If you plan to vote on May 16, now is a good time to make sure your voter registration is current and that your party affiliation is correct. Louisiana will use its new closed party primary format for certain races on that date, which means your party registration can affect which candidate contests you are allowed to vote in.

Under the new system, Democrats vote in Democratic primaries and Republicans vote in Republican primaries for the offices covered by the law. Voters listed as No Party may choose which major party primary ballot they want to use, or they can skip those races and vote only on the constitutional amendments and any other non-closed contests that apply to them. The Secretary of State’s office says the closed primary rules apply to races for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, Louisiana Supreme Court, Public Service Commission, and BESE.

For Red River Parish, the May 16 ballot will include U.S. Senator, U.S. Representative, Public Service Commissioner and Five Constitutional Amendments. The Secretary of State’s sample ballot page is already set up for voters to review their ballot information before election day.

Voters should also know about a party-change issue that affects some registrations. The Louisiana Secretary of State announced that the Independent Party ceased to exist on Aug. 1, 2025, and voters who had been registered with that party were automatically moved to No Party status. That means anyone who was previously listed as Independent should double-check their registration before the election. Red River currently has almost 1,100 No Party voters.

Important deadlines are coming up quickly. According to the Secretary of State, the deadline to register in person, by mail, or through OMV is April 15, while the deadline to register online is April 25. Early voting for the May 16 election runs from May 2 through May 9, excluding Sunday, May 3.

With a new election format in place, checking your registration now could save confusion later. For Red River Parish voters, a quick look at your party affiliation and sample ballot may be one of the most important steps you take before heading to the polls.