The Louisiana Election System

The Louisiana system, sometimes called the "Cajun Primary," eliminates the primary election altogether. Instead, all candidates, regardless of party affiliation, run on the same ballot in November. If a candidate receives more than half of the votes, that candidate is elected. If no candidate wins with a majority, the top two candidates face off in a December runoff election. Qualified absentee voters receive a ballot for the November election and a ranked ballot for the December runoff, so that they can vote as normal in the general election and then have their ranked ballot count for whichever runoff candidate they ranked highest in the runoff election.

This system mirrors a nonpartisan runoff election process used in many local elections, except with the use of party labels. Although Louisiana law refers to the election in November as the "primary" and the December runoff as the "general" election, the November election takes place on the federally mandated Election Day, and most candidates win office by receiving a majority vote in that election, so it is best understood as a general election, with the December election as a contingent runoff.

The Louisiana system is sometimes mistakenly equated with the Top Two system, but holding the first election in November and electing any candidate with more than 50% of the vote in that election makes it sufficiently distinct that it should not be understood as a mere variant of Top Two.

I like this system but would add Ranked-Choice voting on the November election, eliminating the December runoff. It also must give all candidates the opportunity to get on the ballot, by realistic petition signatures and/or moderate filing fees.

This system would reduce the cost of a state to run elections and reduce the cost for candidates to run a campaign.

For voters only going to the poll once is appealing. In 2016, New York voters will have to go to the polls 4 times and with possible run-offs, 6 times.

1. Presidential Primary
2. Congressional Primary (with run-ff)
3. State Primary (with run-off)
4. General Election

Louisiana will hold their Closed Presidential Primary on March 5, 2016.











NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker