Early voting across the state for the November 16, election will begin Saturday, November 2, and end Saturday, November 9, excluding Sunday. Each day, residents will be able to cast their early vote from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Allen Parish Registrar of Voters Office.
Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin said there are 175 candidate races and 123 propositions on ballots across the state.
Allen Parish Regisrar of Voters Monica F. Warren said all of Allen Parish will vote for the two candidates for governor [John Bel Edwards (4), incumbent, and Eddie Rispone(9)] and Secretary of State [Kyle Ardoin (13), incumbent, and Gwen Collins-Greenup (14).]
Depending on where you reside in the parish, voters will have to choose a police juror and/or decide on a hospital proposition, school board bond and/or a sales tax renewal in Kinder.
The District Four Police Jury runoff race will have voters choosing between Joshua “Josh” Thompson (90) and Creig Vizena (91).
The Hospital Service District No. 3 Proposition (New Tax) will require a yes or no vote. The proposition reads, “Shall Hospital Service District No. 3 of the Parish of Allen, State of Louisiana (the “District”) extend the period of time for it to levy its twelve (12) mills tax on all the property subject to taxation within the District and levy said tax for a period of thirty (30) years, (an estimated $637,276.75 reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year), beginning with the year 2023 and ending with the year 2052, to be dedicated and used for the purpose of paying costs associated with operating, maintaining, renovating and improving or building a new hospital and related health care and emergency medical services, and acquiring equipment and furnishings therefor?”
School District No. 22’s bond proposition is asking residents to approve the following: “Shall School District No. 22 of the Parishes of Jefferson Davis and Allen, State of Louisiana (the “District”), incur debt and issue bonds to the amount of not exceeding $4,000,000, in one or more series, to run not exceeding 20 years from date thereof, with interest at a rate not exceeding 8% per annum, for the purpose of acquiring and/or improving lands for building sites and playgrounds, including construction of necessary sidewalks and streets adjacent thereto; purchasing, erecting and/or improving school buildings and other school related facilities within and for the District and acquiring the necessary equipment and furnishings therefor, title to which shall be in the public; which bonds will be general obligations of the District and will be payable from ad valorem taxes to be levied and collected in the manner provided by Article VI, Section 33 of the Constitution of the State of Louisiana of 1974 and statutory authority supplemental thereto, with an estimated increase of ten and twenty-three hundredths mills (10.23) to be levied in the first year of issue above the 13.77 mills currently being levied to pay General Obligation Bonds of the District?”
Kinder is asking its resident to renew its sales tax renewal. “ Shall the Town of Kinder, State of Louisiana (the “Town”), be authorized to continue to levy and collect a tax of one percent (1%) (the “Tax”) upon the sale at retail, the use, the lease or rental, the consumption, and storage for use or consumption, of tangible personal property and on sales of services in the Town, all as defined by law (an estimated $600,000 reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the Tax for an entire year), in perpetuity, commencing July 1, 2021, with the proceeds of the Tax (after paying reasonable and necessary costs and expenses of collecting and administering the Tax) to be dedicated and used for the purpose of constructing, acquiring, improving, maintaining and operating any work of capital improvement for the Town, it being provided, however, that never less than 75% of the proceeds of the Tax shall be dedicated for constructing, acquiring and improving such works of capital improvement, including purchasing and acquiring the necessary land, equipment and furnishings therefor?”
Those who choose to take advantage of early voting will cast their ballots on new touchscreen voting machines. The new leased machines are similar to the previous machines, but increase the security of the vote and the integrity of our election process, Ardoin said.
Voters should utilize Louisiana’s award-winning, free smartphone app, GeauxVote Mobile, to find out where to early vote as well as what’s on their ballot. Voters can also access this information in our Voter Portal by visiting https://voterportal.sos.la.gov.
Citizens who want to vote early may do so in person at the parish Registrar of Voters Office or at other designated locations. For a complete listing of early voting locations, visit https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/EarlyVoting.
In addition to a Louisiana driver’s license, a Louisiana Special ID or a generally recognized ID with picture and signature, voters may now use a digital license via LA Wallet, the new smartphone app by the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles. Poll commissioners have received training regarding the digital license as an acceptable form of picture ID.
Election Day for the gubernatorial general is Saturday, Nov. 16, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
For more information, contact the Elections Division by calling 800-883-2805 or emailing elections@sos.la.gov.
Locally, if you have more questions, contact Warren’s office at 337-639-4966.
