BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — A group of disability advocates filed a federal lawsuit against Louisiana after state lawmakers OK’d new laws targeting absentee ballots.
Federal documents show Disability Rights Louisiana filed a federal lawsuit alleging violations of the Voting Rights Act ahead of 2024 fall elections. The group believes four of the new laws, Act No. 302, Act No. 317, Act No. 380 and Act No. 712, would deprive individuals with disabilities from voting and threaten those who are attempting to assist with criminal charges.
Act 302 and Act 712 both criminalize being a witness on an absentee ballot who isn’t a family member.
Act 317 prohibits someone from giving more than one absentee ballot to a voter who isn’t an immediate family member.
Act 380 prohibits anyone from mailing more than one ballot for a voter who isn’t a family member.
The group states in the lawsuit that language from Acts 317 and 380 violates the text of the Voting Rights Act by prohibiting anyone from helping with the delivery of an absentee ballot, according to the complaint.
Language from Acts No. 302 and 712 is also believed to violate the Voting Rights Act by prohibiting someone from serving as a witness on more than one ballot.
A portion of the Voting Rights Act entitles individuals with disabilities to seek assistance from someone of their choice.
The Disability Rights Louisiana group is seeking an injunction to block the state from implementing all four new laws.
Secretary of State Nancy Landry and Attorney General Elizabeth Murrill are listed as defendants in the complaint.
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