Louisiana Voters Need to Remember These Key Dates for the 2024 Election Season

Election season can be overwhelming—there’s plenty of dates to remember beyond the long-anticipated Election Day. Between primaries, local elections and the general election, many Americans will make multiple trips to the polls before November.But thanks to an unusual electoral system, Louisiana’s election schedule looks a little different.Louisiana conducts all local, state and congressional primary elections on the same day. Candidates only need to win a simple majority on this date to win their respective elections outright. This is known as a “jungle primary” or “majority-vote system” and is unique to Louisiana.What are the key dates to remember for the 2024 elections?

• March 23: Democratic and Republican parties hold their primary elections for president—the only traditional primary of Louisiana’s election season.

• November 5: The presidential election and Louisiana’s first-round “jungle primary.”

• December 7: Second-round “jungle primary,” if needed.

What is on the ballot this year?Louisianans will be voting in several important elections this year, including:

• The U.S. House of Representatives.

• State Supreme Court.

• Intermediate appellate courts.

• Public Service Commissioner.

• School board elections.

• Four recall elections.

What makes Louisiana’s elections different?

In typical primaries, candidates only compete with others from the same political party to secure their party's nomination. Winners then move on to compete in the general election.

Louisiana does things differently. Instead of conducting traditional primaries that span across early 2024, all local, state and congressional candidates running for office in Louisiana appear on the same ballot on the same day, regardless of their political party. Louisiana holds these “jungle primaries” in either October (for odd numbered years) or November (for even numbered years).In 2024, Louisianans’ technical “primary” day for these candidates will also fall on general Election Day—November 5, 2024. How does Louisiana’s ‘jungle primary’ work?Louisiana’s primary works on a majority-vote system. If a candidate receives a simple majority of votes (any amount over 50%), then he or she wins the election.If no candidate garners over 50% of the votes, the top two finishers—regardless of their party—will compete in a second election in December. In the second round, the candidate who receives the most votes is elected. If needed, that second round will take place on December 7, 2024.Are there any other dates to remember?The majority of Louisianans will need to be registered 20 to 30 days prior to an election in order to vote. The deadline for the November 5 elections varies based on how someone registers to vote:

• October 6: Last day to register to vote in-person or by mail.

• October 16: Last day to register to vote through the GeauxVote Online Registration System.

Military and overseas voters have their own procedures for filing a Louisiana absentee ballot. Only two school board elections fall outside of the November 5 date, for Caddo Parish Public Schools and East Baton Rouge Parish School System:

• March 23: School Board Primary Election

• April 27: School Board General Election

For more information on Louisiana’s 2024 election season, visit Secretary of State Nancy’s Landry’s website.

This article originally appeared on Aberdeen News: Voting in Louisiana? Remember These Dates for the 2024 Election