Did Louisiana Close The Primaries On You?

I turn 21 this year, so I’ve only been eligible to participate in one voting cycle. So far, I consider myself to be a proactive voter. I registered to vote as soon as I turned 18, did my research on the never-ending candidate list, and showed up to the voting booth at every opportunity. But, just when I thought I mastered Louisiana’s “Jungle Primary” system, the rules changed, and a lot of people my age aren't aware of what’s happened to Louisiana’s electoral landscape. 

The old Jungle Primary system included every candidate, from every party affiliation, all on one ballot. Louisianans voted on the same, simple ballot. However, in 2024, the Louisiana legislature passed House Bill 17, which upended voting in Louisiana. House Bill 17 enacted a semi-closed primary system, where Republican candidates only run against other Republican candidates and Democratic candidates only run against Democratic candidates, on separate ballots, with the winners from each party then moving on to the general election. But that’s only true for some elected offices, not all. 

This new system took effect this year, and it only applies to the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, Louisiana State Supreme Court, Louisiana Public Service Commission, and the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) elections.  

These rule changes not only applied to how Louisianaians can vote, but also which Louisianaians can vote. That’s right. In this new system, registered Republicans and registered Democrats can only participate in their parties' closed primary. Voters registered as No Party can vote in either primary, but have to choose which one, and can then only vote in that party’s primary. Only 72% of Louisiana’s voting age population is registered in one of the two major parties. And if a voter is affiliated with any other party, like the Libertarian or Green parties, they are not allowed to exercise their vote in the closed primaries, thus losing their voting privileges until the general elections. 

Young Voters Matter

Like many in my generation, I grew up with the idea that my vote mattered and that exercising that right was my civic duty. But as soon as my friends and I entered the voting ring, the rules changed on us and voting became more difficult. This makes it harder to believe that our vote actually does matter. 

Nationally, 87% of congressional races are decided in the primary, not the general election, and those primary voters generally aren’t representative of the general population. In fact, only about 7% of voting-age Americans vote in these primaries. If you’re around my age, you are even less likely to be a part of the 7%. 

If, like me, you care about voting, I’d urge you to check your voter registration, make sure your party affiliation is updated to your current preference, and share this voting information with your friends and family. Voting is a right that every Louisianan should choose to exercise. A system that makes it harder for young people and independent voters to participate is a system that serves no one.