How Louisiana’s Senate Primary Election System Works

Louisiana now uses a closed party primary system for U.S. Senate elections, replacing the state’s longtime “jungle primary” system beginning in 2026. Registered Democrats and Republicans may only vote in their own party’s primary election.

Voters registered as “No Party” may choose either the Democratic or Republican primary ballot, but they may only participate in one party’s primary and any related runoff election. Voters registered with minor parties, such as Libertarian or Green, cannot participate in these closed-party primaries.

Under the new system, each major party holds its own primary election to select a nominee for the general election. If no candidate receives a majority in a party primary, the top two candidates in that party advance to a runoff. The eventual Democratic and Republican nominees then face each other — along with any qualified independent or minor-party candidates — in the general election.

Louisiana’s closed-party primary system for U.S. Senate races was created through Act 1 of the 2024 First Extraordinary Session of the Louisiana Legislature and took effect for the 2026 election cycle.