Candidates to speak at forum in Jeanerette

FRANKLIN — St. Mary Parish Registrar of Voters Jolene Holcombe reminds residents that Voter Registration Week activities for the week of Sept. 3-6 are aimed at registering eligible citizens to vote.

Louisiana was one of the first states in the nation to implement an easy, convenient online voter registration portal, Holcombe said in a prepared statement. Citizens with a valid Louisiana driver’s license can register online 24 hours a day, seven days a week from the convenience of their home or office by visiting the Secretary of State’s website.

Additionally, state residents can register in person at their parish Registrar of Voters Office, when they apply for/renew their driver’s license at any Office of Motor Vehicles or when obtaining services at public assistance agencies and armed forces recruitment offices.

Citizens wishing to register by mail can complete an application which can be found on the Secretary of State’s website, at public libraries or through registration drives. To register and vote in Louisiana individuals must be a U.S. citizen; must be at least 17 years old to register and 18 years old prior to the next election to vote; must not under an order of imprisonment for conviction of a felony or, if under such an order, must not have been incarcerated pursuant to the order within the last five years; must not be under a judgment of full interdiction for mental incompetence or partial interdiction with suspension of voting rights; must be a resident in the state and parish in which they seek to register and vote and must complete the process at least 20 days prior to an election if registering online or 30 days prior to an election if registering in person or by mail.

Employees from the St. Mary Parish Registrar of Voters Office will be at several local high schools during the week of Sept. 3 to register all 17- and 18-year-old students who are interested.

They also will be distributing applications and voter education materials to all the senior centers in the parish.

Those 65 or more years of age or disabled are eligible to vote by mail automatically for every election. Forms and information will be distributed to the Patterson Senior Center, Franklin Senior Center and the St. Mary AARP Chapter 4435 in Morgan City. Those interested also may call the Registrar of Voters office for more information at 828-4100.

The registrar’s office in the Franklin courthouse will be demonstrating one of the new early voting machines that will be used for the Oct. 12 election during Voter Registration Week.

The Registrar of Voter’s staff will be on hand to demonstrate how the new machine works and voters are invited to view the machine and try it out for themselves. The schedule, with dates and times for public viewing, will be posted at a later date.

All parishes across the state will have new voting machines for early voting ONLY, Sept. 28-Oct. 5.

For more information call the registrar’s office at 828-4100, ext. 360, or the Morgan City branch office at 985-384-8638.