Title 18, Louisiana Election Code
0 chapters · 591 sections in this title.
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:4 Witness requirements
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§4. Witness requirements A. Whenever a document required by or provided for in this Code is required to be witnessed, the witness shall be at least eighteen years of age. B. Each witness who signs an absentee by mail ballot certificate as required by this Code shall provide his m…
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:401 Purpose and nature of primary and general elections
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§401. Purpose and nature of primary and general elections A. Purpose. Primary and general elections are held to elect persons to Congress and to all the elective offices in this state, except the office of presidential elector. B. Nature of primary elections. (1) Except for the e…
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:401.1 Election emergency; purpose; elections emergency contingency plan
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§401.1. Election emergency; purpose; elections emergency contingency plan A. Due to the possibility of an emergency or common disaster occurring before or during a regularly scheduled or special election, and in order to ensure maximum citizen participation in the electoral proce…
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:401.2 Change to polling places; state of emergency
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§401.2. Change to polling places; state of emergency A. Notwithstanding the provisions of R.S. 18:425.1, 534, 535, 536, 537, 1286, and 1286.1, if any polling place is determined by the clerk of court in conjunction with the secretary of state to be destroyed, inaccessible, or uns…
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:401.3 Emergency plan by secretary of state; gubernatorial and legislative approval
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§401.3. Emergency plan by secretary of state; gubernatorial and legislative approval A. Due to the occurrence of a gubernatorially declared emergency or disaster occurring before or during a regularly scheduled or special election, and in order to ensure maximum citizen participa…
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:401.4 Emergency actions by the secretary of state
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§401.4. Emergency actions by the secretary of state A. After the issuance of an initial proclamation or executive order by the governor declaring a state of emergency within forty-five days prior to an election and if the secretary of state determines that such emergency impairs …
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:402 Dates of primary and general elections; prohibited election days
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§402. Dates of primary and general elections; prohibited election days A. Prohibited election days. (1) No election of any kind shall be held in this state on any of the days of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, Simchat Torah, the first two days and the last two…
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:402.1 1 Repealed by Acts 2025, No
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§402.1 Repealed by Acts 2025, No. 6, §3, eff. Dec. 31, 2025.
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:403 Election records and papers; preservation; public record
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§403. Election records and papers; preservation; public record A. Except as otherwise provided by law, every election official shall retain and preserve, for at least six months after the date of a primary or general election, all records and papers which come into his possession…
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:404 Ranked-choice voting and instant runoff voting prohibited; exception
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§404. Ranked-choice voting and instant runoff voting prohibited; exception A. A ranked-choice voting or instant runoff voting method shall not be used in determining the election or nomination of any candidate to any local, state, or federal elective office in this state. B. Notw…
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:41 Louisiana Elections Integrity; administration of Part
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§41. Louisiana Elections Integrity; administration of Part A. The Board of Ethics, hereafter in this Part referred to as the "board", shall administer the provisions of this Part. B. Board members shall be paid the same per diem as members of the legislature for each day of atten…
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:410.1 Party primary elections
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§410.1. Party primary elections Party primary elections for party primary offices as defined in R.S. 18:2 shall be held pursuant to this Part, and any provision of this Code in conflict with these provisions shall not be applicable to elections for party primary offices. Any prov…
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:410.10 Party primary elections
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§410.10. Party primary elections Party primary elections shall be held in an election year on the spring election dates established in R.S. 18:402. Acts 2024, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 1, §1, eff. See Act; Acts 2024, No. 640, §1, eff. See Act; Acts 2025, No. 386, §5(A)(3), eff. See Act.…
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:410.2 Party primary office; party primary qualifications
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§410.2. Party primary office; party primary qualifications Major political parties shall make nominations of candidates for party primary office as provided in this Part. Only candidates affiliated with a major political party may participate in the party primary election of the …
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:410.3 Purpose and nature of party primary elections
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§410.3. Purpose and nature of party primary elections A. For general elections, political parties shall make all nominations of candidates for party primary office by direct primary elections held pursuant to this Part. In party primary elections, each voter voting in such electi…
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:410.4 Manner of qualifying for a party primary election
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§410.4. Manner of qualifying for a party primary election A. A person who desires to become a candidate in a party primary election shall qualify as a candidate by timely filing notice of his candidacy, which shall be accompanied either by a nominating petition or by the qualifyi…
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:410.5 Nominating petitions
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§410.5. Nominating petitions A. A person may be nominated as a candidate in a party primary election only by persons who are affiliated with the same major political party, who are qualified to vote on the office he seeks, and who sign a nominating petition for him no more than o…
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:410.6 Death of a candidate; procedure; selection of party nominee
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§410.6. Death of a candidate; procedure; selection of party nominee A. When a person who qualified as a candidate in a party primary election to be the party nominee for a party primary office dies after the close of the qualifying period and before the time for closing the polls…
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:410.7 Party candidates who qualify for a general election
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§410.7. Party candidates who qualify for a general election A. The candidate who receives the majority of votes in the party primary qualifies for the general election as the party's nominee for the office. All candidate nominations for a party primary office by major political p…
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:410.8 Candidates not affiliated with a major political party; qualifying for the general
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§410.8. Candidates not affiliated with a major political party; qualifying for the general election A. Any person who desires to become a candidate in a general election for a party primary office and who is not registered as being affiliated with a major political party shall fi…
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:410.9 Nomination of candidates in a party primary election; general election; unopposed
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§410.9. Nomination of candidates in a party primary election; general election; unopposed candidate A. If, after the close of the qualifying period for candidates in a party primary election, only one candidate qualified for the major political party or only one candidate for the…
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:411 Repealed by Acts 2014, No
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§411. Repealed by Acts 2014, No. 60, §2, eff. May 16, 2014.
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:412 Repealed by Acts 2014, No
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§412. Repealed by Acts 2014, No. 60, §2, eff. May 16, 2014.
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:413 Repealed by Acts 2014, No
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§413. Repealed by Acts 2014, No. 60, §2, eff. May 16, 2014.
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:414 Repealed by Acts 2014, No
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§414. Repealed by Acts 2014, No. 60, §2, eff. May 16, 2014.
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:415 Repealed by Acts 2014, No
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§415. Repealed by Acts 2014, No. 60, §2, eff. May 16, 2014.
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:416 Repealed by Acts 2014, No
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§416. Repealed by Acts 2014, No. 60, §2, eff. May 16, 2014.
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:417 Repealed by Acts 2014, No
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§417. Repealed by Acts 2014, No. 60, §2, eff. May 16, 2014.
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:418.1 Repealed by Acts 2012, No
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§418.1. Repealed by Acts 2012, No. 729, §2, eff. June 1, 2014.
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:418.2 Repealed by Acts 2012, No
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§418.2. Repealed by Acts 2012, No. 729, §2, eff. June 1, 2014.
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:419.1 Applicability of Part
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§419.1. Applicability of Part Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the provisions contained in this Part shall be applicable in 2026 to the spring elections for municipal and ward officers, for candidates in a party primary election for a party primary offi…
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:419.2 Spring elections in 2026
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§419.2. Spring elections in 2026 A. Notwithstanding R.S. 18:402(C)(1) or 410.10 or any other provision of law to the contrary, the following dates shall apply for the spring elections in 2026: (1) There shall be a spring primary election held on May 16, 2026, for municipal and wa…
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:42 Rule making power
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§42. Rule making power The board shall have power to adopt and promulgate rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this Part. Acts 1989, No. 45, §1.
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:421 Secretary of state; first assistant and other employees of the secretary of state
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§421. Secretary of state; first assistant and other employees of the secretary of state A. The secretary of state is the chief election officer of the state. Except as otherwise provided by law, the first assistant appointed by the secretary of state possesses all the powers and …
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:422 Clerks of court; deputy clerks and other employees of the clerk
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§422. Clerks of court; deputy clerks and other employees of the clerk The clerk of court is the chief election officer of the parish. Except as otherwise provided by law, a deputy clerk of court shall possess all of the powers and authority granted by law to the clerk, and may pe…
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:423 Parish boards of election supervisors
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§423. Parish boards of election supervisors A. Creation. There is created a board of election supervisors for each parish. B. Powers and duties. (1) The parish board of election supervisors shall supervise the preparation for and the conduct of all elections held in the parish. A…
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:424 Commissioners-in-charge
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§424. Commissioners-in-charge A. Number. There shall be one commissioner-in-charge at every precinct. B. Qualifications. A commissioner-in-charge shall possess the following qualifications: (1) He shall be a qualified voter in the parish in which he is to serve who is able to per…
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:425 Commissioners
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§425. Commissioners A. Number. (1) In addition to the commissioner-in-charge, at the following elections there shall be the following number of additional commissioners at each precinct: (a) For the gubernatorial primary and general elections, the congressional primary and genera…
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:425.1 Consolidation of polling places; reduction of voting machines and election officials
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§425.1. Consolidation of polling places; reduction of voting machines and election officials A. Notwithstanding the provisions of R.S. 18:424 and 425 or any other provision of law to the contrary, in an election, including the election of any public official, where a single locat…
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:425.2 Election officials; requirements and prohibitions
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§425.2. Election officials; requirements and prohibitions A. An election official who receives a federal directive or guidance pertaining to elections that is not published on the secretary of state's website or is offered new federal funding for the purpose of funding elections …
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:426 Alternate commissioners; qualifications, powers, and duties; oath and compensation
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§426. Alternate commissioners; qualifications, powers, and duties; oath and compensation A. Qualifications. An alternate commissioner shall meet the same qualifications of a commissioner as provided in R.S. 18:425(B). B. Powers and duties. An alternate commissioner who replaces a…
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:426.1 Election commissioners; compensation
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§426.1. Election commissioners; compensation A. Each commissioner who serves at the polling place on election day shall be paid according to the following: (1) A commissioner-in-charge shall receive two hundred fifty dollars. (2) A commissioner-in-charge who serves at more than o…
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:427 Watchers
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§427. Watchers A. Qualifications. (1) A qualified voter of the state of Louisiana who is not a candidate in the election may serve as a watcher; however, a watcher who is not a resident of the parish where the watcher serves may not serve as a commissioner. (2) No person who is r…
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:428 Law enforcement assistance to commissioners
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§428. Law enforcement assistance to commissioners A. Presence at polling places on election day. Law enforcement officers shall not be stationed at polling places on election day, but the commissioners or the clerk of court may summon law enforcement officers to assist them in pr…
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:429 Clerk of court; notification of cyber incidents
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§429. Clerk of court; notification of cyber incidents A. The clerk of court shall notify the secretary of state, or his designee, by telephone, electronic mail, or facsimile within twenty-four hours following the discovery of a cyber incident that impacts the office of the clerk …
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:43 Investigations and hearings; certain elections
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§43. Investigations and hearings; certain elections A. The board may investigate any aspect of any election, except as provided in R.S. 18:45. The board may initiate such an investigation upon the receipt of a sworn statement by any registered voter of this state alleging error, …
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:431 Commissioners; courses of instruction; certificates; reports; list of certified persons
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§431. Commissioners; courses of instruction; certificates; reports; list of certified persons furnished by parish board of election supervisors A.(1)(a) At least annually the clerk of court shall conduct a general course of instruction for commissioners. Each such course of instr…
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:431.1 Examinations for courses of instruction
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§431.1. Examinations for courses of instruction A. In order to satisfactorily complete the courses of instruction provided for in R.S. 18:431(A) and R.S. 18:433, an applicant for certification shall achieve a minimum score on a written examination as provided in this Section. B. …
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:432 Repealed by Acts 1988, No
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§432. Repealed by Acts 1988, No. 907, §2, eff. Jan. 1, 1989.
La. Rev. Stat. § 18:433 Commissioners-in-charge; course of instruction; selection; commission;
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§433. Commissioners-in-charge; course of instruction; selection; commission; disqualification; replacement A. Course of instruction. (1) The clerk of court shall conduct a course of instruction for commissioners-in-charge during the period beginning August first through the end o…