La. Stat. tit. 18 § 427

Current with operative changes from the 2024 Third Special Legislative Session

Section 18:427 - Watchers

A. Qualifications.

(1) A qualified voter of the state of Louisiana who is not a candidate in the election may serve as a watcher; however, a watcher who is not a resident of the parish where the watcher serves may not serve as a commissioner.

(2) No person who is required to register as a sex offender or child predator pursuant to R.S. 15:542 may serve as a watcher.

B. Powers and duties. A watcher shall be admitted within all parts of the polling place during the election day and the printing of results from the voting machines, and shall call any infraction of the law to the attention of the commissioners. A watcher may keep notes on the conduct of the election, but he shall not take part in the printing of results from the voting machines. A watcher shall not electioneer, engage in political discussions, or unnecessarily delay a voter at the polling place. A watcher shall be subject to the authority of the commissioners and shall not interfere with the commissioners in the performance of their duties.

C. Number of watchers inside a polling place. If the number of watchers inside a polling place is so great as to interfere with the orderly conduct of the election, the commissioners shall regulate the number of watchers inside the polling place for each precinct so that the election may be conducted in an orderly manner. The watchers shall draw lots under the supervision of the commissioners to determine which watchers shall be the first to wait outside the polling place, but the amount of time each watcher spends inside the polling place shall, as nearly as practicable, be equal.

La. R.S. § 18:427

Acts 1976, No. 697, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1978. Amended by Acts 1979, No. 229, §1, eff. July 13, 1979; Acts 1991, No. 201, §1, eff. July 2, 1991; Acts 1995, No. 300, §1, eff. June 15, 1995; Acts 2009, No. 369, §1; Acts 2012, No. 138, §1, eff. May 14, 2012; Acts 2017, No. 176, §1, eff. June 14, 2017; Acts 2022, No. 178, §1, eff. May 31, 2022; Acts 2023, No. 221, §1, eff. June 8, 2023.

Amended by Acts 2023, No. 221,s. 1, eff. 6/8/2023.

Amended by Acts 2022, No. 178,s. 1, eff. 5/31/2022.

Amended by Acts 2017, No. 176,s. 1, eff. 6/14/2017.

Acts 1976, No. 697, §1, eff. 1/1/1978. Amended by Acts 1979, No. 229, §1, eff. 7/13/1979; Acts 1991, No. 201, §1, eff. 7/2/1991; Acts 1995, No. 300, §1, eff. 6/15/1995; Acts 2009, No. 369, §1; Acts 2012, No. 138, §1, eff. 5/14/2012.