Secretary of State Nancy Landry reminds candidates that several deadlines are approaching for the Tuesday, Nov. 3 election.
· The qualifying period for U.S. Representative and open primary candidates is August 5-7, 2026.
Local and municipal candidates will qualify with the clerk of court in the parish in which they are registered to vote (contact your local clerk of court for office hours). State and congressional candidates qualify at the Louisiana State Archives at 3851 Essen Lane in Baton Rouge between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
As a reminder, qualifying has already taken place for the closed party primaries, including U.S. Senate, Louisiana Supreme Court, Public Service Commission, and Board of Elementary and Secondary Education races.
· Candidates who wish to qualify via nominating petition must turn in their nominating petitions to the appropriate Registrar of Voters for certification by the following deadlines:
· U.S. Congressional candidates - Thursday, July 9.
· Candidates for all other offices - Today, July 8.
· Certified nominating petitions must be submitted during the August 5-7 qualifying period.
· Per Act 7 of the 2026 Regular Legislative Session, U.S. Representative is not considered a closed party office for purposes of the November and December election cycle, and anyone planning to qualify must do so by either paying the qualifying fee or via nominating petition regardless of party.
· Candidates who choose to pay the qualifying fee may do so during the August 5-7 qualifying period. Qualifying fees must be paid in the form of cash; certified or cashier's check on a state or national bank or credit union; U.S. postal money order issued by a state or national bank or credit union and must be accompanied by the qualifying form.
For more information, please call the Elections Hotline at 800-883-2805, with TDD/TTY access at 711, or email the Elections Division at elections@sos.la.gov.
