BATON ROUGE — Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry’s decision to cancel voting for Louisiana’s congressional races has sparked lawsuits and created confusion for both candidates and voters.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that Louisiana’s congressional map was illegally gerrymandered based on race. Mail-in ballots had already been sent out, and lawyers say some have already been returned. Early voting was set to begin in two days, with the primary scheduled for May 16.
MORE: Governor blocks May 16 congressional election, leaves other ballots intact
MORE: UWK election guide
Lawsuits mount in Louisiana ahead of election day
Two state court judges have already rejected lawsuits filed in response to Landry’s cancellation of voting for the U.S. House of Representatives. Two additional state court cases are scheduled for hearings this week.
A federal lawsuit is also pending, and nearly a dozen candidates — including U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields, D-Baton Rouge — have joined the suit initially filed by candidate Lindsay “Rubia” Garcia of New Orleans and Baton Rouge community activist Eugene Collins.
That lawsuit argues it was too late to stop the election because it had already begun. Early voting for Louisiana’s U.S. Senate and U.S. House seats began Saturday.
The governor’s action has left congressional candidates in limbo, with no clear direction on how to proceed. It is also likely to confuse voters, the lawsuits point out.
“I think we made a big mess in Louisiana”
Fields told the Baton Rouge Press Club on Monday that he is encouraging people to go ahead and vote for their preferred congressional candidate, despite the governor’s action. Because the decision came so late, those races will still appear on ballots.
“I’m telling people who are voting to vote, and vote the full ballot,” Fields said. “People who have absentee ballots, vote the full ballot. Don’t listen to the secretary of state, or the governor for that matter, because this issue is not resolved yet.”
Secretary of State Nancy Landry has said any votes cast in those races during this election will not be counted.
“I think we made a big mess in Louisiana. I mean, a big ole mess when it wasn’t necessary,” Fields said.
Robert Hogan, department chair in political science at LSU’s Political Science, agreed that it’s confusing for voters.
“This is a huge mess and and you got to think that this is going to have an effect on voters,” he said.
MORE: What’s on your May ballot? Breaking down Louisiana’s constitutional amendments
MORE: Louisiana voters face new closed primary system. Here’s what you need to know
Political expert: ‘Never seen anything this strange before’
Robert Hogan, chair of the political science department at LSU, agreed the situation is confusing for voters.
“They were preparing for confusion,” Hogan said. “I’ve never seen anything this strange before.”
Even before the Supreme Court’s ruling, a return to closed party primaries for congressional elections, for the first time since 2010, had already been difficult for some voters to understand, Hogan said. That led to a range of efforts to educate voters on the new system.
Now, suspending only the U.S. House races adds another layer of complexity, Hogan said.
Confusion on top of confusion in Louisiana
Candidates from both parties had been campaigning primarily to voters within their own party under the closed primary system, Hogan said. That approach did not require them to moderate their positions to appeal across party lines.
“That certainly has put a kink in their strategy,” Hogan said. “Their entire campaign strategies for congressional candidates have been completely upended.”
He added that the confusion and uncertainty are unlikely to be resolved quickly. Each ruling or decision could lead to appeals or further legal challenges.
Collins, one of the original plaintiffs in the federal lawsuit, said those concerned about democracy felt compelled to act.
“This is about fairness, the rule of law, and the rights of the people. Candidates across Louisiana relied on this election in good faith. When elections are disrupted midstream, it doesn’t just hurt campaigns, it undermines public confidence in the entire system,” he said.
Download the Unfiltered with Kiran app from the Apple App Store and Google Play to stay updated on the latest news across the Capital area.
Support UWK and its mission to deliver The News You Deserve. Unfiltered. Become a monthly patron on Patreon today!
