Harding et al v. Edwards et al

Filing 89

ORDER granting in part and denying in part 31 MOTION for Preliminary Injunction as written. Signed by Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick on 9/16/2020. (LLH)

Case 3:20-cv-00495-SDD-RLB

Document 89

09/16/20 Page 1 of 2

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
MIDDLE DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA

JENNIFER HARDING, et al
CIVIL ACTION
VERSUS
20-495-SDD-RLB
JOHN BEL EDWARDS, et al

ORDER
For written reasons1 assigned this day, the Motion for Preliminary Injunction (Rec.
Doc. No. 31) is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part, as follows:
Plaintiffs’ Motion for injunctive relief to increase the period of early voting for the
November 3, 2020 Presidential General and Open Congressional Primary Election to
thirteen days is hereby DENIED;
The Court hereby GRANTS more limited injunctive relief as to early voting. It is
hereby ORDERED that the period of early voting for the November 3, 2020 Presidential
General and Open Congressional Primary Election be increased to a ten-day period
which shall run from Friday, October 16, 2020 to Tuesday, October 27, 2020 (excluding
Sunday, October 17 and Sunday, October 25) from 8:00am to 7:00pm each day;
Plaintiffs’ Motion for injunctive relief to increase the period of early voting for the
December 5, 2020 Open General/Congressional/Republican State Central Committee
(RSCC) Election is hereby DENIED;

1

Rec. Doc. 88.

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Case 3:20-cv-00495-SDD-RLB

Document 89

09/16/20 Page 2 of 2

Plaintiffs’ Motion for injunctive relief to enjoin entirely the operation of the Excuse
Requirement set forth in Louisiana Revised Statute §18:1303 is hereby DENIED;
Plaintiffs’ alternative Motion for injunctive relief to temporarily expand the Excuse
Requirement set forth in Louisiana Revised Statute §18:1303 and extend the availability
of the COVID-19 Ballot Application that was used during the July and August 2020
elections is GRANTED. The Defendants are ORDERED to make available the same
COVID-19 Ballot Application that was used during the July and August 2020 elections
and to provide absentee by mail ballots to voters who validly request them pursuant to
the COVID-19 Ballot Application for both the November 3, 2020 Presidential General and
Open

Congressional

Primary

Election

and

the

December

5,

2020

Open General/Congressional/Republican State Central Committee (RSCC) Election.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, this 16th day of September 2020.

S

____________________________________
SHELLY D. DICK, CHIEF DISTRICT JUDGE
MIDDLE DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA

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