Louisiana

Louisiana takes first steps toward closed primary elections supported by Gov. Jeff Landry

Published

2 years ago

January 16, 2024

Louisiana takes first steps toward closed primary elections supported by Gov. Jeff Landry

Louisiana is taking the first steps toward changing its elections to a closed primary system favored by new Republican Gov. Jeff Landry as part of a Special Session of the Legislature.

Republican Lafayette Rep. Julie Emerson’s House Bill 17, which is supported by Landry and legislative leadership, would require closed primary elections for federal and state offices and local judges but keep Louisiana’s current “jungle primary” system for most other local races like sheriffs, district attorneys and police juries.

Emerson’s bill is set to get its first hearing Tuesday morning in the eight-day session that began Monday. Currently, Louisiana only conducts closed primary elections for presidential primaries.

In his address to the Legislature, Landry called Louisiana’s current system in which all candidates regardless of party run against each other in an open primary where all voters can participate “a relic of the past which has left us dead last.”

“It is time to rewrite our story and move to a similar system we have already tried, tested and still use in presidential primaries today,” Landry said.

In a closed primary system, recognized political parties would have their own elections with the winners advancing to a general election in which all voters could participate. Candidates without party affiliations would automatically advance to the general election.

Louisiana’s jungle primary system, in which the two candidates who received the most votes regardless of party affiliation advance to the general unless a candidate takes more than 50% of the votes, is unique in America, although there are many other states with some form of open primary elections.

Supporters in both camps each released competing polls they paid for that bolstered their arguments.

One good government group, Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana, directly opposes closed primaries and a second, Council for a Better Louisiana, said the short session doesn’t provide enough time to fully debate its merits.

“The unnecessary switch could cost more, confuse voters and disenfranchise those that don’t belong to either the Republican or Democratic party,” PAR said in a commentary. “The Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana believes the public receives no benefit from such a move.”

Louisiana Republican U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy has been the most prominent political voice supporting keeping the current system.

“It’s going to cost $90 million, money that could be spent on roads, making our streets safer and lowering the cost of property and casualty insurance instead of spent on more elections,” Cassidy said of moving to closed primary election. “It disenfranchises 800,000 Louisianans who are no party. Sorry, you’re not in our club. We’re not going to let you in.”

But Landry, fresh off his stunning outright primary win last fall, wields enormous power out of the gate with a super majority of Republicans in both the House and Senate who aren’t likely to buck the governor this early in his reign.

He won election to Congress more than a decade ago during Louisiana’s brief experience with closed primaries and has has long supported making the switch permanent.

“It is fair and it is common sense,” he said. “And, for our independent or no party voters who by their own choice decide not to join a political party – their voice is heard and counted … on a simpler, shorter, clearer November election ballot containing generally one Democrat, one Republican and ballot qualified independent candidates.”

More: Jeff Landry calls session to draw new congressional, Supreme Court maps, change elections

Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.

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Louisiana

Louisiana High School Girls Basketball Final Scores, Results – December 2, 2025

Published

3 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Press Room

Louisiana High School Girls Basketball Final Scores, Results – December 2, 2025

The 2025 Louisiana high school girls basketball season continued on Tuesday, and High School On SI has a list of all the final scores from tonight’s slate of action.

Abbeville 45, Westgate 42

Albany 56, Mandeville 49

Alexandria 45, Northwest 36

Archbishop Chapelle 58, Thibodaux 36

Baker 41, Tara 35

Basile 50, Gueydan 32

Ben Franklin 40, Kenner Discovery Health Science 32

Benton 55, Woodlawn – Shrev. 24

Berwick 50, Northside Christian 20

Bolton Academy 40, Westminster Christian – Lafayette 9

Bossier 59, Magnolia School of Excellence 22

Broadmoor 45, Central – B.R. 39

C.E. Byrd 30, Red River 28

Caldwell Parish 41, Delta Charter 17

Calvary Baptist 53, Loyola Prep 33

Calvin 60, Doyline 6

Castor 64, Converse 45

Central Catholic 56, Comeaux 34

Central Lafourche 51, Morgan City 15

Chalmette 44, St. Mary’s Academy 18

Choudrant 61, Weston 29

D’Arbonne Woods Charter 40, Lincoln Preparatory School 20

David Thibodaux 34, South Cameron 27

Delhi Charter 57, Forest 40

Denham Springs 62, Edna Karr 26

Destrehan 67, McDonogh #35 32

Dodson 42, Grace Christian 9

Dominican 36, Archbishop Hannan 27

Downsville 28, Georgetown 26

Doyle 71, Maurepas 22

Dunham 44, Central Private 31

Dutchtown 60, East Iberville 17

E.D. White 39, Acad. of Sacred Heart – N.O. 34

East Ascension 41, East St. John 34

Eunice 40, Crowley 23

Evans 53, Pickering 41

Fairview 76, Glenmora 32

Florien 53, Hicks 47

Fontainebleau 38, Loranger 26

Franklinton 42, Academy of Our Lady 5

Franklin Parish 54, Ferriday 32

GEO Next Generation 46, Glen Oaks 44

Grand Lake 44, Kaplan 27

Green Oaks 43, Evangel Christian 21

Hackberry 59, DeQuincy 11

Hammond 60, Jewel Sumner 13

Hanson Memorial 47, Delcambre 33

Hathaway 79, Welsh 25

Haynes Academy 66, Fisher 24

Hornbeck 51, Montgomery 14

Independence 47, Kentwood 27

Iota 51, Port Barre 11

John Curtis Christian 52, Natchitoches Central 42

Johnson Bayou 38, Sabine Pass – TX – UIL 13

LaGrange 63, Beau Chene 18

Lake Charles College Prep 47, Port Allen 0

LaSalle 33, Monterey 24

Liberty 65, West Jefferson 4

Live Oak 50, Plaquemine 47

Mangham 64, General Trass 11

McKinley 49, Collegiate Baton Rouge 33

Merryville 70, East Beauregard 33

Midland 84, Lacassine 50

Minden 61, Lakeside 15

Mt. Hermon 55, Bogalusa 29

Negreet 51, Ebarb 33

Neville 67, Bastrop 40

North Vermilion 59, St. Thomas More 40

Northshore 53, Belle Chasse 32

Northside 53, Jennings 42

Northwood – Shrev. 61, Many 38

Oak Grove 54, West Monroe 43

Oakdale 55, Leesville 27

Opelousas Catholic 42, Ascension Episcopal 24

Ouachita Christian 61, Harrisonburg 11

Parkway 48, Carroll 29

Pine 58, Varnado 16

Pineville 48, DeRidder 27

Pitkin 51, Claiborne Christian 9

Plain Dealing 44, North Caddo 39

Plainview 54, Elizabeth 40

Providence Classical Academy 50, Glenbrook 4

Quitman 48, Jonesboro-Hodge 46

Rapides 40, North Central 31

Reeves 75, Kinder 59

Richwood 61, Delhi 24

Rosepine 57, Pleasant Hill 53

St. Amant 70, Assumption 20

St. John 43, Capitol 17

St. Joseph’s – Plaucheville 40, Northwood – Lena 31

St. Joseph’s Academy 65, St. Michael the Archangel 31

St. Martinville 46, Jeanerette 39

St. Scholastica 31, Northlake Christian 27

Salmen 57, Booker T. Washington – N.O. 20

Sam Houston 65, Lake Arthur 50

Scotlandville 47, Family Christian 12

Simpson 71, Oak Hill 62

Singer 40, Stanley 32

Slaughter Community Charter 38, Belaire 10

Slidell 65, Terrebonne 54

South Lafourche 27, Mt. Carmel 22

Southern Lab 67, Ponchatoula 44

Southwood 57, Booker T. Washington – Shr. 52

Sterlington 64, Haughton 49

Teurlings Catholic 47, Acadiana Renaissance Charter 13

Tioga 67, Avoyelles 35

University Lab 71, Brusly 19

Vandebilt Catholic 34, West St. Mary 18

Vermilion Catholic 49, Lafayette Renaissance Charter Academy 23

Vidalia 55, Madison 20

Ville Platte 57, Avoyelles Public Charter 11

Walker 38, H.L. Bourgeois 34

West Feliciana 66, Rayne 45

West Ouachita 63, Beekman Charter 11

West St. John 40, Frederick A Douglass 14

Westlake 63, Jena 34

White Castle 60, Donaldsonville 47

Winnfield 67, Lakeview 53

Woodlawn – B.R. 66, Istrouma 36

Wossman 61, Ouachita Parish 44

Zachary 55, Madison Prep 49

Zwolle 57, Anacoco 48

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Louisiana

How many Native American tribes are in Louisiana? It has most in South

Published

15 hours ago

December 3, 2025

Press Room

How many Native American tribes are in Louisiana? It has most in South

In the U.S., there are 574 federally recognized Native American tribes and Alaska Native entities, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior.

As for Louisiana, the state is home to more federally recognized Indigenous tribes than any other state in the South.

This isn’t including state recognized tribes, which Louisiana also has a significant number of.

Louisiana has the most federally recognized Native American tribes in the South

Louisiana has four federally recognized Native American tribes, including the Chitimacha, Coushatta, Jena Band of Choctaw Indians and the Tunica-Biloxi Indian Tribe of Louisiana, according to the American Library Association.

In the case of federally recognized tribes, they have a sovereign, government-to-government relationship, which grants the tribes inherent rights, self-government, as well as eligibility for certain federal benefits and services, says the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Louisiana among states with the most state-recognized Native American tribes

The state of Louisiana recognizes 11 Indigenous tribes, in addition to the four federally recognized tribes. Louisiana’s state-recognized Indigenous tribes, not including the four federally recognized tribes, are:

Bayou Lafourche Band
Grand Caillou/Dulac Band
Jean Charles Choctaw Nation
Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe
United Houma Nation
Four Winds Cherokee
Clifton Choctaw
Louisiana Band of Choctaw
Addai Caddo
Choctaw-Apache
Natchitoches Tribe

When it comes to state-recognized Native American tribes, they lack a federal relationship with the U.S. government and its associated benefits. Therefore, state-level acknowledgement does not guarantee federal funding and the tribes remain subject to state law, according to Native Nations Institute.

Why are there so many Indigenous tribes in Louisiana?

Louisiana has a number of recognized Native American tribes predominantly because of its historical background as a diverse ancestral homeland with an abundance of natural resources, which served as a refuge for various groups, including those that were displaced by European settlement, according to Louisiana State Museums.

Presley Bo Tyler is a reporter for the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team for USA Today. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com

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Louisiana lawmaker authors bill to simplify tax errors, help drug crisis

Published

1 day ago

December 3, 2025

Press Room

Louisiana lawmaker authors bill to simplify tax errors, help drug crisis

BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — A new law signed by President Donald Trump could make simple tax return mistakes easier to fix.

U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy authored The IRS Math Act, aiming to clear up confusion around IRS error notices. Millions of Americans receive a letter from the IRS saying, “There’s a math error” on their federal return every year.

For many, the notices are hard to understand, and even harder to fix, but the new IRS Math Act aims to change that.

“For all of you who called our office, my office, you made an honest mistake on your tax return, and now you feel the whole weight of the IRS coming after you,” said Cassidy. “It says if you make an honest mistake, you confess, you pay the difference, and all is clear,” Senator Cassidy said.

The bill requires the IRS to make the error notices on federal returns clearer and provide a path for correcting honest mistakes. It spells out how taxpayers can respond, what they owe, and how to resolve issues without escalation. The bill passed with bipartisan support.

Trump also signed another bill from Cassidy, the Support Act, which further targets the fentanyl crisis in the U.S.

“The Support Act is about preventing, treating, and delivering recovery services for Americans co-diagnosed with both addiction and mental illness,” said Cassidy. “One law enforcement officer I spoke to said, ‘You cannot arrest your way out of this epidemic of drug abuse.’ So, we’ve got to address two things at once in this bill — addiction and mental illnesses; they often go together. Now, I speak as a doctor, I know that giving the opportunity to be healed, to return to wholeness, is one of the ways we get out of this drug crisis.”

Implementation guidelines for the acts are expected from federal agencies in the coming months.