NEW ORLEANS — Louisiana's online voter registration portal was reportedly unavailable due to "scheduled maintenance" for part of National Voter Registration Day on Tuesday, prompting outrage and accusations of voter suppression.
It is unclear when the maintenance began, but screenshots of the secretary of state's website included a message that said the website would be offline until midnight on September 23. As of 7 a.m. Wednesday the website appeared to be working again.
According to Gambit staff writer Sarah Ravits, unregistered voters, voters who needed to update their registration and voters requesting absentee ballots couldn't register, update their registration or request an absentee ballot for some time on National Voter Registration Day.
"Last night our website experienced a short delay due to maintenance, an unfortunate error for which I take full responsibiliy," Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin said Wednesday. "For anyone who wishes to register or change their registration, there is still time."
The deadline to register to vote in-person and by-mail is Oct. 5, while online registration continues through Oct. 13.
Still need to register? Voter registration in Louisiana: Who can register, when is the deadline? More
"Unacceptable — and during a pandemic," New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell wrote on Facebook, sharing a screenshot of the website. "This is beyond reprehensible, absolute dereliciton of duty at such a critical time for our city and our nation."
Rep. Royce Duplessis, a New Orleans Democrat and vice chair of the House and Governmental Affairs Committee, condemned the timing of the site’s “maintenance” shutdown, calling it a disgrace.
Several social media companies, activists and politicians - including Ardoin - promoted voter registration Tuesday as part of National Voter Registration Day and Voter Regsitration Week.
The offline website could become another flashpoint in a series of disputes between Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards and Ardoin and fellow Republican state lawmakers on voting access for November's presidential election amid a pandemic.
Last week, a federal judge ruled that Louisiana must reinstate coronavirus pandemic voting plans used for summer elections rather than using a more restrictive plan approved by the legislature.
U.S. District Chief Judge Shelly Dick says the state must allow mail voting for people with conditions that make COVID-19 more dangerous, and their caretakers. She also ordered expansion of early voting from seven days to 10 in November, but not in December.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
