Louisiana Amendment 1, Ban on Private or Foreign Funding of Election Costs Amendment (October 2023)
| Louisiana Amendment 1 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date October 14, 2023 | |
| Topic Elections and campaigns and Administration of government | |
Status Approved | |
| Type Constitutional amendment | Origin State legislature |
Louisiana Amendment 1, the Ban on Private or Foreign Funding of Election Costs Amendment, was on the ballot in Louisiana as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment on October 14, 2023.[1] The ballot measure was approved.
A "yes" vote supported prohibiting state and local governments from using funds, goods, and services donated by foreign governments or nongovernmental (private) sources for the purpose of conducting elections. |
A "no" vote opposed prohibiting state and local governments from using funds, goods, and services donated by foreign governments or nongovernmental (private) sources for the purpose of conducting elections. |
Election results
|
Louisiana Amendment 1 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
|
|
734,324 | 72.57% | ||
| No | 277,564 | 27.43% | ||
Overview
What did Amendment 1 do?
- See also: Text of measure
The amendment prohibited state and local governments from using funds, goods, and services donated by foreign governments or nongovernmental (private) sources for the purpose of conducting elections. Specifically, it added a provision to the Louisiana Constitution stating that "No funds, goods, or services donated by a foreign government or a nongovernmental source shall be used to conduct elections unless provided for in the election code and subject to restrictions provided by general law."[1]
Do other states have bans on private funding for election administration?
As of June 2023, 25 states had enacted legislation to prohibit private funding for election administration. According to NCSL, these laws were enacted in 2021 or 2022. Twenty-one of the 25 states that have enacted legislation restricting the use of private funds for election administration had Republican trifectas at the time of enactment. The remaining four had divided governments.[2]
This is the first state constitutional amendment designed to ban private or foreign election funding. In 2022, voters in Michigan approved an amendment that allowed local governments to accept charitable and in-kind donations to assist with running elections as long as donations are disclosed and aren’t from foreign entities.
How did Louisiana legislators vote on this amendment?
- See also: Path to the ballot
In Louisiana, a two-thirds supermajority vote is needed in each chamber of the Louisiana State Legislature to refer a legislatively referred constitutional amendment to the ballot for voter consideration.
This amendment was introduced as House Bill 311 on April 3, 2023. It was passed in the House by a vote of 70-30 on May 18, 2023. Among House Republicans, 67 were in favor, none were opposed, and three were absent or not voting. Among House Democrats, three voted in favor, 28 were opposed, and two were absent or not voting. Two Independent members of the House voted against the amendment.[1]
The Senate passed the bill on June 8 along partisan lines by a vote of 27-12 with Republicans in favor and Democrats opposed.[1]
What did supporters and opponents say about this amendment?
- See also: Support and Opposition
State Representative Blake Miguez (R-49), who sponsored the amendment in the House, said, "With the passage of HB 311, the Republican legislative supermajority in Louisiana took a strong step today towards prohibiting the use of foreign and private funds to pay for any part of our election system. In October, the voters of Louisiana will get a voice in strengthening election integrity in our beloved state."[3]
Democracy Docket, an organization that describes itself as a progressive source of analysis on elections and voting, said, "Should voters approve the ban in October, Louisiana will be the latest GOP state to enact such a ban. These measures are fueled by election conspiracy theories and could make chronic underfunding of our elections offices even worse."[4]
Text of measure
Ballot question
The ballot question for the amendment was as follows:[1]
| “ |
Do you support an amendment to prohibit the use of funds, goods, or services from a foreign government or a nongovernmental source for the conduct of elections and election functions and duties unless the use is authorized by law or by the secretary of state in accordance with policies established in accordance with law? (Adds Article XI, Section 6)[5] |
” |
Constitutional changes
- See also: Article XI, Louisiana Constitution
The ballot measure added a Section 6 to Article XI of the Louisiana Constitution. The following underlined text was added:[1]
| §6. Use of Monies, Goods, or Services for Conduct of Elections; Prohibitions
No funds, goods, or services donated by a foreign government or a nongovernmental source shall be used to conduct elections unless provided for in the election code and subject to restrictions provided by general law.[5] |
Support
Louisiana Voter Protection PAC led the Yes on 1 campaign in support of the amendment.
Supporters
Officials
- State Rep. Blake Miguez (R)
Organizations
- Association of Mature American Citizens
- Election Integrity Network
- Election Transparency Initiative
- Louisiana Freedom Caucus
- State Freedom Caucus Network
Arguments
Opposition
Opponents
Organizations
Arguments
Campaign finance
Louisiana Voter Protection PAC registered to support the amendment. The committee reported $0 in contributions and $3,463.69 in expenditures.[6]
| Cash Contributions | In-Kind Contributions | Total Contributions | Cash Expenditures | Total Expenditures | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $3,463.69 | $3,463.69 |
| Oppose | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Support
The following table includes contribution and expenditure totals for the committee in support of Amendment 1.[6]
| Committees in support of Amendment 1 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Committee | Cash Contributions | In-Kind Contributions | Total Contributions | Cash Expenditures | Total Expenditures |
| Louisiana Voter Protection PAC | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $3,463.69 | $3,463.69 |
| Total | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $3,463.69 | $3,463.69 |
Opposition
Ballotpedia did not locate a campaign in opposition to the ballot measure.
Methodology
To read Ballotpedia's methodology for covering ballot measure campaign finance information, click here.
Background
Laws governing private funding for election administration
As of June 2023, 25 states had enacted legislation to prohibit private funding for election administration. According to NCSL, these laws were enacted in 2021 or 2022. Twenty-one of the 25 states that have enacted legislation restricting the use of private funds for election administration had Republican trifectas at the time of enactment. Of the remaining four, three had Republican-controlled legislatures and Democratic governors, while in Virginia, Democrats controlled the Senate, and Republicans controlled the House of Delegates and the governorship.[7] The following map shows the states that enacted legislation to prohibit private funding for election administration purposes as of January 2023, with Louisiana highlighted in yellow:
Mark Zuckerberg donations to Center for Tech and Civil Life (CTCL) and Center for Election Innovation and Research
In the run-up to the November 3, 2020, general election, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Dr. Priscilla Chan, donated $350 million to the Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL). They also donated $50 million to the Center for Election Innovation and Research, saying the money was intended to help "election officials across the nation reach their voters with critical information about voter registration, mail voting, early voting, polling locations and hours, and the vote-counting process."[8]
These donations sparked debate about the propriety of non-governmental entities providing private funding for election administration efforts. In a Newsweek op-ed, the Brennan Center's Wendy Weiser and Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, said, "[The COVID-19] pandemic poses a national emergency impacting the very foundation of our democracy, and the Senate adjourned until Labor Day without giving states and local officials the funding they need to run safe and fair elections this fall. … We have reached an extraordinary point where we have no choice but to look to civil society—the business community and other private groups and organizations—to help fill the breach." Scott Walter, president of the Capital Research Center, said that CTCL staffers were former Democratic Party operatives whose goal was to improve Democrats' electoral prospects: "Can you imagine if the Charles Koch Foundation were to become involved with election officials? It would be front page news in The New York Times."[9][10] For more information about about CTCL grants given to local election officials in 2020, see this article.
Private funding legislation
In 2021 and 2022, state legislatures across the U.S. considered bills that were designed to, if enacted, prohibit or otherwise regulate the use of private funding for election administration.
The table below lists private funding bills introduced during or carried over to each state's 2022 legislative session. The following information is included for each bill:
- State
- Bill number
- Official name or caption
- Most recent action date
- Legislative status
- Topics dealt with by the bill
Bills are organized alphabetically, first by state and then by bill number. The table displays up to 100 results by default. To view additional results, use the arrows in the upper-right corner of the table. For more information about a particular bill, simply click the bill number. This will open a separate page with additional information.
Odd-year ballot measures in Louisiana
A total of 56 constitutional amendments appeared on the statewide ballot in Louisiana during odd-numbered years from 1999 through 2021. Of the 56 amendments, 37 (67.27%) were approved and 19 (34.54%) were defeated.
| Legislatively-referred constitutional amendments, 1999-2021 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total number | Approved | Percent approved | Defeated | Percent defeated | Odd-year average | Odd-year median | Odd-year minimum | Odd-year maximum | |
| 56 | 37 | 67.27% | 19 | 34.54% | 5 | 4 | 0 | 16 | |
Path to the ballot
- See also: Amending the Louisiana Constitution
In Louisiana, a two-thirds vote is needed in each chamber of the Louisiana State Legislature to refer a legislatively referred constitutional amendment to the ballot for voter consideration.
This amendment was introduced as House Bill 311 on April 3, 2023. It was passed in the House by a vote of 70-30 on May 18, 2023. The Senate passed the bill on June 8 along partisan lines by a vote of 27-12 with Republicans in favor and Democrats opposed.[1]
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How to cast a vote
- See also: Voting in Louisiana
Click "Show" to learn more about current voter registration rules, identification requirements, and poll times in Louisiana.
| How to cast a vote in Louisiana | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Poll timesIn Louisiana, polls are open from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Central time for Tuesday elections. For Saturday elections, polls open at 7:00 a.m. If the polls close while a voter is in line, he or she will still be permitted to vote.[11][12] Registration
To vote in Louisiana, one must be a United States citizen who resides in the state and parish in which he or she registers. A voter must be at least 18 years old by Election Day.[13] Registration completed via mail or in person must occur at least 30 days before Election Day. Registration completed online must occur at least 20 days before Election Day. Registrants must present a valid form of identification to register. Pre-registration is available beginning at age 16.[13] Voters may register in person at any Registrar of Voters office or any of the following places:[13]
Automatic registrationLouisiana does not practice automatic voter registration. Online registration
Louisiana has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website. Same-day registrationLouisiana does not allow same-day voter registration. Residency requirementsLouisiana law requires 20 days of residency in the state before a person may vote. Verification of citizenshipLouisiana does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. Verifying your registrationThe site Geaux Vote, run by the Louisiana Secretary of State office, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.
Voter ID requirementsLouisiana requires voters to present photo identification while voting.[14] Voters can present the following forms of identification. This list was current as of April 11, 2023. Click here to ensure you have the most current information.
Voters who do not have accepted ID may vote by completing a voter identification affidavit. By law, voters who sign an affidavit may be challenged.[15] Registered voters can bring their voter information card to the Office of Motor Vehicles to receive a free Louisiana special identification card.[14] | |||||
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Louisiana State Legislature, "House Bill 311," accessed April 4, 2023
- ↑ NCSL, "Prohibiting Private Funding of Elections," accessed August 24, 2022
- ↑ The Federalist, "Louisiana Sends Constitutional Amendment Proposal Banning ‘Zuckbucks’ In Elections To Voters For Approval," accessed June 26, 2023
- ↑ Democracy Docket, "Louisiana Legislature Proposes Amendment to Ban Private Grants for Election Administration," accessed June 26, 2023
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source. Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "quotedisclaimer" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 6.0 6.1 Louisiana Ethics Administration Program, "Louisiana Voter Protection PAC," accessed November 10, 2023
- ↑ NCSL, "Prohibiting Private Funding of Elections," accessed August 24, 2022
- ↑ Facebook, "Mark Zuckerberg: October 13, 2020," accessed March 23, 2021
- ↑ Newsweek, "Let the Private Sector Help Save the Election. We Have No Choice | Opinion," September 2, 2020
- ↑ Legal Newsline, "Center for Tech and Civic Life: Democratic election operatives masquerading as concerned voters’ group, critic says," August 24, 2020
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, "FAQ: Voting on Election Day," accessed April 11, 2023
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, "Vote on Election Day," accessed April 11, 2023
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Louisiana Secretary of State, "Register to Vote," accessed April 11, 2023
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Louisiana Secretary of State, "Vote on Election Day," accessed October 3, 2019
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, "Louisiana voters' bill of rights and voting information," accessed April 11, 2023
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