Open or Closed Primary, Your Vote is Needed
It's that time of year again when we have the opportunity to clean house and begin anew. No, I’m not talking about spring cleaning; I am talking about Election Season. You may think of fall more as election season because the November elections get more press when presidential and mid-term elections are held. However, before we get to the general elections in the fall, we have the primary elections, which determine what we see on the general election ballot. Thus, voting can’t be something we only talk about for three months of the year.
Importance of Voting in ALL Elections
As I’ve mentioned in other posts, we should be talking about voting all the time, because the decisions made in these so-called “little” elections shape our health, our safety, and our basic quality of life long after the yard signs come down. It is also not an exaggeration to say that in this political climate, we are also at risk of losing an essential feature of a well-functioning democracy, the right to vote. For example, the Louisiana State legislature is currently discussing a bill that proposes combining Clerk offices in New Orleans that would, in effect, remove Calvin Duncan, who was elected with a 68% majority, from his seat as Clerk of Criminal Court in Orleans Parish.
We’ve already seen what happens when people sit out. In our last election cycle, turnout was “poor” —about 22%. And that’s not just a Louisiana problem. Across the country, primary turnout (~40%) is consistently lower than general election turnout (~60%). In many states, only around 15–25% of eligible voters participate in primaries. In Louisiana, statewide voter turnout for the primaries was about 13%. That means a small slice of our neighbors is effectively deciding who even gets to appear on the ballot later—and whose priorities get heard at the Capitol.
Closed Primary System
This year, Louisiana is trying something new: a “Closed primary system”. For the first time, which party you’re registered with will determine which choices you get to make on your ballot. And the current legislative body is voting to remove a duly elected official despite his constituents' will. That alone should shake us awake. When you hear these proposed changes (i.e., combining clerk seats, changing the primary structure) coupled with low voter turnout), remember, legislators making those decisions are in office because of who did and who didn’t show up to vote.
Civic Responsibility Beyond Elections
I often say the elections are just part of the process—campaign texts, commercials, mean‑spirited ads—that season comes and it goes. Then a new season begins, and that's when your civic engagement following elections and leading up to future elections must continue. Your business is knowing who won, what offices they hold, what power they have over your health, your neighborhood, your court system, your records, and your safety—and then holding them accountable for what they said they would do. That includes tracking how your legislators vote on issues like the combining of clerk seats, paying attention to how they talk about voter access, and what they do when turnout is low in Black and working‑class communities. Low turnout doesn’t mean we don’t care; it often means people are tired, weathered, or convinced their vote doesn’t matter. But it does matter—especially in primaries, where a few hundred or a few thousand votes can change who represents an entire district.
Do Something with M.E.
Primary Elections are coming up. In Louisiana, that date is May 16, 2026. The following are on the ballot: U.S. Senate, U.S. Representative, La. Supreme Court Justice, Board of Elementary and Secondary Education Member, Public Service Commission Member/Municipal Primary Election, and five constitutional amendments. So in preparation, I want you to Do Something with M.E.:
If you are not registered, go to the GeauxVote Online Registration System and register to vote. The deadline for eligibility to vote in the upcoming primary is April 25th. But don’t wait. Do it today!
Then, show up and VOTE! Don’t let this first‑ever closed primary in Louisiana happen without your voice. There are three ways you can vote:
Early voting - May 2, 2026 - May 9, 2026
Absentee - due by May 15, 2026
And on Election Day - May 16, 2026.
There’s no reason to miss out; make your plan including the following:
Know your polling place
Know your party rules for the primary
Review what’s on the ballot ahead of time
The Louisiana Secretary of State website is a resource where you can get all of this information in one place.
Then, after you vote, don’t clock out. Pay attention to the turnout numbers that come out—ask, Who showed up? Who didn’t? Whose interests are at risk of being ignored? And do the following:
Share what you learn with your family, your church, and your group chat.
Call or write your legislators about what matters to you, and
Support local organizations that stand in the gap when policy choices leave our neighbors hungry, sick, or shut out.
Voting is not the end of your civic work; it’s the beginning. It’s the floor, not the ceiling. Politics doesn’t stop on Election Day—and neither can we.