political party registration

A political party shall be classified as a major political party if any one candidate of the political party for presidential elector received at least five percent of the votes cast in this state for presidential electors in the last presidential election, or if any one candidate of the political party for any statewide office received at least five percent of the votes cast for the statewide office in any primary or general election. Only major political parties shall be entitled to participate in closed party elections.

A political party may also be classified as a recognized political party in Louisiana 90 days prior to the opening of the qualifying period for any election if:

• there are at least 5,000 registered voters in the state registered as being affiliated with such party;
• the political party has filed a notarized political party registration statement with the secretary of state; and
• the political party has paid a registration fee of $5,000 to the secretary of state.

A political party recognized in this manner will cease to be recognized if no registered member of the party qualifies as a candidate in a primary election for any period of four consecutive years.

A recognized political party may request to have the party dissolved by the secretary of state. A political party that requests the party's dissolution shall file a notarized dissolution statement with the secretary of state made in accordance with the party's bylaws (R.S. La. 18:441(E)(1)).

No political party shall be recognized in this state which declares its name solely to be "Independent" or the "Independent Party."

See La R.S.18:441 and Political Parties in Louisiana for more information. You may also review administrative rules regarding political parties.