Voters’ choices not restricted by party affiliation
Published 7:13 am Monday, October 31, 2016
<span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: ‘Lucida Sans’;" class="R~sep~ACopyBody">If you are registered as Democrat and you vote Republican, does your vote go to the Democrat side or the Republican side?</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">It goes to the candidate you se</span><span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">lect.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Voters’ registered party affiliation has no effect on how their votes are counted — though state law restricts voting in parties’ committee elections to party members only.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">From Louisiana R.S. 18:521: “All persons who have registered to vote in this state prior to the time the registration records are closed … may vote in the election for any candidates except those seeking membership on a committee of a political party with which the voter is not registered as being affiliated.”</span>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">Online:</span> <span class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">www.geauxvote.com.</span>
<span class="R~sep~AHeadBrief">Stop sign on ramp for exiting traffic</span>
<span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: ‘Lucida Sans’;" class="R~sep~ACopyBody">The I-10 exit ramp to Enterprise Boulevard has a yield sign when you get off the ramp, but there’s also a stop sign.</span>
<span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: ‘Lucida Sans’;" class="R~sep~ACopyBody">And people are not stopping because they don’t know if it’s for those exiting the Enterprise Boulevard ramp or for those that are coming up on the side street.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">The stop sign — which is preceded on the ramp’s descent by first a “yield ahead” sign and then a “stop ahead” sign and then a yield sign — is for the traffic exiting Interstate 10.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Remember, traffic already on a roadway generally has the right of way over traffic seeking to enter that roadway.</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">When to yield the right of way, according to the Louisiana Class E driver’s license guide:</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">“At yield sign intersections — slow down to a reasonable speed and stop if required. Proceed ahead only when you can do so without interfering with approaching traffic.”</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">“Left turns — the driver making a left turn must yield the right-of-way to oncoming traffic, including bicyclists.”</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">“To emergency vehicles that are sounding a siren and flashing warning lights. Pull over to the right edge of the roadway clear of intersections and stop until the emergency vehicle has passed. Watch for other emergency vehicles. This applies to traffic in both directions.”</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">“To pedestrians legally crossing the roadway on which you are driving (marked or unmarked crosswalks).”</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">“To persons using a guide dog for the visually impaired.”</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">“To persons using a white cane with or with out a red tip.”</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">“At uncontrolled intersections where vehicles are already in the intersection.”</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">“At ‘T’ intersections where you must yield to vehicles on the through road.”</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">“When driving on an unpaved road that intersects with a paved road.”</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">“When returning to the roadway after the car is parked.”</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">“When entering a road from a driveway, alley or roadside you must yield to vehicles already on the main road.”</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">“At controlled intersections and 4-way stop intersections.”</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">“When two vehicles approach an intersection at the same time, the driver on the left must yield the right-of-way to the vehicle on the right.”</span>
<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">A final note from the guide: “The rules apply to all users of the road, including bicyclists, but you should never insist on taking the right-of-way. If other drivers or pedestrians are not following the rules, let them have the right-of-way even if it belongs to you.”</span>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">Online:</span> <span class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">www.expresslane.org.</span>
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<span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">The I</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">nform</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">er answers questions from rea</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">ders each Sunday, Monday a</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">nd Wednesday. It is re</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">searched and written by</span> <span style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">Andrew Perzo</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">, an</span> <span style="font-style: italic; font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">American Press</span> <span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">staff wri</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">ter. To ask a question, call</span> <span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">494-409</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">8 and leave voice mail, or ema</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">il informer@americanpress.com.</span>