Louisiana early voting for Nov. 8 Congress election begins soon: What to know

Louisiana early voting for the Nov. 8 election begins Oct. 25 in a national referendum on whether Democrats remain in control of Congress or Republicans take over.

Republican Louisiana U.S. Sen. John Kennedy is defending his seat against top Democratic contenders Gary Chambers Jr. and Luke Mixon, while five of Louisiana's six House seats are in play.

Fourth District Republican Congressman Mike Johnson was reelected without opposition, while Republican Louisiana U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy isn't up for reelection until 2026.

But there are also key local campaigns for voters to consider with mayoral races in two of the state's population hubs - Alexandria and Shreveport - in play, judgeships across Louisiana and 10 proposed state constitutional amendments on the ballot.

Candidates can't ignore early voting, which has grown enormously in popularity during the past decade.

"Over the years, we have seen more and more Louisiana voters choose the convenience of early voting," Republican Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin told USA Today Network. "Just 10 years ago, during the 2012 presidential election, about 15% of all votes were cast early in person. In 2020, that number was just under 38%."

Jeremy Alford, publisher of LaPolitics Weekly and The Tracker, expects the number of early voters to continue to grow and the candidates to escalate their courtship of them.

"Aside from inflation, the growing importance of the early voting process is to blame for how expensive campaigns in Louisiana have become," Alford said. "Advertising, direct mail, canvassing and everything else starts sooner and lasts longer here because of early voting. Few things have changed Louisiana campaigns more in such a short period of time. Everyone wants a piece of it."

Early voting in Louisiana for the Nov. 8 election is 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. from Oct. 25-Nov. 1, excluding Sunday, Oct. 30.

For those who want the convenience of voting by mail, the deadline to request an absentee ballot is 4:30 p.m. Nov. 4 other than for those in the military and overseas. Voters can request an absentee ballot online through the secretary of state's Voter Portal or in writing through parish registrars of voters.

The deadline for a registrar of voters to receive a voted absentee ballot is 4:30 p.m. Nov. 8 other than for those in the military or overseas.

Election Day polls are open from 6 a.m.-8 p.m.

Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Louisiana early voting 2022: What to know about Nov. 8 election