A new FAIR Elections Fund poll finds overwhelming bipartisan support for stronger election integrity measures. Conducted by Scott Rasmussen’s RMG Research, the survey of 1,000 registered voters reveals that Americans want secure voter rolls, accurate vote counts, strict voter ID requirements, and timely election results.

The results are clear: voters across the country favor many of the same policies that Louisiana already has in place. While other states struggle with election integrity, Louisiana provides the blueprint for the rest of the nation to get it right.

Ensuring Accurate Voter Rolls

Voter rolls are the foundation of election integrity, yet many states struggle to keep them clean and up to date. The poll found that 91% of voters support removing people who have died, moved, or are not citizens from the voter rolls. Louisiana has had her challenges in this space until just last year.

Louisiana law (La. R.S. 18:101) already prohibits non-citizens and non-residents from registering to vote. Furthermore, the state took a significant step forward in 2023 when Rep. Les Farnum’s Act 2 gave the Secretary of State direct oversight of the voter rolls. This authority had never before been allowed by law. This bill was Farnum’s third or fourth attempt to enable the Secretary of State to help clean up the rolls. Each time it passed overwhelmingly, but was ultimately vetoed by John Bel Edwards. One attempt at a veto override fell just one vote short. Thankfully, Jeff Landry understood its importance, as it was the second bill he signed into law during the 2024 regular session.

This new law ensures that outdated or fraudulent registrations are identified and removed, reducing the risk of illegal or duplicate voting. Last month, Nancy Landry signed a shared data agreement with neighboring states, which allows the various states to cooperate in cleaning up their voter rolls.

Ballot Security and Vote Matching

Another major concern for voters is ensuring that the number of ballots cast matches the number of recorded votes. The poll found that 88% of Americans support this measure.

This has long been standard practice in Louisiana. The state uses precinct-level ballot reconciliation, meaning that:

• Voting machine tabulations must match the number of people who signed the poll book.
• Poll workers manually verify each voter’s identity before allowing them to vote.
• A paper trail is maintained to ensure accountability.

These procedures prevent ballot stuffing and discrepancies, ensuring the legitimacy of election results.

Voter Identification: A Nationally Favored Policy

Voter ID laws remain one of the most widely supported election security measures. The survey found that:

• 87% of voters favor requiring a photo ID that confirms citizenship before voting.
• 86% support requiring proof of citizenship to register.
• 79% want photo ID requirements for mail-in ballots.

Louisiana has some of the strictest voter ID laws in the country. Under La. R.S. 18:562, voters must present a government-issued photo ID before casting a ballot. If they lack an ID, they must complete an affidavit and provide identifying information before casting a “provisional” ballot.

Unlike states that allow widespread no-excuse mail-in voting, Louisiana limits mail voting to select groups, such as military personnel and the elderly (La. R.S. 18:1303). These voters must have already verified their identity in person before being issued a ballot. This eliminates the risk of fraudulent mail-in ballots, which many voters see as a growing concern.

Election Deadlines and Timely Results

In many states, election results drag on for days or weeks as late-arriving mail ballots are counted. But voters overwhelmingly prefer clear deadlines and fast reporting:

• 85% of voters believe mail-in ballots should be received by Election Day.
• 74% support requiring election results to be reported by election night.

Louisiana law (La. R.S. 18:1313) ensures that mail-in ballots must be received by Election Day to be counted. Unlike states that accept ballots days later, Louisiana’s results are available promptly because all ballots are accounted for (and counted) on Election Night. This enhances public confidence and prevents ballot harvesting and post-election manipulation.

Voting Technology: Security vs. Convenience

Voters remain skeptical of electronic voting machines that are connected to the Internet. According to the poll, 80% support prohibiting voting machines from being accessible remotely.

Louisiana’s voting machines are NOT connected to the Internet. The state mandates air-gapped systems, which are completely isolated from external networks. This eliminates the risk of hacking or external interference. Additionally, Louisiana maintains a paper-based poll book system at polling places, which ensures election integrity even in the event of technological issues. Finally, the upcoming voting system upgrade, which is currently in the “promulgation of standards” stage, will include an auditable paper ballot.

Precinct-Based Voting vs. Parish-Wide Voting

One controversial issue in many states is whether voters should be allowed to cast ballots anywhere in their parish instead of their assigned precinct. The survey found that 68% of voters prefer precinct-based voting.

Louisiana requires voters to vote in their assigned precincts (La. R.S. 18:533). This prevents:

• Ballot harvesting schemes, where activists shuttle voters between locations.
• Confusion at polling places due to varying ballots.
• Voter fraud through multiple registrations.

Requiring voters to vote in their designated precincts ensures accuracy in local races and reduces the risk of election manipulation.

Conclusion: Louisiana Sets the Standard

While other states grapple with election integrity issues, Louisiana is the standard for nearly every policy that voters nationwide want most. From strict voter ID requirements to air-gapped voting machines, ballot reconciliation, and Election Night reporting, Louisiana’s election laws ensure accuracy, security, and transparency. Even with these things accomplished, Nancy Landry isn’t sitting back. She’s pressing forward to make our system even more secure and auditable with paper-based ballots.

Voters nationwide may continue debating these policies, but they’ve been standard practice in Louisiana for decades. Under Secretary of State Nancy Landry, the state continues to lead by example, proving that secure elections can be fair, efficient, and trusted by the public.