Registrar of Voters Steve Raborn has announced that early voting for the October 12 statewide primary election will begin Saturday, September 28, and will be open each day — except Sunday, Sept. 29 — through Saturday, October 5. Voting hours at each early voting site are 8:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.

Early voting will be conducted at five locations in East Baton Rouge Parish:

• Registrar of Voters main office: City Hall, 222 St. Louis Street, Room 201
• Registrar of Voters southeast office: Fire Station Building, 11010 Coursey Blvd.
• Registrar of Voters Baker office: 2250 Main Street, Baker
• Louisiana State Archives Building: 3851 Essen Lane
• Central Branch Library: 11260 Joor Road, Central

During early voting, registered voters of East Baton Rouge Parish may vote at any early voting site within the parish.

This will be the first election in which early voting is held at the Central Branch Library.  In May, the Metro Council approved a resolution sponsored by Councilman Scott Wilson that authorized Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome to execute a Memorandum of Understanding with the Secretary of State, the Registrar of Voters, and the Library Director to establish the new early voting site.  The Metro Council also approved funding to provide the necessary equipment and supplies to operate the new site.

This will also be the first major election since the renovation and expansion of the Registrar of Voters branch office in Baker. The expanded office, which doubled in size, provides more space for early voting, including additional voter check-in stations and more voting machines than the previous office space could accommodate.

Raborn reminded early voters that they will be asked to identify themselves with either a photo ID or signature on a voter affidavit. Voters may use a driver's license, a Louisiana special ID, LA Wallet digital driver's license, or some other generally recognized picture ID that shows the voter’s name and signature.

 A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held at the new early voting site at the Central Branch Library on Thursday, September 26, at 3:30 p.m.