Clerk of Court Lynn Jones stated that election agencies have been meeting daily to make contingency plans since hurricane Laura hit nearly a month ago. The Clerk’s office is in constant communication with the Secretary of State’s office as well as the office of Calcasieu Registrar of Voters.
Jones said “Due to the massive destruction Hurricane Laura caused throughout Calcasieu parish, immediate plans had to be put in place to secure early voting and election day voting sites. Because nearly 70% of polling locations will be relocated, there will be significant changes to where voters will be casting their ballots. Many will be consolidated into mega sites which will include facilities such as the Lake Charles Civic Center, Burton Coliseum, the West Cal Center in Sulphur as well as several churches and other facilities, while some precincts will be moved to existing precincts that have the space to accommodate them. DeQuincy, Vinton, Westlake, Starks, Moss Bluff, Carlyss, Iowa, and surrounding areas will still be voting in or near their communities, but several precinct locations will be relocated due to heavy damage.”