Louisiana reshapes future elections with move to closed party primaries for some offices

Louisiana's Legislature voted Friday to reshape the state's election system by passing a bill to move to closed party primary elections for some offices beginning in 2026.

The scaled back version of the bill was a partial victory for new Republican Gov. Jeff Landry, who had preferred a wider swath of offices be included.

Republican Lafayette Rep. Julie Emerson's House Bill 17 bill will move elections for federal offices, the state Supreme Court, the state school board and the Public Service Commission to closed party primaries. Landry had initially supported all state offices and judges be included as well.

Republican Sen. Blake Miguez, who presented the bill in the Senate, acknowledged Landry and Emerson wanted more, "but this process is about compromise."

Louisiana only currently conducts closed party primary elections for presidential primaries.

In his address to the Legislature, Landry called Louisiana's current system in which all candidates regardless of party run against each other in an open primary where all voters can participate "a relic of the past which has left us dead last."

"It is time to rewrite our story and move to a similar system we have already tried, tested and still use in presidential primaries today," Landry said.

In the closed primary system passed Friday, recognized political parties will have their own elections with the winners advancing to a general election. Candidates without party affiliations would automatically advance to the general election if they meet qualifying requirements that include fees and petitions.

Louisiana's current jungle primary system, in which the two candidates who receive the most votes regardless of party affiliation advance to the general unless a candidate takes more than 50% of the votes, is unique in America, although there are many other states with some form of open primary elections.

The final bill was also amended to allow the more than 800,000 Louisiana voters who aren't affiliated with a party to vote in the closed primary of their choice, a compromise brokered by Republican U.S. Sen. John Kennedy from Washington.

"I had a good discussion with Gov. Landry on the need for an amendment to keep independent and no-party voters from being disenfranchised in closed primaries," Kennedy said in a post on X. "The change, which Gov. Landry and I worked on together, will strengthen the closed primary bill."

Landry responded on X.

"... I have appreciated (Sen. Kennedy's) advice and leadership throughout the process," Landry tweeted. "Thank you Senator Kennedy for supporting this important structural reform."

Louisiana's other Republican U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy had been the most prominent political voice opposing closed party primaries.

"It's going to cost $90 million, money that could be spent on roads, making our streets safer and lowering the cost of property and casualty insurance instead of spent on more elections," Cassidy said.

Landry won election to Congress more than a decade ago during Louisiana's brief previous experience with closed primaries and has has long supported making the switch permanent.

"It is fair and it is common sense," he said. "And, for our independent or no party voters who by their own choice decide not to join a  political party - their voice is heard and counted … on a simpler, shorter, clearer November election ballot containing generally one Democrat, one Republican and ballot qualified independent candidates."

Opponents in the Legislature said the change was too much, too soon.

"I believe this bill will cause mass confusion," Democratic New Orleans Sen. Royce Duplessis said.

More: Louisiana passes congressional map that includes Shreveport in second Black district

Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Louisiana reshapes future elections with move to closed party primaries