SPECIAL SESSION: Louisiana Lawmakers Move to Ensure Fair, Orderly Elections

As lawmakers return to Baton Rouge this week, the mission for Louisiana’s brief special session is simple: keep election chaos at bay and ensure the state’s voters—not federal judges—remain in charge of Louisiana’s congressional map.

Republican legislators plan to move Louisiana’s new closed primaries for congressional and municipal races back one month, from April to May, to account for a pending U.S. Supreme Court decision that could reshape how states across America draw election districts.

“This isn’t about politics—it’s about preparation,” said Sen. Caleb Kleinpeter, R-Port Allen, who’s sponsoring the key legislation. “We just want to make sure the state has time to follow the law once the Supreme Court makes its ruling.”

The proposal, mirrored by Rep. Beau Beaullieu, R-New Iberia, would shift the closed primaries to May 16 and any runoffs or general elections to June 27, with candidate qualifying moved from mid-January to Feb. 11–13. Lawmakers expect the session to last only a few days. “Everybody wants to get in and get out,” Kleinpeter said.

The U.S. Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments in a Louisiana redistricting case that could redefine how race can be used in drawing congressional maps. A group of white voters contends that the current map—engineered under pressure from activist lawsuits and lower-court rulings—relies too heavily on race.

If the justices agree, Louisiana and other states could have new latitude to draw maps based on traditional criteria like geography and community interests, not racial quotas.

With the Court expected to rule in the coming months, legislators say a modest 30-day delay will provide the flexibility needed to implement any legal changes without rushing the process or confusing voters.

“Election officials start preparing ballots and precinct logistics months in advance,” Beaullieu noted. “This ensures we’re not scrambling if the Court rules late in the year.”

The plan involves two bills—one adjusting dates for offices on the ballot and another for constitutional amendments—to insulate the process from legal challenges. Senate President Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, emphasized the narrow focus: “All we’re doing is moving dates. Nothing more, nothing less.”

Republicans hold supermajorities in both chambers and are expected to advance the measures quickly. Committees will take up the proposals Thursday afternoon, with final votes expected by early next week.

Some Democratic lawmakers and progressive activists have already signaled opposition, claiming—without evidence—that simply moving the election date could weaken minority voting power.

Rep. Edmond Jordan, D-Baton Rouge, who has led partisan legal challenges against the state’s current map, called the move “a step toward diluting minority voting strength.” But supporters point out that the current maps were drawn and passed by the Legislature itself—and delaying the election has no impact on how districts are drawn today.

“This isn’t about race, it’s about readiness,” Kleinpeter said. “We’re waiting on the Supreme Court like everyone else.”

A decision in Louisiana’s case could have national implications for how the Voting Rights Act is interpreted going forward. Conservatives argue the law has drifted far from its original intent—ensuring equal opportunity—and now risks mandating racial gerrymandering.

“The Voting Rights Act was written to guarantee fairness, not permanent political carve-outs,” one legislative staffer said. “If the Court restores that balance, states like Louisiana will finally be able to draw maps that reflect communities, not skin color.”

Until the justices rule, Louisiana’s goal is straightforward: keep the state’s elections orderly, lawful, and under Louisiana’s control.