Louisiana task force hears students and organizers on barriers to voting; calls for clearer rules and sustained outreach

Ashley Shelton, chair of the Task Force on Ensuring Voter Participation in the Political Process, convened the panel in Baton Rouge and heard more than a dozen student and community witnesses who described persistent barriers that depress turnout among young people, immigrants and formerly incarcerated residents.

"One of the greatest barriers we face is a lack of voter education," said Josiah Davis, a student witness, summing up a recurring theme that students and organizers echoed in testimony. Witnesses repeatedly said confusing ballot language, registration deadlines, address-change rules and limited polling access make voting difficult for first-time and transient voters.

The task force heard specific proposals backed by research. Dr. Eugene Lee Johnson of Southern University presented a campaign framework grounded in empirical evidence: reduce administrative friction, mobilize through trusted messengers and peer-to-peer outreach, provide plain-language materials and build feedback loops so citizens see tangible results from participation. "Reducing friction increases participation," Johnson told the panel.

Representatives of civic groups described how those principles look in practice. Sherry Thomas of the Justice and Accountability Center outlined a four-step model—education, engagement, advocacy and action—used in "Pumps to the Polls" and similar university partnerships that combine classroom instruction with door-to-door follow-up and rides to the polls. "We don't just give them a call to action. We give them a place to go and actually take action," Thomas said.

Speakers also raised implementation problems for existing law. Christie Green of the League of Women Voters said a 2023 statute meant to expand high-school registration opportunities is being applied unevenly; she said guidance from the Secretary of State has led some districts to block third-party registration groups from campuses. The League urged the task force to examine compliance and to clarify the statute's definition of "partisan" activity.

Max Martin of the Power Coalition framed the problem at a structural level, arguing Louisiana's uncompetitive districts, racial and geographic stratification and frequent local elections reduce incentives to register and vote: "We have a terrible convergence of really perverse political incentives that lead to a dismal voter registration and voter participation," he said.

Panelists emphasized groups often left out of typical outreach. Sharan Naji of the Louisiana Organization for Refugees and Immigrants recommended bilingual outreach and community ambassadors, noting the state's roughly 3,460,000 eligible voters include many people who face language and trust barriers. Chico Yancey of VOTE described efforts to reach jails and formerly incarcerated people and confirmed that, under current rules explained at the meeting, many formerly incarcerated residents can regain voting rights and register.

Task force members asked witnesses for concrete next steps—funding models for youth-led groups, campus partnerships, and statutory clarifications on school access and the meaning of "partisan." Chair Shelton said the task force would gather additional materials (including written testimony from ACLU Louisiana), hold follow-up meetings, and work toward evidence-based recommendations for the upcoming legislative session.

The panel adjourned with members and staff assigned follow-up homework and a schedule to draft legislative options based on the testimony and research presented.