St. Charles Parish residents can cast their ballots on four amendments to the Louisiana Constitution in the Dec. 7 general election.
Early voting dates are Friday, Nov. 22 and Saturday Nov. 23; Monday Nov. 25 – Wednesday Nov. 27; and Saturday, Nov. 30. Early voting is held at the Hahnville Courthouse and the Alan Arterbury Building in New Sarpy from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Polling locations will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Dec. 7.
Brian Champagne, registrar of voters for the parish, said the state constitutional amendments will affect residents’ lives in some fashion.
“It is your responsibility to let your elected leaders know your opinion,” Champagne said.
Champagne said that, in elections with no candidates on the ballot, voter turnout is usually low, about 3 to 7 percent of registered voters. A sample ballot is available on the parish’s website.
Here’s a breakdown of each amendment:
Amendment 1
A vote yes on Amendment 1 would add appointees of legislative leaders and the governor to the Judiciary Commission of Louisiana, which investigates allegations of judicial miscount and recommends disciplinary actions against judges to the Louisiana Supreme Court. If passed, the amendment would expand the commission from nine members – three judges, three lawyers, and three citizens who are not lawyers – to 14 members. Amendment 1 would also give the Supreme Court the authority to direct the commission to investigate allegations of judicial misconduct.
According to the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana, proponents of the amendment say the expansion of the commission could bring new perspectives and a larger group of non-lawyers would be more aggressive holding judges accountable. Opponents of the amendment say the addition of political appointees to the commission could insert improper political influence into the process.
Amendment 2
A vote yes on Amendment 2 would require lawmakers to wait at least 48 hours to review proposed amendments to bills appropriating money before they can take a final vote.
The amendment is a response to the legislature’s approval of more than $52 billion worth of budget bills in the final hours of the 2023 legislative session, with many lawmakers saying they did not know the details of the spending plans, according to PAR Louisiana. Lawmakers must approve a budget before July 1 each year or the state government can’t operate.
According to PAR Louisiana, proponents of the amendment say the waiting period will allow rank-and-file legislators to review spending bills more closely and allow for more transparency with the public. Opponents of the amendment say the waiting period creates an unnecessary hurdle to the passage of critical legislation. Opponents also say House and Senate rules, not the Louisiana Constitution, should dictate restrictions on legislative voting behavior.
Amendment 2 is a companion to Amendment 3.
Amendment 3
A vote yes on Amendment 3 would allow the legislature with a two-thirds vote to extend the regular legislative session up to six days to pass a bill appropriating money.
According to PAR Louisiana, proponents of the amendment say the extension of the legislative session would ensure lawmakers understand the details of an appropriations bill. The six-day extension would likely cost less than a special session, proponents argue.
Opponents of the amendment say lawmakers have enough time to pass a budget during regular legislative sessions and that the cost of adding extra days to the session is unnecessary.
Amendment 4
A vote yes on Amendment 4 would change how the state handles property when a property owner hasn’t paid property taxes. Under the current system, local tax collectors must advertise a property for sale in what is sometimes called a “sheriff’s sale” after a notice of delinquency is issued to the taxpayer.
If passed, Amendment 4 would shift Louisiana from a tax sale process to a tax lien auction process by Jan. 1, 2026. If the property owner failed to pay the owed tax debt, the government could then sell the tax lien at a public action.
According to PAR Louisiana, proponents of the amendment say Louisiana’s current system for handling delinquent property taxes has led to litigation over concerns about violation of the due process rights of property owners. Opponents of the amendment say years of lawsuits and court rulings have clarified areas of the law and that the amendment is not required to protect a property owner’s equity.
