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Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin is reminding Louisiana citizens that Saturday is an election day.

In Washington Parish, the lone item on the ballot is whether to renew an 18-mill property tax issue for 10 more years. This is a renewal of an existing tax, which includes no increase from the current rate, and helps to support Riverside Medical Center in Franklinton.

Voters in 22 of the parish’s 41 precincts are eligible to participate in Saturday’s election.

The actual text of the ballot referendum is as follows:

“Shall Washington Parish Hospital Service District No. 1, State of Louisiana (the “District), be authorized to continue to levy a tax of eighteen (18) mills on all property subject to taxation within the District (an estimated $1,600,000 reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year), for a period of ten (10) years, beginning with the year 2022 and ending with the year 2031, for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, improving, maintaining and operating the hospital and medical buildings and facilities, including equipment and fixtures, of the District?”

In preparation for Saturday’s election, Ardoin encourages voters to remember:

• Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Anyone in line at 8 p.m. will be allowed to vote.
• Voters can find their polling location and sample ballot by downloading the GeauxVote Mobile app for smartphones or by visiting www.GeauxVote.com.
• Voters can sign up for text alerts via GeauxVote Mobile.
• Voters should bring an ID with them to vote (Louisiana driver’s license, Louisiana Special ID card, a generally recognized picture identification card with name and signature such as a passport or a digital license via LA Wallet). Voters without an ID will be required to fill out an affidavit but will be allowed to vote.
• Election results can be viewed in real-time via GeauxVote Mobile or at www.sos.la.gov.

Due to COVID-19, some polling places located at nursing homes, senior centers, or other senior-related locations have been moved in accordance with the Secretary of State’s Emergency Election Plan. Parish registrars of voters have also notified affected voters by mail with their polling relocations. Parishes with polling location changes include Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Catahoula, Jefferson, Madison, Natchitoches, Orleans, Ouachita, St. James, St. Mary, St. Tammany and Washington. The list of polling location changes can be viewed on the Secretary of State website (sos.la.gov).

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, polling commissioners will be supplied with personal protective equipment and will regularly sanitize designated areas and wipe down voting machines. Hand sanitizer will be provided to voters and masks are recommended, although not required.

Thirty-eight parishes have parish-wide and/or limited jurisdiction proposition elections, including Washington, Tangipahoa, Acadia, Allen, Ascension, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bossier, Calcasieu, Catahoula, Claiborne, Franklin, Grant, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson Davis, Lafourche, LaSalle, Lincoln, Livingston, Madison, Morehouse, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, Red River, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, Terrebonne, Union, Vermilion, Webster and West Baton Rouge. Six parishes have a run-off and parish-wide/local proposition elections, including St. Tammany, Concordia, East Baton Rouge, Jefferson, Natchitoches and Ouachita. Three parishes have run-off elections only, including East Feliciana, Evangeline and Orleans.

For more information, contact the state’s Elections Division at 1-800-883-2805 or elections@sos.la.gov.