Spring Election Plan: COVID-19 Ballot Applications, No Expansion For Early In-Person Voting The House and Senate Governmental Affairs Committees approved the plan without objection and without the bitter partisan debate that derailed the approval process last year. The full legislature and Gov. John Bel Edwards still need to sign off before the plan can take effect. Edwards has indicated that he will approve the emergency election plan when it reaches his desk. The emergency rules would apply to the Feb. 6 special election to fill a vacant state House seat in Lake Charles, the March 20 and April 24 municipal elections, and in the yet-to-be-scheduled special elections in the 2nd and 5th congressional districts. Administration officials have said Edwards is planning to schedule the special elections for March 20 with a potential runoff on April 24, but cannot make that official until Richmond formally steps down.