KEY TAKEAWAYS: Louisiana replaces jungle primary with closed primary system for major races Voters must choose party ballots; unaffiliated voters can select at polls First primary set for May 16, with runoffs on June 27 Officials warn of potential voter confusion and urge registration checks   Candidates will square off for control of Congress and key state-level offices in Louisiana next month in the state’s switch to closed party primaries. Voters can opt for the party ballot that aligns with their registration or switch parties to vote in the primary of their choice, which leads some to label the new system a “semi-closed” primary. This new voting process, one of Gov. Jeff Landry‘s signature accomplishments, applies only to races for the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, Louisiana Supreme Court, Public Service Commission and the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Party candidates will compete against each other in the May 16 election, and any needed party runoffs will be held June 27. The winners advance to the Nov. 3 general election, when Democrats and Republicans square off against each other, and voters from all parties can vote. With just two exceptions, Louisiana has held open or “jungle” primaries for decades. In that system, all candidates for a particular office are placed on the same ballot. All voters, regardless party affiliation, can select any candidate. Candidates in an open primary can win office outright by getting more than 50% of the vote, which is how Landry won the governor’s race in 2023. Louisiana has diverted from the jungle primary just twice since 1975 for its congressional elections in 2008 and again in 2010, when Landry was elected to the 3rd District U.S. House seat. There will be party-specific ballots for the May 16 election. As of April 1, Louisiana had 1.07 registered Democrat voters and 1.05 million Republicans, according to the most recent figures from the Secretary of State‘s elections office. There are also more than 838,000 voters in Louisiana without a party affiliation or who belong to minor or “third” parties. As of Aug. 1 last year, the Independent Party is no longer recognized in Louisiana as part of the state’s move back to closed primaries. Voters with no party registration can choose to vote as a Democrat or Republican but are committed to that party through the June 27 runoffs. Third-party voters, such as Libertarian or Green Party members, will only see constitutional amendments and local races on their ballots. No third-party candidates qualified for the major races on the May ballot. The party-switching scenario was discussed at length during a March 27 Public Affairs Research Council webinar with the Secretary of State Nancy Landry, the state’s top election official. She confirmed there is nothing in current state law to prevent the practice, as switching parties could be considered a protected right under the First Amendment. “There’s no limit on changing your actual party affiliation,” said Nancy Landry, who’s not related to the governor. How we got here  Louisiana abandoned the closed primary ballot for federal elections after the 2008 and 2010 cycles over cost and voter confusion. In 2024, the Louisiana Legislature approved the return to closed primaries, giving the secretary of state two years to plan for the switch. In the March 27 webinar, Nancy Landry said she feels her office had adequate time and resources to train election officials and educate voters about the changes. However, she said she expects at least some confusion at the polls and has emphasized she was not behind the move to a new system. She encouraged voters who dislike the new form of elections to contact their legislators and let them know. “This was not an initiative of mine or my office,” Nancy Landry said. “This was something the legislature and the governor wanted to do. And as secretary of state, we just wanted to implement it with integrity.” Adding to potential confusion are recent news reports that the secretary of state has moved 500,000 registered voters to an “inactive” list to comply with federal policy. These voters haven’t been purged or removed from the voter rolls but were marked inactive because they haven’t voted in at least 10 years. However, some voters have reported they were declared inactive despite voting in recent elections. Residents can rectify their voter status through the Louisiana Secretary of State’s website or their parish registrar’s office. They can also vote in the May election, which should automatically reactivate them. Voters won’t be turned away at the polls just for being on the inactive list, but officials say it’s a good idea to check one’s registration ahead of time. Election exceptions Two races on the May 16 ballot will be settled without the need for a June runoff or the November general election. The Louisiana Supreme Court District 1 race features two Republicans, Judges Billy Burris and Blair Downing Edwards, as Democrats did not field any candidates for the race. Two other Supreme Court races this year have already been decided. District 3 Justice Cade Cole and District 4 Justice Jay McCallum, both Republicans, were re-elected without opposition. A similar May showdown has unfolded in the 2nd Congressional District race, where incumbent U.S. Rep. Troy Carter drew only one Democratic challenger, Honey Collins. Check your registration  For those still scratching their heads about closed primaries, the secretary of state’s website has published video explainers and other information to guide voters through the new process. Nancy Landry said the most important thing voters should do is pull up their registration details and inspect their party affiliation, making sure it either reflects the same party as the candidate they plan to vote for. “No party” voters are the only ones who will be able to decide at the polls whether to cast a Republican or Democratic ballot. For the May 16 election, the deadline to switch party registration in person or by mail was April 15, but online registration remains open through Saturday, April 25. For the June 27 runoffs, the deadline to register in person or by mail is May 27. Online registration is available through June 6. The secretary of state encourages voters to print sample ballots and familiarize themselves with the selections they’ll make at the polls. This can be done through the online voter portal or through the Geaux Vote mobile app. Important dates First party primary election: Saturday, May 16 Deadline to register to vote in person, by mail, or at an OMV location: April 15. Deadline to register to vote through the GeauxVote Online Registration System: April 25. Early voting: May 2-9 (excluding Sunday, May 3) from 8:30 a.m to 6 p.m. Deadline to request absentee ballot: May 12 by 4:30 p.m. (other than military and overseas voters). You can request an absentee ballot online through the Voter Portal or in writing through your parish registrar of voters. Deadline for registrars to receive voted absentee ballots: May 15 by 4:30 p.m. (other than military and overseas voters). Election day: Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Second party primary election/runoff: Saturday, June 27 Deadline to register to vote in person, by mail, or at an OMV location: May 27. Deadline to register to vote through the GeauxVote Online Registration System: June 6. Early voting: June 13-20 (excluding Sunday, June 14) from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Deadline to request absentee ballot: June 23 by 4:30 p.m. (other than military and overseas voters). You can request an absentee ballot online through the Voter Portal or in writing through your parish registrar of voters. Deadline for registrar to receive voted absentee ballots: June 26 by 4:30 p.m. (other than military and overseas voters). Election day: Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. ...read more read less