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HLS 26RS-1419 ORIGINAL
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 1048
BY REPRESENTATIVE MURRAY
VOTERS/VOTING: Provides relative to the early voting period
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 18:401.1(C), 1309(A)(1)(a)(ii) and (b)(ii), (2), and (4), and
3 1400.8 and to enact R.S. 18:1309(A)(1)(c), relative to early voting; to provide for
4 voting on Sundays during the early voting period; to provide for the expense of
5 conducting early voting on Sunday; to provide for the addition of early voting days
6 when the early voting period is suspended during a state of emergency; and to
7 provide for related matters.
8 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9 Section 1. R.S. 18:401.1(C), 1309(A)(1)(a)(ii) and (b)(ii), (2), and (4), and 1400.8
10 are hereby amended and reenacted and R.S. 18:1309(A)(1)(c) is hereby enacted to read as
11 follows:
12 §401.1. Election emergency; purpose; elections emergency contingency plan
13 * * *
14 C. If any delays or suspensions are authorized by the governor, the delayed
15 qualifying, early voting or election day voting shall resume or be rescheduled as soon
16 thereafter as is practicable. If the early voting period is suspended, one day of early
17 voting shall be added to the early voting period for each day of early voting that is
18 suspended as provided in R.S. 18:1309. In the event If the voting on election day is
19 delayed or suspended and early voting has been completed prior to the issuance of
20 the executive order delaying or suspending election day voting, early voting for the
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
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HLS 26RS-1419 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 1048
1 rescheduled election day may be reopened upon authorization of the governor for a
2 reasonable time prior to the new election date. Notice of the delay or suspension and
3 rescheduling of the election day or early voting shall be published at least once in a
4 newspaper of general circulation in the affected area if time permits and, where
5 practicable, broadcast as a public service announcement on radio and television
6 stations, or by any other means of communication available at that time.
7 * * *
8 §1309. Early voting; verification
9 A.(1)(a)
10 * * *
11 (ii) The period for conducting early voting shall also include the any day
12 added pursuant to Subparagraph (b) or (c) of this Paragraph, if applicable.
13 (b)
14 * * *
15 (ii) The additional day shall be the first day preceding the period described
16 in Item (a)(i) of this Paragraph that is not a Sunday or a holiday required to be
17 observed pursuant to Paragraph (4) of this Subsection.
18 (c) One day of early voting shall be added to the period specified in Item
19 (a)(i) of this Paragraph for each day of early voting that is suspended due to a state
20 of emergency or impending emergency pursuant to R.S. 18:401.1.
21 (2)(a) During the early voting period, the registrar shall maintain regular
22 office hours, remaining remain open from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through
23 Saturday each day, including Saturday and Sunday. Early voting on each day of the
24 early voting period shall terminate when all persons who were in line to vote at the
25 close of the regular office hours of the registrar's office, as provided in this
26 Paragraph, have been allowed to vote.
27 (b) If the secretary of state determines that the office space of the registrar
28 is insufficient or inconvenient to accommodate early voting, the registrar may
29 provide for an alternate location to conduct early voting, which location shall be in
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HLS 26RS-1419 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 1048
1 an accessible and conveniently located public facility within the parish, and in such
2 case, adequate notice shall be posted at the registrar's office informing the public of
3 the location where early voting is being conducted.
4 * * *
5 (4) A registrar shall observe the holidays which are provided by law or
6 proclaimed by the governor for state departments during any period for conducting
7 early voting. For purposes of this Section, Sundays and Saturdays shall not be
8 considered holidays provided by law.
9 * * *
10 §1400.8. Expenses incurred by registrars of voters conducting early voting; payment
11 by secretary of state
12 Election expenses incurred by a registrar of voters and his permanent
13 employees to perform election duties and responsibilities associated with early
14 voting on any day during the week between 4:30 p.m. and the time that early voting
15 terminates that day and on any Saturday or Sunday on which early voting is
16 conducted shall be paid by the state from funds appropriated to the secretary of state
17 for that purpose.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 1048 Original 2026 Regular Session Murray
Abstract: Requires the registrar of voters to remain open on Sundays during the early
voting period and provides for the addition of early voting days when suspended
pursuant to a gubernatorially declared emergency.
Present law (R.S. 18:1309) provides that the period for conducting early voting shall be from
14 days to seven days prior to any scheduled election. Further provides that for the
presidential election, the period for conducting early voting shall be from 18 days to seven
days prior to the presidential election. Proposed law retains present law.
Present law provides that during the early voting period, the registrar of voters shall maintain
regular office hours, remaining open from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Proposed law instead requires the registrar of voters to remain open from 8:30 a.m. to
6:00 p.m. on each day, including Saturdays and Sundays, during the early voting period.
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HLS 26RS-1419 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 1048
Present law provides that the registrar shall observe holidays which are provided by law or
proclaimed by the governor for state departments during any period to conduct early voting.
Proposed law excepts Sundays and Saturdays from the legal holidays that the registrar is
required to observe.
Present law (R.S. 18:1400.8) provides that election expenses incurred by a registrar of voters
and his permanent employees to perform election duties and responsibilities associated with
early voting on any day during the week between 4:30 p.m. and the time that early voting
terminates that day and on any Saturday on which early voting is conducted shall be paid by
the state from funds appropriated to the secretary of state for that purpose and shall be a
reimbursable election expense.
Proposed law retains present law and further provides the same for any Sunday on which
early voting is conducted.
Present law (R.S. 18:410.1) authorizes the governor, upon certification of the secretary of
state that an emergency exists, to issue an executive order declaring a state of emergency or
impending emergency and suspend or delay early voting.
Present law provides that if any delays or suspensions are authorized by the governor, the
delayed early voting shall resume or be rescheduled as soon thereafter as is practicable.
Proposed law retains present law and further provides that if the early voting period is
suspended, one day of early voting shall be added to the early voting period for each day of
early voting that is suspended.
Present law requires notice of the delay or suspension and rescheduling of early voting to
be published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation in the affected area if time
permits and, where practicable, broadcast as a public service announcement on radio and
television stations, or by any other means of communication available at that time.
Proposed law retains present law.
(Amends R.S. 18:401.1(C), 1309(A)(1)(a)(ii) and (b)(ii), (2), and (4), and 1400.8; Adds R.S.
18:1309(A)(1)(c))
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.