LouisianaLouisiana excludes deceased candidates outside major parties from election ballots
Louisiana leaves deceased candidates outside major parties off general election ballots when they die after filing closes but before polls close.
What it does
Candidates outside major political parties who die after filing closes but before general election polls close are left off the ballot. If ballots already list them, their votes do not count.
In a special election to fill an unfinished term, a major-party candidate who qualifies for the general election is declared elected if no other candidates remain.
Argument forExcluding votes for a deceased candidate could keep those votes from affecting the election result when that person cannot serve.
Argument againstVoters using ballots that still list a deceased candidate could choose that person and have their votes discarded.
More detail
Election officials must leave the deceased candidate off the general election ballot. If ballots already list that candidate, votes for that person do not count for any purpose. This rule covers candidates outside major political parties who qualified under Section 18:410.8 for offices covered by Louisiana's party primary system. The candidate must die after the candidate filing period closes and before polls close on general election day. The law took effect upon the governor's signature on June 3, 2026.
The remaining major-party candidate is declared elected, and the result must be officially certified. This rule covers major-party candidates in special elections held to fill the rest of an unfinished term. The candidate must have qualified for the general election under Section 18:410.9 or Section 18:410.7, and no other candidates may remain. The law took effect upon the governor's signature on June 3, 2026.
Where do you stand?
Choose your position
Tell your reps
Take a position to see your representatives and ways to contact them.
Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jun 3Signed by the Governor Jeff Landry. Becomes Act No. 639.Became Law
- Jun 3Effective date: 06/03/2026.
- Jun 2Sent to the Governor for executive approval.To Governor
- Jun 1Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.Minor
- Jun 1Signed by the President of the Senate.
- May 31Conference Committee Report read, roll called, yeas 94, nays 0. The Conference Committee Report was adopted.
- Vote recorded ADOPT CONFERENCE REPORT (#1781). Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded ADOPT (#1598). Result: pass.Upper
- May 31Notice House adopted the Conference Committee Report.
- May 31Conference Committee Report read; adopted by a vote of 33 yeas and 0 nays.
- May 31Notice of Senate adoption of Conference Committee Report.
- May 27Scheduled for floor debate on 05/31/2026.
- May 26Conference committee report received.
- May 26Conference Committee report received. Lies over under the rules.
- May 25Notice of Senate conferees appointed.
- May 21Senate conference committee members appointed: Reese, Cathey, and McMath.
- May 19House conferees appointed: Beaullieu, Boudreaux, and Hebert.
- May 19Notice House Conference Committee members appointed.
- May 13Read by title, returned to the calendar.
- Vote recorded REJECT SENATE AMENDMENTS (#1244). Result: pass.Lower
- May 13Called from the calendar.
- May 13Read by title, roll called, yeas 96, nays 0, Senate amendments rejected, conference committee appointment pending.
- May 13Notice House rejected the Senate amendments.
- May 12Scheduled for concurrence on 05/13/2026.
- May 7Rules suspended. Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title, passed by a vote of 34 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.Passed Senate
- Vote recorded FINAL PASSAGE (#663). Result: pass.Upper
- May 7Received from the Senate with amendments.Minor
- Apr 28Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.Minor
- Apr 27Committee amendments read and adopted. Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
- Apr 22Reported with amendments.Minor
- Mar 31Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs.Minor
- Mar 30Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 100, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.Passed House
- Vote recorded FINAL PASSAGE (#169). Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 30Received in the Senate. Rules suspended. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.Minor
- Mar 26Scheduled for floor debate on 03/30/2026.
- Mar 25Read by title, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.Minor
- Mar 24Reported favorably (11-0).Minor
- Mar 9Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on House and Governmental Affairs.Minor
- Feb 27First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/27/2026.
- Feb 24Prefiled.Minor
- Feb 24Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on House and Governmental Affairs.Introduced
Civil Rights & Voting