During a press conference this past Monday, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry signed new legislation to end election interference.

Pen to Paper

On Monday, Governor Landry was accompanied by Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill and Secretary of State Nancy Landry while he signed Executive Order Number JML 24-136 into law. The order makes it a requirement to hold a Louisiana driver's license or state-issued identification to qualify to vote.

A long-standing goal of the Republican party has been to eliminate voting as many have pointed to illegal immigration as a concern in American elections, the fear being that noncitizens who enter the country illegally would sway the results of an election. Others in favor of stricter voting laws may be more focused on maintaining the integrity of elections so that legal noncitizens may not vote. The Heritage Foundation, a conservative nonprofit, claims that in Virginia alone more than 11,000 noncitizens have been listed on the state's records in the last decade.

Legal Action

The Governor's latest executive order will be executed through every branch agency in the state that's related to the process of voter registration. The order declares that during the voter registration process notice must be given that only United States Citizens may register and vote in Louisiana.

The notice will be given as a disclaimer that reads "The Louisiana Constitution prohibits non-citizens from registering and voting. Therefore, it is illegal for non-citizens to register and vote In Louisiana." The executive order clarifies that no one will be prohibited from applying for voter registration regardless.

The order requires that the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles provide the Secretary of State with a list of non-permanent residents or noncitizens who hold a state-issued identification card, so that they may be vetted from the voting process.