Independent Party won’t be recognized in Louisiana starting Aug. 1: What to know

BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Voters who are registered as Independent will get a notice about their party affiliation changing to “No Party,” as it will no longer be recognized as a political party in Louisiana starting Aug. 1.

Secretary of State Nancy Landry said the Independent Party will stop existing after lawmakers approved the change during the 2025 regular legislative session. She explained the change in Act 84

prepares the state to transition to a Closed Party Primary system, which was created in a 2024 special legislative session.

Starting in 2026, only voters who are registered as Democrat, Republican or “No Party” can vote in Closed Party Primaries.

The change impacts elections for:

• U.S. Senate
• U.S. House
• Louisiana Supreme Court
• Public Service Commission
• Board of Elementary and Secondary Education

“Many Louisiana voters who are registered as Independents mistakenly believe they are unaffiliated with any political party, when in fact they are members of the Independent Party,” Landry said. “This proactive change will allow voters formerly registered as Independents to participate in Closed Party Primaries next year, preventing voter confusion while maximizing participation.”

How voters can check their registration

Voters who are impacted can expect to get notices in the mail about their political affiliation automatically changing to “No Party,” along with a new voter information card.

While no action is required by voters, Landry encourages residents to check their voter registration in the GeauxVote portal or app. Click here to log in to GeauxVote.

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