A proposal for expanded mail-in ballot voting in the July and August elections clears key Legislative committees.
The legislation expands voting options, doubles the early voting period, and more. Houma Representative Tanner McGee says it’s not perfect but Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry backs the plan.
“This gives him the best chance to win in court and not have our courts decide what our next election cycle is like,” says McGee.
The bill also moves voting booths out of nursing homes and funds some preventative measures to limit viral spread at voting locations and will cost about four million dollars.
Passage wasn’t unanimous. In House Governmental Affairs Representative Vernon Parish Representative Rodey Schamerhorn says his constituents oppose any elections change.
“Everybody else is thinking that this is going to go away and with the best management practices that we need to go forward that this is going to take care of itself,” says Schamerhorn.
The vote passed the committee 11-5
Royce Duplessis ultimately backed the plan, but raised concerns to Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin about requiring residents to disclose health conditions to get mail-in ballots, and the safety of those working at polling stations -- Ardoin told the panel that slightly more than half of his poll workers are over the age of 65, which puts that at greater risk for more sever complications from COVID-19.
The plan moves to the House and Senate floors where a vote will be conducted by mail-in ballot.