About 40,000 Louisiana citizens will regain their right to vote this week under a Louisiana law passed last year.
To celebrate, a group called VOTE is holding a voter registration event.
The Lafayette chapter of VOTE will host a “lunch and learn” on Friday starting at 11:30 am and ending at 2 pm in the conference room of their office at 110 Travis Street in the Oil Center. There will be simultaneous events in New Orleans and Baton Rouge.
All events will have voter registration tables set up for impacted citizens who will now be able to vote, as well as speakers positively affected by this new law, organizers say.
The three categories of Louisiana citizens impacted by felony convictions are: (1) people no longer on probation or parole; (2) people who have been on parole for at least 5 years; and (3) people who are on probation and have not been revoked (note: short-term jail time for a technical violation may not be considered a revocation).
Eligible voters will be able to pick up the necessary documentation from the Department of Corrections that proves their eligibility status from their local probation and parole office starting at 8 am on March 1, and anytime thereafter. The voter can then register to vote in person or online. Each person will go to their specific probation and parole office to get the paperwork, so the location will differ based on where someone’s probation/parole officer is.
To participate in the March 30 elections, the voter needs to register online by March 9.
If the individual chooses to register online, the registration will not be complete until they bring their documentation from the Department of Corrections to the local registrar’s office.
VOTE is working with the Secretary of State’s office to disseminate information about Act 636 to newly eligible voters. The organization asks that anyone needing assistance with the registration process email admin@vote-nola.org. or call 504-571-9599.
For more info or to RSVP, check out the Facebook event for the Lafayette event here.
