All Laws Decoded

Voting Rights After a Felony in Louisiana

How Louisiana law treats voting with a felony conviction, from the state code and official state agencies.

Short answer: A person under an order of imprisonment for a felony conviction may not register or vote. However, a person under such an order who has not been incarcerated under it within the last five years is not barred from registering or voting (so many people on probation or parole can vote)… La. Const. art. I, §10(A); La. R.S. 18:102(A)(1), (B), (C); R.S. 18:177(A)

Voting with a felony convictionA person under an order of imprisonment for a felony conviction may not register or vote. However, a person under such an order who has not been incarcerated under it within the last five years is not barred from registering or voting (so many people on probation or parole can vote), unless the felony was election fraud or another election offense. Once the person is no longer under an order of imprisonment, the right returns, but a suspended registration is reinstated only when the person goes to the registrar of voters' office with documentation from the appropriate corrections official showing that he or she is no longer under an order of imprisonment (or has not been incarcerated under it in the last five years). People convicted before the 1974 Constitution took effect who completed their sentences are not barred.
R.S. 18:177: https://legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?d=81503; Const. art. I, §10: https://legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?d=206275. The five-year rule took effect March 1, 2019 (Acts 2018, No. 636). 'Incarcerated pursuant to the order' includes confinement after a probation or parole revocation (R.S. 18:102(C)).
Source: La. Const. art. I, §10(A); La. R.S. 18:102(A)(1), (B), (C); R.S. 18:177(A)

More Louisiana criminal law

FAQ

Can felons vote in Louisiana?
A person under an order of imprisonment for a felony conviction may not register or vote. However, a person under such an order who has not been incarcerated under it within the last five years is not barred from registering or voting (so many people on probation or parole can vote), unless the felony was election fraud or another election offense. Once the person is no longer under an order of imprisonment, the right returns, but a suspended registration is reinstated only when the person goes to the registrar of voters' office with documentation from the appropriate corrections official showing that he or she is no longer under an order of imprisonment (or has not been incarcerated under it in the last five years). People convicted before the 1974 Constitution took effect who completed their sentences are not barred.

General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.