Gov. John Bel Edwards announced Tuesday that he will reject an emergency plan for the fall elections because it doesn’t expand mail-in balloting options for people quarantined because of the coronavirus pandemic or those at greater risk of serious harm from COVID-19.
The decision by the Democratic governor will block the plan offered by Republican Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin for the Nov. 3 presidential election and a Dec. 5 state election. The proposal needs backing from both the majority-GOP Legislature and Edwards to take effect.
“I do not support his plan. I don’t believe that it accommodates all the voters that should be accommodated in this public health emergency,” Edwards said. He added: “That plan will not be carried out for these elections.”
Unless Ardoin revises the plan and can win approval from both lawmakers and Edwards, it appears a federal lawsuit filed by voting rights advocates that seeks to widen mail-in voting options will decide what elections in Louisiana look like this fall.