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Early voting is now underway for the special emergency election called for Saturday, April 30, for the city of Bogalusa.

This is an emergency election to allow the voters to decide whether to renew the city’s property tax of 5 mills for the Choctaw Landfill and the city’s sales tax of a quarter percent for wastewater.

The landfill property tax has been levied since 1985. It provides approximately $420,000 in revenue that is exclusively for the use of the Choctaw Landfill. This tax is not used to pay for weekly trash pickup. Trash pickup is provided by a third party, and that charge is included on the monthly water bill. The tax is what pays for the weekly trash picked up to be disposed of at the landfill. It also allows citizens of the city of Bogalusa to dispose of items at the landfill at no charge. Without this revenue, the cost for weekly trash disposal will have to be passed on to customers on their monthly water bills, city officials said.

The wastewater sales tax is also a renewal, which provides approximately $663,000 in revenue. The funds are used exclusively for construction, acquiring, improving, extending, maintaining and operating the sewers and sewage treatment and disposal facilities for the city. City officials said that without this revenue, sewer rates on monthly water bills may have to be increased.

Early voting began Saturday, April 16, and will continue through Saturday, April 23, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Bogalusa citizens who wish to vote early should do so at the Northshore Technical Community College campus on Sullivan Drive, or at the parish courthouse in Franklinton.

Voters are encouraged to utilize Louisiana’s award-winning, free smartphone app, GeauxVote Mobile, to locate parish early voting locations, Election Day voting sites, or view their sample ballot. GeauxBot, the virtual voter assistant, is also available to access pertinent election information such as registration deadlines, election dates, polling locations, and hours. GeauxBot is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week by visiting online at voterportal.sos.la.gov or by selecting “Elections and Voting” on sos.la.gov.

In addition to a Louisiana driver’s license, a Louisiana Special ID or a generally recognized ID with picture and signature, voters may use a digital license via LA Wallet.

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