Election 2023
Additional early voting locations rejected in La. House committee
Legislation that would have allowed — but not required — parishes to add early voting locations failed Tuesday in a Louisiana House committee, with opponents concerned about its cost and local election staffing. House Bill 538 from Rep. Sam Jenkins, D-Shreveport, includes guidelines that set out the minimum number of early voting locations a parish […]
Constitutional amendment plays on fears of foreign corruption in Louisiana elections
The Louisiana House approved a bill Wednesday that stems from conspiracy theories accusing Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg of trying to influence local election officials. Gov. John Bel Edwards has vetoed similar bills in the past, but this year’s proposal will bypass his desk and go straight to voters with ballot language that plays on fears of […]
Louisiana governor candidates pressed for stances at PAR forum
All seven of the well funded candidates for Louisiana governor agree more public money should be invested on early childhood education. Nearly all believe the state should maintain the expanded Medicaid coverage offered to qualifying residents seven years ago. Beyond that, they expressed fairly similar broad visions for the state under their leadership, with some […]
Candidates for Louisiana attorney general prioritize crime fighting at forum
The four candidates running for attorney general cited crime as the top problem facing the state at a Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana forum held Wednesday in Baton Rouge. As to how they would address the issue if elected, each acknowledged, in varying degrees, the limited role the office plays in law enforcement. Criminal […]
Stefanski hinges attorney general campaign on fentanyl crackdown
State Rep. John Stefanski, running to be the “tough on crime” attorney general, wants to put people in prison permanently for fentanyl possession, but critics are concerned his proposal will do more harm than good. Stefanski’s legislation, House Bill 90, received near-unanimous approval Tuesday from the House Criminal Justice Committee. The bill would send individuals […]
Effort to elect Stephen Waguespack Louisiana governor relies on secret donors
Former business lobbyist Stephen Waguespack and his supporters have touted their ability to raise $3.1 million in just one month to support his gubernatorial election efforts, but over 43% of that money has come from anonymous donors. The Reboot Louisiana political action committee – which supports Waguespack’s candidacy – collected most of its $1.7 million […]
Tim Temple lends himself $950,000 for insurance commissioner’s race
In a move that might shun other candidates from entering the race, Tim Temple has committed $950,000 of his own money to run for Louisiana insurance commissioner. So far, no one else has declared they will enter the race to replace Jim Donelon, who has announced he will not seek re-election. Temple, a DeRidder native […]
John Schroder spends more than $500,000 on campaign ads for governor
The latest campaign finance reports for candidates in this fall’s governor race shows Treasurer John Schroder, by far, has outspent his competition on advertising, exceeding $500,000 since the start of the year. The large bulk of Schroder’s ad spending — 85% of it — was with television stations in Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Another […]
Louisiana’s down ballot statewide races require voters’ due diligence
There are a few months left before qualifying for this fall’s elections, but the stage appears set for historical turnover among Louisiana’s statewide officials. Out of the seven seats up for grabs, at least five will have new officeholders. Two incumbents have decided not to run for re-election, and two others want to move to […]
Clay Schexnayder announces bid for secretary of state
Louisiana House Speaker Clay Schexnayder announced Wednesday that he will run for secretary of state, an office that has become increasingly partisan in how it manages elections. Schexnayder, a Republican from Gonzales, is term-limited from holding his House seat. He said he would uphold and build upon Louisiana’s secure voting system, which has been the […]
Governor hopefuls talk tenure, student retention and more on higher education
Stephen Waguespack thinks it’s time for the woke era of higher education to come to an end. Waguespack, a Republican candidate for governor, is not the only candidate to express such a view. His GOP competitor Jeff Landry has not been shy to call out perceived wokeness on college campuses, at times expressing concern that […]
Ardoin’s package of election bills includes twice-rejected proposals
Louisiana Republicans will try for the third year in a row to enact new election laws, including two that Gov. John Bel Edwards previously blocked. Republican Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin previewed his legislative package for the 2023 regular session, which begins Monday. The bills would provide “election integrity” for Louisiana, according to Ardoin. House […]