Jim Beam column: New election system on way

Published 5:58 am Wednesday, February 25, 2026

Major elections that Louisiana voters haven’t seen in 15 years are quickly coming into view. Closed political party primaries will be used on May 16 for the first time since 2010.

Voters need to be prepared for the closed primaries that are open only to Democrats and Republicans. However, No Party voters (800,000) can choose to vote in one of those primaries. They have to stay with that party in any runoff elections.

Closed party primaries on May 16 are going to be used for members of Congress, and some members of the state Public Service Commission, the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Louisiana Supreme Court.

The top race this year has Republican U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy of Baton Rouge seeking a third six-year term. He has three Republican and three Democratic challengers.

Louisiana’s four Republican and two Democratic members of the U.S. House have challengers.

Associate Justice Cade Cole of the state Supreme Court’s 3rd District was unopposed for a full 10-year term on the court.

Voters will also decide the fate of five proposed state constitutional amendments. They deal with changes to the state’s civil service system, creation of a school system in the new city of St. George in East Baton Rouge Parish, creation of a pay increase system for teachers, business inventory taxes and the mandatory retirement age for judges.

DeRidder voters will start selecting a mayor, two at-large members of the City Council and five district council members.

The open primary that Louisiana has been using since 1975 is still in effect for statewide and locally elected officials. Most of them will be elected in 2027.

The Public Affairs Research Council said open primary elections in 2027 will be for governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, state treasurer, insurance commissioner and agriculture commissioner, members of the Louisiana House and Senate, all state judgeships outside of the Supreme Court and local elected officials (sheriff, district attorney, police jury, city councils and others).

Of Louisiana’s nearly 3 million voters, about 72% are registered with the two major political parties, according to data from the secretary of state’s office. Voters not affiliated with a political party comprise 27% of the state’s voters. About 1% of Louisiana voters, or more than 25,000 people, are registered with parties that aren’t Republican or Democratic. They include the Libertarian and Green parties.

Closed primaries were used in 1992 and 1994 and again in 2008 and 2010. I said at that time I wasn’t excited at the prospect of having closed party primaries because I considered them dull and confusing for voters.

In 2010, Republicans wouldn’t let No Party members vote in their primary but Democrats and Libertarians welcomed them with open arms.

Both parties like to keep their closed primaries. Republican leaders say they build party strength because more voters sign up to join the GOP.

Spokespersons for the Democratic Party insisted in 2010 that their party was still in the driver’s seat in many parts of the state. Of course, that is no longer true. Republicans are now in firm control of the Louisiana political scene.

Anyone registering to vote in Louisiana must now include proof of U.S.  citizenship when submitting a voter registration application. That requirement came with passage of Act 500 of the 2024 regular legislative session.

Republican Gov. Jeff Landry wanted that change. He has been faithful in following GOP President Donald Trump’s lead.

Voters who want to change their party registration to No Party so they can vote in one of the closed primaries have to do it in person, by mail, or at an Office of Motor Vehicle Office by April 15. Those who want to change their registration online have to do that by April 25.

PAR said before going to the polls for closed primaries, voters should do their research. They should make sure they know their party registration and determine if they want to change to No Party before the voter registration date expires. If they do that, they have to decide which closed party primary they want to vote in.

Runoff elections will be on June 27. The general election is Nov. 3.

Since voters are facing a different type of election, they should check the details that are available at the Geaux Vote app on the secretary of state’s website at sos.la.gov.

Jim Beam, the retired editor of the American Press, has covered people and politics for more than six decades. Contact him at jim.beam.press@gmail.com.