A proposal for expanded mail-in ballot voting in the July and August elections cleared two key Legislative committees in the House and Senate and will now head to the full Senate and House where a vote will be conducted via mail-in ballot.
The plan expands voting options, doubles the early voting period, moves voting booths out of nursing homes and funds some preventative measures to limit viral spread at voting locations. Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin estimates it’ll cost just over four million dollars, and Houma Representative Tanner McGee said it’s not perfect but 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,” said McGee.
Passage wasn’t unanimous. In the House and Governmental Affairs Committee Vernon Parish Representative Rodey Schamerhorn said 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,” said Schamerhorn.
The vote passed the committee 11-5
New Orleans Representative Royce Duplessis ultimately backed the plan but raised concerns to Ardoin about requiring residents to disclose health conditions to get mail-in ballots, and the safety of those working at polling stations.
“DUPLESSIS: Most of your poll workers are probably above 65?
ARDOIN: Slightly more than half.
DUPLESSIS: So where are you going to get your poll workers from?”
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