The Secretary of State's office has issued the following release:
Secretary of State Nancy Landry announced that, due to legislation passed in the 2025 Regular Legislative Session, the Independent Party will cease to exist as a recognized political party in Louisiana on Aug. 1, 2025.
Voters registered as Independent will have their party affiliation automatically changed to “No Party” in the state’s voter registration system. Affected voters will receive a notification by mail, including an updated voter information card.
The Louisiana Legislature mandated this change in Act 84 [legis.la.gov] of the 2025 Regular Session to prepare for the state’s transition to a Closed Party Primary system for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, Louisiana Supreme Court, Public Service Commission, and Board of Elementary & Secondary Education contests.
Closed Party Primaries will begin in 2026 and participation will be limited to voters whose party affiliation is listed as Democrat, Republican, or “No Party” on their voter registrations.
“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,” Secretary 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.”
Louisiana’s new Closed Party Primaries were created by the Louisiana Legislature in Act 1 [legis.la.gov] of the 2024 First Extraordinary Session.
Secretary Landry encourages voters to check their voter registration information on the GeauxVote Online Registration System or free GeauxVote mobile app to ensure their information and party affiliation are up to date.
We've asked Landry's office what voters who would like to be registered members of the Independent Party should do. They told us that there won't be a way for a Louisiana voter to be a registered Independent in Louisiana.
"As Secretary Landry has traveled the state talking to voters locally, she has found that many who are registered as Independent did not realize they were not "no party," but rather members of the Independent Party," her office told us.
