§ 18:511 — Election of candidates in a primary election

§511. Election of candidates in a primary election
A. Majority vote. A candidate who receives a majority of the votes cast for an office
in a primary election is elected. If there are two or more offices of the same character to be
filled, the number of votes necessary to constitute a majority shall be greater than the result
obtained by dividing the total votes cast for all of the candidates by the number of offices to
be filled and dividing the result so obtained by two. If more candidates receive a majority
than there are offices to be filled, those of such candidates receiving the highest total of votes
shall be elected, to the number required to fill all of the offices. Any votes received by a
withdrawn candidate or a deceased candidate shall be void and shall not be counted for any
purpose whatsoever.
B. Election of unopposed candidates for public office. If, after the close of the
qualifying period for candidates in a primary election other than a party primary election, the
number of candidates for a public office does not exceed the number of persons to be elected
to the office, the candidates for that office, or those remaining after the withdrawal of one
or more candidates, are declared elected by the people, and their names shall not appear on
the ballot in either the primary or the general election.
C. Election of unopposed candidates for membership on party committees. If, after
the close of the qualifying period for candidates in a primary election, the number of
candidates for membership on a political party committee does not exceed the number of
members to be elected to the committee, the candidates for membership on that political
party committee, or those remaining after the death or withdrawal of one or more candidates,
are declared elected by the people, and their names shall not appear on the ballot in either the
primary or the general election.
D. Effect of a tie vote. If, as a result of a tie vote in a primary election, the number
of candidates who would be elected to an office exceeds the number of persons to be elected
to the office, the candidates who received the same majority of the votes cast in the primary
election are not elected, but they are qualified as candidates in the general election.

Legislative History

Acts 1976, No. 697, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1978; Acts 1977, No. 523, §eff. Jan. 1, 1978; Acts 1988, No. 909, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1989; Acts 2005, No. 282, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2006; Acts 2006, No. 560, §2, eff. Jan. 1, 2007; Acts 2010, No. 570, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2011; Acts 2024, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 1, §1, eff. See Act; Acts 2024, No. 640, §2, eff. See Act; Acts 2025, No. 386, §§ 3, 7, eff. June 20, 2025 .