Louisiana Primary and Delegate Rules
Last reviewed: July 26, 2026. Louisiana primary election and presidential delegate rule information is summarized from the source links listed on this page. Confirm final rules, deadlines, and party procedures with the listed official sources.
Quick Answer
- Primary types: Democratic presidential: Closed; Democratic state: All-comers; Democratic congressional: Open to Unaffiliated Voters; Democratic state covered offices: Open to Unaffiliated Voters; Republican presidential: Closed; Republican state: All-comers; Republican congressional: Open to Unaffiliated Voters; Republican state covered offices: Open to Unaffiliated Voters.
- Consolidated presidential and state primaries: No.
- Democratic delegates: 56 total, 48 pledged, 8 unpledged, 4 alternates.
- Republican delegates: 47 total, 47 pledged, 0 unpledged, 44 alternates.
Louisiana Primary Election Types
| Party | Contest | Primary type |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Presidential | Closed |
| Democratic | State | All-comers |
| Democratic | Congressional | Open to Unaffiliated Voters |
| Democratic | State Covered Offices | Open to Unaffiliated Voters |
| Republican | Presidential | Closed |
| Republican | State | All-comers |
| Republican | Congressional | Open to Unaffiliated Voters |
| Republican | State Covered Offices | Open to Unaffiliated Voters |
Presidential and State Primaries Scheduling
Consolidated Primaries: No
Louisiana is one of the states that have not merged their presidential and state primaries. On a Presidential Election year, presidential primaries and State primaries are scheduled to run on different dates.
Louisiana conducts most local and state elections on Saturdays using an all-comers primary system, where any qualified elector may qualify as a candidate, regardless of party, and run for office, and all eligible voters may cast a vote in the election, regardless of party affiliation. Some call this system a jungle primary because all candidates for an office run together in one election and the majority vote wins. Beginning in 2026, U.S. Senator, U.S. Representative, Louisiana Supreme Court Justice, Public Service Commissioner, and Board of Elementary and Secondary Education Member races are held as Spring closed party primaries. These covered offices are modeled as open-to-unaffiliated because Democratic and Republican voters can only participate in their own party primary, No Party voters may choose one Democratic or Republican primary, and voters affiliated with any other party cannot participate.
Voting In Primaries
- The parties govern by their rules who can vote in the presidential primary. Presently only registered Democratic voters can vote in the Democratic Party primary, registered Republicans in the Republican Party primary, and registered Independents in the Independent Party primary. These presidential primaries are closed to all other registered voters. For most state and local offices, Louisiana uses an all-comers primary in which a candidate who receives a majority of the vote is automatically elected, in which case the race does not proceed to a general election. If there is no majority vote winner, the top two candidates go to a run-off election called a general election. Beginning in 2026, closed party primaries will be held in the Spring for U.S. Senator, U.S. Representative, Louisiana Supreme Court Justice, Public Service Commissioner, and Board of Elementary and Secondary Education Member. Only major political parties recognized pursuant to R.S. 18:441(C) may hold party primary elections for these offices; currently, only the Democratic and Republican parties meet that criteria. Candidates not affiliated with the Democratic or Republican parties who choose to run in the general election must qualify by nominating petition at the same time candidates qualify for the closed party primary election. Democratic and Republican voters may participate only in their party's primary. No Party voters may choose to participate in either the Democratic or Republican primary, but not both. Voters affiliated with any other party cannot participate in closed party primaries.
Louisiana Presidential Delegate Allocation
The presidential primary process involves selecting delegates who will represent the state at the party's national convention. Delegates selected from the primary elections attend the party's national convention, where they officially nominate the presidential candidate. The candidate with the majority of delegates becomes the party's nominee for the presidential election. Candidates Ballot access rules vary depending on the candidate’s political party.
| Party | Total delegate votes | Pledged | Unpledged | Alternates | Allocation method | Threshold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 56 | 48 | 8 | 4 | Proportional | 15% minimum vote required |
| Republican Party | 47 | 47 | 0 | 44 | Winner-Take-All |
Democratic Party Primary Delegates Process
Democratic Party's Delegates Allocation
The Democratic Party in Louisiana uses a proportional representation system based on the results of the Presidential Preference Election (Primary) for apportioning delegates to the Democratic National Convention. In 2024, Florida's Democratic party will send a total of 56 Delegate Votes and 4 Alternate Delegates to the DNC national convention. Of the 56 delegate votes, 48 Pledged Delegate Votes (32 District-level delegates, 10 At-Large, and 6 PLEOs) and 8 Automatic Delegate Votes.
Presidential Candidates Ballot Access
- A presidential candidate gains access to the State presidential preference primary ballot if:
- The candidate has filed the appropriate registration information with the federal election commission (FEC) to become a candidate for president of the United States; and
- Please check with the State Democratic party for further requirements.
Delegates Breakdown
- District-level Delegates: 32
- At-large Delegates: 10
- Pledged PLEOs Delegates: 6
- Automatic Delegates - Unpledged PLEOs: 8
- Alternate Delegates: 4
Automatic Delegates (Unpledged PLEOs - Super Delegates) Breakdown
- DNC Members: 6
- Dem. Members of Congress: 1
- Dem. Governors: 1
- Distinguished Party Leaders: 0
Republican Party Primary Delegates Process
Republican Party's Delegates Allocation
The Republican Party uses a Winner-Take-All system based on the results of the Presidential Preference Election (Primary) for apportioning delegates to the Republican National Convention. Louisiana's Republican party will send a total of 47 Delegate Votes and 44 Alternate Delegates to the 2024 RNC national convention. 47 Pledged Delegate Votes (18 District-level delegates, 26 At-Large, and 3 RNC delegates). All 47 of Louisiana's delegates to the Republican National Convention are allocated to the presidential contender who received the most votes in today's Presidential Primary.
Presidential Candidates Ballot Access
- A presidential candidate gains access to the State presidential preference primary ballot if:
- The candidate has filed the appropriate registration information with the federal election commission (FEC) to become a candidate for president of the United States; and a Qualifying Fee OR a Nominating Petition
- Qualifying Fee of $750.00 and any additional fee imposed by political party state central committees ($375 for Republican and Democratic parties) (total $1,125.00).
- Nominating Petitions must contain 6,000 signatures, with at least 1,000 signatures from registered voters affiliated with the party from each of the 6 congressional districts (La R.S. 18:1280.22(A)). Nominating petitions are available upon request.
Delegates Breakdown
- District-level Delegates: 18
- At-large Delegates: 26
- RNC Delegates: 3
- Alternate Delegates: 44
About These Rules
This page contains primary election rules and presidential primary delegate allocation information for states and U.S. territories.
Primary voting rules and delegate allocation usually apply to statewide partisan primary elections. Check with your local election office for current guidance because rules, dates, and party procedures can change.Sources and Related Election Pages
The information provided on this page was validated using the following resources: