Let's say you are out for an evening with three friends and you attempting to decide what to do. One of the members of your party wants to go jump off a bridge. The other three don't have an opinion so by rule, it's off the bridge for all of you.

That sounds like a pretty stupid scenario that no right-thinking reasonable human being would be a part of, right? Well based on speculation from Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin, something very similar to that will be happening on November 13th when Louisiana voters should be going to the polls.

Can you believe that 76% of Louisiana's registered voters do not care enough about having their voices heard on the Constitutional Amendments that are on the November 13th ballot?  Many other municipalities will be holding local elections too. Not surprisingly the biggest turnout for the November 13th election will come in New Orleans. They have a Mayor's race happening there.

Arnaud Jaegers via Unsplash.com
Arnaud Jaegers via Unsplash.com
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Now, there is still time to turn those paltry possible poll numbers into something a lot more respectable. Early voting in Louisiana is still happening today and tomorrow. You can find out where you vote and why you're voting by visiting GEAUX VOTE .com. That's a website created by the Secretary of State's office that allows you to actually preview your ballot for specifically where you live.

The reason for the anticipated abysmal voter turnout is the lack of hotly contested races on the ballot. But there are four constitutional amendments that voters do need to weigh in on.

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Among the Amendments voters will consider are :

Constitutional Amendment No. 1 (ACT 131, 2021 – HB 199) — Authorizes streamlined electronic filing, remittance, and collection of sales and use tax.

Basically, this amendment would authorize the legislature to provide for streamlined electronic filing, remittance, and collection of sales and use taxes.

Constitutional Amendment No. 2 (ACT 134, 2021 – SB 159) — Lowers maximum allowed rate of income tax and allows providing a deduction for federal income taxes.

Basically, the amendment would lower the maximum allowable rate of individual income tax and provide for a deduction for federal income tax paid.

Constitutional Amendment No.3 (ACT 132, 2021 – SB 87) — Allows certain levee districts to levy an annual tax for certain purposes

Basically, this would allow levee districts the ability to approve and levy an annual tax not to exceed five mills for the purpose of maintaining levees and providing flood control.

Constitutional Amendment No. 4 (ACT 157,2021 – HB 487) — Increases amount of allowed reduction to certain dedicated funds when a budget deficit is projected

Basically, the amendment would allow for an increase in the allowable deficit reductions to statutory dedications and protected funds from five percent to ten percent.

Louisiana Voters Go To The Polls For State's Primary
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Now, if you've scanned through those Amendments and they don't make sense. You would not be alone. The Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana always does a great job of deescalating the language used in those Amendments and putting them in plain English. You can follow this link to their report. 

But the bottom line is this. Are you willing to sit back and let one out of four people determine the course of our state, parish, and city? If you are, then enjoy your weekend and please keep your mouth shut about the way things are run in our government.

In other words, I hope you'll go vote either with Early Voting or on next Saturday when the polls open.

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