Louisiana
1 Check ID Rules
IDs for Voting in Person
Option 1: Show one photo ID
Louisiana asks registered voters to show a photo ID when they vote in person.
Your ID:
- Must have your name and photo.
- Doesn’t need a current address.
- Ok if expired.
You can show:
- Louisiana driver’s license
- Louisiana state ID card
- Digital license via LA Wallet app
- Military identification
- Other generally recognized photo ID with your signature
Option 2: Vote without a photo ID
If you don’t have an accepted photo ID, you can still vote by confirming your identity in writing.
How it works:
- Tell the poll worker you don’t have a photo ID with you.
- Provide your name, address, date of birth, and mother’s maiden name (if known).
- Complete and sign a voter affidavit form.
This process can be challenged by election officials.
IDs for Voting by Mail
Absentee ballots in Louisiana are only for some voters.
Requesting Your Ballot
You must provide an ID number if you request an absentee ballot online. You can use:
- Louisiana driver’s license number
- Louisiana state ID card number
You do not need to provide this information if you complete a paper request form or request your ballot at your parish’s registrar of voters office.
Specific absentee voters are required to provide additional documents:
- Voters who are disabled, home-bound, or living in a care facility should complete a disability application form.
- First-time student voters must include a copy of student ID or fee bill.
- Voters who are hospitalized, incarcerated, or sequestered on a jury must include proof of their status.
Returning Your Ballot
You do not need to include ID with your completed ballot. However, your absentee ballot must be signed by an adult witness for it to be counted.
The signature on your ballot envelope will also be compared to your signature on file with the state.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I don’t have the right ID to vote in Louisiana?
If you do not have any form of accepted identification (a photo ID, primary, or secondary documents), you can:
- Go to the Office of the Registrar of Voters in your parish by 8 PM on Election Day.
- Vote by casting a Conditional Ballot.
- Return by 4 PM on the second day after Election Day with any form of accepted ID or documents.
Can I use a digital or mobile ID to vote in Louisiana?
You can use you digital license via the LA Wallet app.
Do I need a “REAL ID” to vote in Louisiana?
You do not need a “REAL ID” to vote in Louisiana.
REAL ID is a set of national security standards for states to follow when they issue driver’s licenses and state ID cards. Your ID will show a star if it meets REAL ID standards.
Applying for a REAL ID requires you to appear in person with a variety of documents to prove your identity.
Visit the Louiaiana OMV website to find out exactly what is required to get a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or state ID card.
2 Register
Voter Registration in Louisiana
You must register before you can vote in Louisiana.
You are eligible to vote in Louisiana if you meet all of the following requirements:
- You are a citizen of the United States.
- You are a resident of Louisiana.
- You are at least 18 years of age on Election Day.
You cannot register to vote in Louisiana if:
- You are currently in prison for a felony conviction.
- You are under a court order that takes away your right to vote
Voter Registration Requirements
You will need to provide:
- Full name and date of birth
- Home address in Louisiana
- Louisiana driver’s license or state ID card number
If you do not have a Louisiana driver’s license or state ID card, you can use the last 4 digits of your Social Security number.
If you do not have a Social Security number, you need to provide a document showing your name and address. Attach a copy of one of the following:
- Current photo ID
- Utility bill
- Bank statement
- Government check or paycheck
- Other government document showing your name and address
⚠️ Proof of Citizenship
Louisiana now requires proof that you are a US citizen when you register to vote. This is a new requirement under a state law that was passed in 2025.
The state has not published the list of documents accepted as proof of citizenship. Contacting your local election office to confirm what you need to register.
Register to Vote in Louisiana
Submit the form below to register in Louisiana.
Don’t have a state-issued ID? VoteRiders is here to help!
3 Vote
Voting in Person
Louisiana requests photo ID to vote in person. You can vote without an ID if you sign a form confirming your identity (called a Voter Identification Affidavit).
Voting by Mail
Absentee ballots in Louisiana are only for some voters.
Reasons you can vote by absentee ballot include:
- Not being in your parish during early voting or on Election Day
- Physical disability or illness
- Being age 65 or older
Check the FAQ “Who can vote absentee in Louisiana?” below for the full list of reasons accepted by the state.
Requesting an Absentee Ballot
You must provide an ID number if you request an absentee ballot online. You can use:
- Louisiana driver’s license number
- Louisiana state ID card number
You do not need to provide this information if you complete a paper request form or request your ballot at your parish’s registrar of voters office.
Specific absentee voters are required to provide additional documents:
- Voters who are disabled, home-bound, or living in a care facility should complete a disability application form.
- First-time student voters must include a copy of student ID or fee bill.
- Voters who are hospitalized, incarcerated, or sequestered on a jury must include proof of their status.
Returning an Absentee Ballot
You do not need to include ID with your completed ballot. However, your absentee ballot must be signed by an adult witness for it to be counted.
The signature on your ballot envelope will also be compared to your signature on file with the state.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can vote absentee in Louisiana?
In Louisiana, you have to give a specific reason for voting by absentee ballot.
The following reasons are accepted:
- You are temporarily away from your parish during early voting and on Election Day.
- You living outside of your parish to attend or teach at an institution of higher education (including spouse and dependents)
- You are clergy member assigned outside your parish (including spouse and dependents).
- You move more than 100 miles from your parish after the voter registration deadline.
- You are involuntarily confined for mental treatment outside your parish.
- You are hospitalized during early voting and Election Day.
- Offshore or expecting to be offshore during early voting and Election Day.
- You are incarcerated or expecting to be incarcerated for a non-felony conviction.
- You are participating in an address confidentiality program
- You are a member of a sequestered jury during early voting and Election Day.
- You are at 65 years of age or older.
- You are physically disabled, ill, home-bound, or living in a care facility
Request your ballot online or from your parish’s registrar of voters.
