Louisiana voters weigh Senate race, governor term limits as early voting begins
Early voting is underway in Louisiana as voters prepare to choose a U.S. senator and decide on 10 constitutional amendments, including a lifetime limit on service as governor.
By Derek Payne
Contributing Writer, The Weekly Press
BATON ROUGE, La. — Early voting is underway in Louisiana for a Nov. 3 election that will determine the state’s next U.S. senator and put 10 proposed constitutional amendments before voters, including a lifetime restriction on serving as governor.
Early voting began Oct. 20 and continues through Oct. 27, excluding Sunday, Oct. 25. Voting locations are open from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., according to the Louisiana secretary of state. Election Day hours are 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Republican U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow faces Democrat Jamie Davis in the Senate contest. Letlow secured her party’s nomination after defeating state Treasurer John Fleming in a runoff. Incumbent Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy was eliminated in the earlier primary. Davis, a northeast Louisiana farmer, won the Democratic nomination.
The ballot also includes contests for Louisiana’s six U.S. House seats and local offices. The Senate election is a general election, while House races are being conducted as open primaries, according to state election information.
Beyond the candidates, voters will consider changes affecting property taxes, criminal justice, public infrastructure and eligibility for the governor’s office.
Amendment 4 would prohibit anyone who has served more than one and one-half terms as governor from being elected to another term, establishing a lifetime restriction rather than one limited to consecutive service.
Several proposals address property taxes. Amendment 1 concerns transferring an additional exemption received by certain surviving spouses of disabled veterans. Amendment 6 would authorize additional exemptions for qualifying homeowners age 65 and older, while Amendment 9 would raise the income limit for qualifying for a special residential property assessment level.
Amendment 7 would permit public spending to identify and replace certain hazardous drinking water service lines on utility customers’ property. Amendment 10 would authorize property tax exemptions for rehabilitated blighted or derelict properties.
For most eligible absentee voters, the deadline to request a ballot is 4:30 p.m. Oct. 30. Completed ballots must reach the parish registrar of voters by 4:30 p.m. Nov. 2. Different deadlines apply to military and overseas voters.
Voters can review their individual sample ballots and locate voting sites through the secretary of state’s GeauxVote resources before heading to the polls.
