§ 18:441 — Recognition

§441. Recognition
A. A political party shall be recognized in this state pursuant to the provisions of
Subsection B or C of this Section.
B.(1) A political party shall be recognized if ninety days prior to the opening of the
qualifying period for any election at least five thousand registered voters in the state are
registered as being affiliated with such political party; such political party has filed a
notarized registration statement as described in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection with the
secretary of state; and the political party has paid a registration fee of five thousand dollars
to the secretary of state upon filing the registration statement. The political party designation
of a candidate shall not be listed on the ballot unless the political party was recognized prior
to the close of qualifying for the office the candidate is seeking.
(2) The registration statement filed with the secretary of state by a political party
shall be sworn to by an officer of the party, notarized, and shall include the following
information:
(a) The name of the political party.
(b) The mailing address of the party within the state of Louisiana.
(c) If the party is affiliated with a national political party, the name of the national
party and the address of its national headquarters.
(d) The names, addresses, and official titles of the party's state officers in Louisiana.
(e) A copy of the party's emblem, if any.
(f) Copies of the state party's charter or constitution, its governing bylaws, rules, and
regulations.
(3) No registration statement of a political party shall be accepted by the secretary
of state, if the secretary of state finds any of the following defects:
(a) The name of the party is identical to or deceptively similar to the name of any
other existing political party.
(b) The name of the party is deliberately misleading or fraudulent in any respect.
(c) An emblem submitted by the party is deceptively similar to an emblem or
trademark of any other existing political party.
(4) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, no political party shall be
recognized in this state which declares its name solely to be "Independent" or the
"Independent Party".
(5) Any person aggrieved by the filing of a registration statement pursuant to
Paragraph (2) of this Subsection alleged to be false, fraudulent, deceptive, substantially
misleading, or otherwise prohibited by Paragraph (3) of this Subsection may, within two
years of such filing, object to the filing in writing to the secretary of state. The secretary of
state, upon determination that the registration statement is defective, shall declare such
registration statement null and void, and such political party shall no longer be considered
as recognized.
(6) A political party that has been recognized pursuant to the provisions of this
Subsection shall cease to be a recognized political party if no registered member of the party
qualifies as a candidate in a primary election for any period of four consecutive years.
(7) The secretary of state shall promulgate and adopt rules as necessary to effectuate
the provisions and purposes of this Section. Any act or omission of the secretary of state in
the implementation of the provisions of this Subsection shall be reviewable upon filing a
petition for judicial review in the Nineteenth Judicial District Court.
C.(1)(a) A political party shall be recognized if any one candidate of the political
party for presidential elector received at least five percent of the votes cast in this state for
presidential electors in the last presidential election, or if any one candidate of the political
party for any statewide office received at least five percent of the votes cast for the statewide
office in any primary or general election.
(b) Only political parties that are recognized in accordance with Subparagraph (a)
of this Paragraph shall be entitled to participate in party primary elections held in accordance
with this Code.
(2) A political party that has received recognition pursuant to the provisions of
Paragraph (1) of this Subsection shall no longer be recognized if, within any period of four
consecutive years, the party no longer complies with the provisions of Paragraph (1) of this
Subsection.
D.(1) A political party that has received recognition pursuant to Subsection B of this
Section shall not be entitled to representation on a parish board of election supervisors, nor
shall such party be subject to the provisions of R.S. 18:443 through 446, unless at least five
percent of the registered voters in the state are registered as being affiliated with such
political party. A political party that has been recognized pursuant to Paragraph (C)(1) of
this Section shall not be entitled to representation on a parish board of election supervisors
nor be subject to the provisions of R.S. 18:443 through 446 unless such candidate as
provided for in Paragraph (C)(1) of this Section received at least ten percent of the votes cast
for such office in the most recent election in which a candidate for such party received the
number of votes as specified in Paragraph (C)(1) of this Section.
(2) Any political party recognized pursuant to Paragraph (B)(1) of this Section shall
not be considered to be a recognized political party pursuant to R.S. 18:1505.2(H).
E.(1) A political party may through its bylaws provide for the process of dissolution.
A political party that has been recognized pursuant to Subsection B of this Section may
request to have the party dissolved by the secretary of state. A political party that requests
the party's dissolution shall file a notarized dissolution statement with the secretary of state
made in accordance with the party's bylaws.
(2) A registrant who is registered as being affiliated with a political party that is
dissolved pursuant to this Subsection shall have his party affiliation changed to "No Party".
The Department of State shall notify the registrant of the change pursuant to R.S. 18:109.
The notice shall contain an explanation for the change in registration.

Legislative History

Acts 1976, No. 697, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1978; Acts 2004, No. 889, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2005; Acts 2006, No. 403, §1, eff. June 15, 2006; Acts 2014, No. 152, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2015; Acts 2014, No. 594, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2015; Acts 2024, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 1, §1, eff. See Act; Acts 2024, No. 640, §2, eff. See Act; Acts 2025, No. 84, §1; Acts 2025, No. 386, §§3, 7, eff. June 20, 2025.