NEW ORLEANS — The City Council could file a lawsuit against the Louisiana secretary of state after claims that additional drop-off locations for absentee ballots are not allowed.
Council members will meet at 9 a.m. Wednesday to discuss that possibility.
The council planned to work with Sandra Wilson, the Orleans Parish registrar of voters, to put drop-off locations, staffed with employees from her office, around the city.
Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin said absentee ballots can only be dropped off at a registrar’s office. In Orleans Parish, that means City Hall or the Algiers Courthouse.
In a letter to Ardoin last week, the council told Ardoin it sees nothing in state law “that mandates delivery to the physical business office of the registrar or prohibits deputy registrars from accepting ballots at multiple locations.”
Among the reasons the council wanted to add drop-off spots was because of the COVID-19 outbreak.
“We therefore ask you to interpret the law in a way that eliminates barriers to safe access, not in a way that imposes them,” the letter read.
Ardoin responded Monday saying he cannot add extra drop-off locations.
A dispute about additional drop-off locations isn’t unique to New Orleans.In neighboring Texas, a federal appeals court hit pause on a ruling that would have lifted limits on drop-off locations, according to The Wall Street Journal.
In Ohio, a separate appeals court allowed the secretary of state to enforce his order that each county may set up one drop box at the county election board office, The Journal reported.
WYSO-FM, Dayton's NPR affiliate, reported Monday the Ohio secretary of state would allow multiple drop-off boxes, but only on county election board property.
Curbside drop-off in Louisiana will only be available Oct. 28 to Nov. 2 during office hours.
Jefferson Parish will add a curbside option at the Yenni and Odom buildings.
RELATED: Early voting begins Friday: All Louisiana registered voters can vote early; here's how & where
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