RS 18:401 Purpose and nature of primary and general elections
CHAPTER 5. PRIMARY AND GENERAL ELECTIONS
PART I. GENERAL PROVISIONS
§401. Purpose and nature of primary and general elections
A. Purpose. Primary and general elections are held to elect persons to Congress and to all the elective offices in this state, except the office of presidential elector.
B. Nature. (1) Except for the election of persons to congress, all qualified voters of this state may vote on candidates for public office in primary and general elections without regard to the voter's party affiliation or lack of it, and all candidates for public office who qualify for a primary or general election may be voted on without regard to the candidate's party affiliation or lack of it.
(2)(a) In the election of persons to congress, the following shall apply:
(i) In primary elections, recognized political parties shall make all nominations of candidates by direct primary elections held under the provisions of this Chapter. In primary elections, each qualified voter may vote only on the candidates for public office who are affiliated with the same political party with which the voter is affiliated. In primary elections, each qualified voter who is not affiliated with a recognized political party may choose to vote in one recognized political party's primary elections, except as otherwise provided by R.S. 18:1275.1.
(ii) In general elections, each qualified voter of this state may vote for candidates for public office in general elections without regard to the voter's party affiliation or lack thereof, and all candidates for public office who qualify for a general election may be voted for without regard to the candidates' party affiliation or lack thereof.
Acts 1976, No. 697, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1978; Acts 2006, No. 560, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2007.