3 minutes

Louisiana uses the ImageCast® X (ICX) voting system.  The ICX system uses a small touchscreen to navigate your ballot.
The ICX offers the following user interfaces:

• Visual mode
• Audio mode
• Visual and audio mode
   
• ICX is also compatible with a range of accessibility tools:
  • Audio Tactile Interface (ATI) handheld controller 
  • four-way joystick
  • a sip and puff device
  • a paddle device
  • the ATI has raised keys for tactile identification
  • can be operated with one hand
  • includes a 3.5 mm headphone jack

You can also view images or read more about the ICX system.

You can fill-out and submit a HAVA Complaint Form to the Louisiana State Board of Election Supervisors, but the process is complicated. You must:

• File the complaint within 90 days after the certification of the election
• Have the HAVA form notarized
• Mail or deliver a copy of the HAVA complaint to each listed person, office, or “party” the complaint is filed against
• Send the form to:
  Secretary of State Elections Division
  P.O. Box 94125
  Baton Rouge, LA, 70804-9125

You can also fill out a Violation of Civil Rights Complaint Form and submit it to the US Department of Justice by one of the following methods:

• Online, through the form’s submission process - this is the fastest method.
• By fax at (202) 616-9881. You MUST include “ATTN: Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Complaints" at the top of your fax submission for it to be processed correctly.
• By mailing your form to: 

                 U.S. Department of Justice
                 Office of the Inspector General Investigations Division
                 ATTN: Civil Rights & Civil Liberties Complaints
                 950 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
                 Washington, DC 20530

For additional assistance, The National Network of ADA Centers can provide local contact information for other organizations you may wish to contact, including your Regional ADA Center or ADA Knowledge Translation Center, or Federal Agencies and Resources.

• Voter Registration or Absentee Ballot Request
• Election Dates/Deadlines
• Election Official Directory
• US Vote Foundation's Voter Help Desk
• Department of Justice Civil Rights Violation Complaint Form
• Verified Voter Accessible Voting Machine Search
• Louisiana HAVA Complaint Form
• Disability Rights Louisiana