LAPLACE — Registrar Russell H. Jack Jr. and the rest of the St. John the Baptist Parish Registrar of Voters staff members want the public to know that it is as easy as ever to vote.

Jack and staff members are going on a seven-location tour next week across St. John Parish in support of Voter Registration and Education Week, with stops planned at local high schools and councils on aging.

“We’re trying to make an office-friendly environment so people take advantage of their right to vote,” Jack said. “It’s a very important issue. We’re also in the process of trying to make it easier and more convenient by trying to purchase (voting) machines where you just have to swipe your license to go ahead and vote. We want to make it easy and the least time consuming.”

The next Election Day is Oct. 14, when local voters weigh in on the Louisiana Treasurer’s race, statewide amendments and a local School Board tax renewal.

Chief Deputy Registrar Mary Numa said the in-person voter registration deadline is Sept. 13. Those who use the Geaux Vote App have until Sept. 23.

Community stops planned next week include:

• 10:30 a.m. Monday: St. John Council on Aging, 214 Regala Park Road, Reserve

• 9 a.m. Tuesday: East St. John High School, Reserve

• 8:30 a.m. Wednesday: Riverside Academy, Reserve

• 10:30 a.m. Wednesday: St. John Council on Aging, 155 East 3rd St., Edgard

• 8 a.m. Thursday: West St. John High School, Edgard

• 11:50 a.m. Thursday: St. Charles Catholic High School, LaPlace

• 10:30 a.m. Friday: Southeast Louisiana Veterans Home, Reserve

Jack asked community members interested in attending to either swing by the Council on Aging gatherings or call his office at 985-652-9797 or 985-331-4559.

The school events are not open to the public, Jack said.

“We want to get new voters signed up and educate them on the importance of voting,” Jack said. “We want to bring the message to seniors and future college students about new and more convenient ways to vote.”

Jack said senior citizens, in particular, can take advantage of mail-in ballots and avoid the hassles of Election Day polls.

The state has also asked local Registrars to drum up public interest in signing up new election commissioners

A former longtime School Board member, Jack said he has previously participated in youth voting drives, often finding them uninspiring. It’s something he would like to change next week.

“I don’t think voting is a top priority (for young people),” Jack said. “What I want to do is enlighten them and make it important to them to see why they need to take an interest in voting.”

There are approximately 29,770 registered voters in St. John Parish.

Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler said registering to vote is a right everyone should cherish.

“While this year is a slow election cycle for many communities, Louisiana will be electing a state treasurer this fall as well as hosting many local elections, propositions and constitutional amendments on the ballot,” Schedler said. “The first step in participating in government is to make sure you’re registered to vote and if not, now is a great time to do it. Then on Election Day it’s easy to GeauxVote!”

Louisiana was one of the first states to implement an online voter registration portal.

Citizens with a valid Louisiana driver’s license can register online 24 hours a day, seven days a week by visiting voterportal.sos.la.gov.

To register and vote in Louisiana individuals must:

• Be a U.S. citizen

• Be at least 17 (16 years old if registering in person at the Registrar of Voters Office or at the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles) to register and 18 years old prior to the next election to vote

• Not under an order of imprisonment for conviction of a felony

• Not under a judgment of full interdiction for mental incompetence