Louisiana § RS 18:410.7 - Party candidates who qualify for a general election

§ RS 18:410.7. Party candidates who qualify for a general election

            A. The candidate who receives the majority of votes in the party primary qualifies for the general election as the party's nominee for the office. All candidate nominations for a party primary office by major political parties for the general election shall be made in this manner, except as otherwise provided in R.S. 18:410.6(B).

            B.(1) In the event that no candidate receives the majority of votes in the first party primary, the two candidates from each political party who received the greatest number of votes in the first party primary shall be voted on in the second party primary.

            (2) In the case of a tie vote for first place in the first party primary of a major political party, all of the candidates affiliated with the same political party who received the same highest number of votes qualify for the second party primary.

            (3) In the case of a tie vote for second place in the first party primary of a major political party, all of the candidates affiliated with the same political party who received the same second highest number of votes and the candidate affiliated with the same political party who received the highest number of votes qualify for the second party primary.

            (4) If one of the persons receiving the highest number of votes in the first party primary withdraws his candidacy, dies, or is otherwise disqualified, thereby leaving only one candidate from the same political party in the race, the remaining candidate who has received the highest number of votes for the office for which he was a candidate shall be declared the nominee of the party.

            C. There shall be no third party primary. In the case of a tie vote in the second party primary of a major political party, none of the candidates qualify as the party nominee for the general election, and the party nominee shall be selected by a public drawing of lots conducted by the State Board of Election Supervisors from among the candidates who received the highest number of votes in the second party primary election. The public drawing of lots shall be conducted at the state capitol on a day and at a time fixed by the board within one week after the results of the election become official. The candidates involved shall be given at least three days' written notice of the time and place of the public drawing of lots.

            Acts 2024, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 1, §1, eff. See Act; Acts 2024, No. 640, §1, eff. See Act; Acts 2025, No. 386, §2, eff. See Act.