Louisiana: What to expect on election night

(AP) – With no statewide offices on the ballot, Louisiana’s general election on Dec. 10 features three constitutional amendments.

One amendment would restate that only U.S. citizens can vote in Louisiana, which is already part of the state constitution.

The other two would give the state Senate the authority to confirm a handful of executive appointments by the governor. There is also a general election for a seat on the Public Service Commission, which regulates public utilities.

Here’s a look at what to expect on election night:

ELECTION DAY

Polls close at 8 p.m. local time (9 p.m. ET) on Dec. 10, a Saturday.

HOW LOUISIANA VOTES

In November, when the rest of the country was holding general elections, Louisiana held the state’s unique “jungle” primary. Under this system, all candidates, regardless of party, ran against one another on the same ballot. If no candidate topped 50% in that primary, the top two vote-getters advanced to Saturday’s election.

Only one race tabulated by AP advanced to the general election for the District 3 seat on the state’s Public Service Commission. The contest will feature two Democrats — Lambert Boissiere, who got 43% of the vote in the primary, against Davante Lewis, who got 18%.

Most Louisiana voters cast ballots on Election Day in November, with a little less than 30% casting advance votes, either in person or by mail. That was down from 45% in the 2020 election.

As of Dec. 2, nearly 70,000 people had voted, with most voting in person. In-person early voting runs through Saturday.

The state has placed several restrictions on mail-in voting. People can vote absentee if they cannot vote in person on the day of an election, but an excuse is required. Permanent absentee status is available to older adults and the permanently disabled. A notary and/or witness signature is required with a returned absentee ballot.

Democrats tend to do well in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, but Louisiana is considered a Republican state. In the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, the Democratic candidate won only 10 of the state’s 64 parishes. President Donald Trump won the state with 58% of the vote in both contests. In November, Republican Sen. John Kennedy easily won reelection with more than 61% of the vote.