Amendment 1, on the ballot for Oct. 14, 2023, in Louisiana, would ban private, non-governmental, and foreign funding of elections in the state. While there has been legislation in several states to ban private funding for elections, Louisiana Amendment 1 is the first time that voters will decide the issue. In 2022, voters in Michigan…
In Oct. and Nov. 2023, voters in Louisiana will decide on eight constitutional amendments. The state Legislature referred four of the amendments to the ballot on Oct. 14, and the other four of the amendments to the ballot for Nov. 18. A two-thirds vote was required in each chamber of the Louisiana State Legislature to…
Eight candidates are running in the all-party primary for Louisiana Secretary of State on Oct. 14, 2023. Incumbent Kyle Ardoin (R) is not running for re-election. According to Louisiana Illuminator’s Greg LaRose, “Louisiana’s next secretary of state should expect a fairly intense spotlight” because they will be responsible for “replacing the voting machines the state uses, a…
Louisiana has 79 contested state legislative primaries this year, a 14% decrease from 2019. Louisiana holds top-two primaries, where all candidates compete in the same primary, and a candidate can win the election outright by receiving more than 50% of the vote. If no candidate does, the top-two vote recipients from the primary advance to…
The U.S. Supreme Court dismissed Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin’s (R) appeal on June 26 of a federal district court ruling that held that Louisiana’s congressional district map should include an additional majority-minority district. The Supreme Court also lifted its 2022 stay of the federal court’s decision and allowed the case to proceed before…
In October, Louisiana voters will decide on a constitutional amendment that would provide in the state constitution that “the freedom to worship in a church or other place of worship is a fundamental right that is worthy of the highest order of protection.” Under the amendment, a legal challenge brought against a state or a…
Nine candidates are running in the all-party primary in the open-seat election for governor of Louisiana on Oct. 14. Gov. John Bel Edwards (D)—who was first elected in 2015 and re-elected in 2019—is term-limited. Jeff Landry (R), Hunter Lundy (I), John Schroder (R), and Shawn Wilson (D) have the most campaign receipts and media attention.…
For the third consecutive election cycle, Republican state legislators in Louisiana have more term-limited members than Democrats. In 2023, Republicans have 16 term-limited lawmakers, whereas Democrats have six. Louisiana is the only state holding elections for a term-limited legislature in 2023. Out of the 144 seats up for election in the Louisiana State Legislature this…
The Louisiana State Legislature concluded its legislative session for 2023 on June 8. During this session, a total of seven constitutional amendments were passed, adding to the existing one that was referred to the 2023 ballot in the legislature’s 2022 session. Altogether, there will be eight amendments on the statewide ballot for 2023. Four amendments…
On May 30, 2023, the Louisiana State Legislature gave final approval to two constitutional amendments set to appear on the ballot on Oct. 14, 2023. One of the amendments, Senate Bill 63, would provide in the state constitution that “the freedom to worship in a church or other place of worship is a fundamental right…