BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry has announced that the Independent Party will no longer be recognized in the state as of August 1, 2025, due to legislative changes enacted during the 2025 Regular Legislative Session.
Under Act 84, passed earlier this year, all voters currently registered under the Independent Party will have their affiliation automatically changed to “No Party” in the state’s official voter registration system. Impacted voters will receive updated voter cards and notification by mail.
The move comes as part of a broader transition toward a Closed Party Primary system, which will go into effect in 2026 for key federal and state offices, including:
- U.S. Senate
- U.S. House of Representatives
- Louisiana Supreme Court
- Public Service Commission
- Board of Elementary & Secondary Education (BESE)
In a closed primary system, only registered members of recognized political parties—Democrat, Republican, or No Party—will be eligible to vote in those party primaries.
“Many Louisiana voters who are registered as Independents mistakenly believe they are unaffiliated with any political party,” said Secretary Landry. “This proactive change will allow voters formerly registered as Independents to participate in Closed Party Primaries next year, preventing voter confusion while maximizing participation.”
The change follows the earlier passage of Act 1 during the 2024 First Extraordinary Legislative Session, which laid the groundwork for closed primary elections in the state.
Voters are encouraged to verify or update their registration details—including party affiliation—through the GeauxVote Online Registration System or the GeauxVote mobile app.
For more information, visit www.GeauxVote.com.