More Than 42,000 Louisiana Absentee Ballots Cast Before Gov. Landry Suspended U.S. House Primaries
Why It Matters
Louisiana is at the center of a major constitutional and electoral dispute after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the state’s congressional district map, leaving tens of thousands of already-cast absentee ballots in legal limbo. The ruling and subsequent suspension of U.S. House primary elections have created significant uncertainty over how Louisiana will conduct federal elections in 2026.
More than 42,000 Louisiana voters had already submitted absentee ballots for the May 16 election before Governor Jeff Landry suspended the state’s six U.S. House primaries, according to records provided Monday by the Louisiana Secretary of State’s office.
What Happened
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6-3 ruling declaring Louisiana’s existing congressional map unconstitutional, finding that state lawmakers had relied too heavily on the race of voters when drawing district lines in 2024. The ruling specifically struck down a majority-Black congressional district stretching from Baton Rouge to Shreveport, with the majority opinion authored by Justice Samuel Alito finding it constituted an illegal gerrymander.
The day after the ruling, Governor Landry issued an order suspending party primary elections for Louisiana’s U.S. House seats. The suspension came after absentee voting was already underway and two days before early in-person voting was set to begin. Under the governor’s order, U.S. House primaries are pushed to July 15, unless the state legislature selects a different date.
Secretary of State Nancy Landry — who is not related to the governor — confirmed that U.S. House races will remain on May 16 ballots, but stated that any votes cast for those candidates will not be counted. All other May 16 primary races, including the U.S. Senate contest, are proceeding as scheduled.
U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields, a Democrat from Baton Rouge who currently holds the 6th Congressional District seat the Supreme Court declared illegal, addressed the situation Monday at the Baton Rouge Press Club. “It’s suspended for now. It doesn’t mean it’s suspended for tomorrow,” Fields said, urging continued engagement from voters.
By the Numbers
- 42,000+ — Absentee ballots already received by the Secretary of State before the suspension order
- 6-3 — The Supreme Court vote striking down Louisiana’s congressional map
- 6 — U.S. House races affected by the suspension
- 4+ — Separate legal challenges to the governor’s suspension order filed as of Monday
- July 15 — The new target date for U.S. House primaries under the governor’s order, pending legislative action
Legal Challenges Mount
As of Monday, at least four separate legal challenges to Governor Landry’s suspension order had been filed. Several Democratic candidates and civil rights advocates have urged voters to cast ballots in U.S. House races despite the suspension, though those votes will not be tabulated under the current order.
The Supreme Court’s majority opinion, written by Justice Alito, examined Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits voting laws or procedures that purposefully discriminate on the basis of race, color, or language minority status. “Allowing race to play any part in government decision-making represents a departure from the constitutional rule that applies in almost every other context,” Alito wrote.
The ruling’s implications extend well beyond Louisiana. A coalition of Democratic-led states has separately pursued federal litigation over election administration policy, reflecting a broader national contest over how federal elections are conducted and overseen.
Zoom Out
Louisiana’s redistricting dispute is part of a broader national legal reckoning over how states draw congressional boundaries following the 2020 census. Courts across multiple states have weighed Voting Rights Act challenges to district maps, and the Supreme Court’s ruling in Louisiana’s case is expected to have significant implications for similar litigation elsewhere, particularly in Southern states with majority-minority districts.
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which has jurisdiction over Louisiana, has recently been a venue for high-profile rulings on federal law affecting the Gulf South region.
What’s Next
State lawmakers are expected to begin a new round of congressional redistricting later this week, with the task of drawing replacement district lines that comply with the Supreme Court’s ruling. The legislature may also weigh in on the timing of U.S. House primaries, potentially selecting a date other than the July 15 target set by the governor’s order.
The pending legal challenges to the suspension order could alter the timeline further, and courts may be asked to rule on whether the governor had authority to suspend the primaries unilaterally. Louisiana voters and candidates face continued uncertainty until both the redistricting process and the legal challenges are resolved.