Closed Party Primary Elections

Closed-Party Primaries are coming to our elections beginning in 2026, and the Secretary of State's Office is here to make sure you KNOW about important changes before you geaux vote.

The Louisiana Legislature implemented Closed-Party Primaries through Act 1 of the 2024 First Extraordinary Session. Act 1 outlines a process for Democrats, Republicans, and No Party voters to select a candidate to represent Louisiana’s two major political parties for certain elected offices. Unlike Louisiana’s current open primary elections (sometimes called Jungle Primaries), in a closed-party primary election, the candidates on a voter’s ballot will be limited to those of the voter’s party affiliation.

No Party voters who choose to participate in the Closed-Party Primary will be able to select a party’s ballot at their polling place and must stay with that party through any necessary runoff.

The eventual majority winner of a closed-party primary or primary runoff will advance to the general election to face candidates from other parties. The candidate with the greatest number of votes in the general will be declared the winner, with no majority required. This rule only applies to offices with a closed-party primary.

The Legislature limited the Closed-Party Primary to the offices of the U.S. House, U.S. Senate, Louisiana Supreme Court, Public Service Commission, and the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. All other ballot contests remain unchanged.

How can you best prepare for the new Closed-Party Primaries in Louisiana? Your best tool is to KNOW what to expect before you Geaux to vote – just remember K. N. O. W.

K – Keep your voter registration current.
N – Not everyone will vote on every race.
O – Offices affected: U.S. House and Senate, Louisiana Supreme Court, Public Service Commission, and BESE
W – Where to find more information: GeauxVote.com!

How you participate in the primary process will be determined by your voter registration. Please check your registration now.

Many in Louisiana may have registered with one party years ago or simply did not select a party when they registered. To be clear, simply voting for one party’s candidates does not in any way change your party affiliation on your voter registration record.

Heading into 2026, it’s important to understand where you stand. The deadline for making changes to your registration in person or by mail is 30 days before the election or 20 days before the election if you make those changes online.

If it’s been a while, or if you haven’t looked specifically at your party affiliation, now is the time to do it, because it will affect how you vote soon. You can access your registration online at GeauxVote.com or download the free GeauxVote Mobile App. Additionally, you can visit your parish Clerk of Court, Registrar of Voters, or the Secretary of State's Office.

Registered Democrats will only be allowed to cast votes for Democratic candidates for closed-party primary offices.

Likewise, registered Republicans will only be allowed to vote for Republican candidates.

Individuals registered as “No Party” may choose either the Democratic or Republican ballot, or they may opt not to participate in the Closed-Party Primary races.

Voters whose registration is Green, Libertarian, or Other Party will not be able to participate in closed-party primary races, but will still be able to participate in other non-closed primary races.

Regardless of your party affiliation, it’s important to note that there may be other non-closed primary contests that may be on the same ballot as closed-party primary races, but will be open to all voters

Starting in April 2026, the offices of U.S. House, U.S. Senate, the Louisiana Supreme Court, the Public Service Commission (PSC), and the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) will fall under this change in how elections are administered. Although the law will take effect in 2026, please note that not all of the affected offices may be up for election at that time. 

Just as important as knowing which offices are affected by the Closed-Party Primary is understanding what it takes to win in this new system.

Majority is a term we are most familiar with, and how candidates have traditionally been elected in Louisiana. Majorities are often referred to as “50% + 1”. In the Closed-Party Primary, a majority will still be needed to proceed to the general election. If a majority is not achieved, then the top two vote-getters will be required to participate in a runoff election.

A plurality, on the other hand, means having more votes than any other single candidate, sometimes referred to as “first past the post”. In its simplest form, plurality just means “more than”. Period. The winner just needs more votes than anyone else. This will be used to name a winner in the general election.

It’s important to remember that your trusted elections officials are here to help make this new process as simple as possible! Whether you reach out to your parish Clerk of Court, Registrar of Voters, staff at the Secretary of State's Office, or online at GeauxVote.com, be sure that you have the answers you need to navigate upcoming elections with ease. You can also download the free GeauxVote Mobile App, available for both Apple and Android, by visiting your platform’s app store and searching “GeauxVote Mobile.”

As we approach the April 2026 elections, whether you’ll be voting in person on Election Day, early voting, or requesting an absentee ballot, be sure you understand how the Closed-Party Primary works, how your particular registration affiliation will impact the ballot you receive, what choices you will have, and what ballot contests you may not be eligible to vote for. Be sure to follow the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office on social media and sign up for important elections-related notifications at GeauxVote.com or on the Geaux Vote Mobile App so you’re always in the KNOW