§ 18:513 — Certification of candidates elected

§513. Certification of candidates elected
A. Certification of candidates elected for a full term. Within thirty days after the date
on which a general election is scheduled to be held, the secretary of state shall certify the
name of each candidate elected for a full term to the appropriate official in the following
manner:
(1) The name of a candidate elected to the state legislature and the district from
which he was elected shall be certified to the appropriate house of the state legislature, and
the name of the candidate shall be entered on the rolls of the appropriate house by the
secretary of the Senate or the clerk of the House of Representatives.
(2) The name of a candidate elected to Congress and the election results shall be
certified as provided by R.S. 18:1277.
(3) The name of a candidate elected as a presidential elector and the election results
shall be certified as provided by R.S. 18:1261.
(4) The name of the candidate elected to membership on a political party committee
shall be certified to the chairman of the political party committee to which the candidate was
elected.
(5) The name of a candidate elected to any other office, except governor or lieutenant
governor, shall be certified to the governor, who shall issue a commission to the elected
official on the date the term begins as provided by law or the home rule charter or plan of
government. If the date the term begins for an official of a municipality elected in
accordance with R.S. 18:402 is not provided for, the term shall begin July first following the
election. If the date the term begins for any other elected official is not provided by law or
home rule charter or plan of government, the governor shall issue a commission:
(a) To an official elected for a full term at the gubernatorial election, within thirty
days after the date on which the governor is inaugurated.
(b) To an official elected for a full term at the congressional election, within thirty
days after the name of the official has been certified to the governor by the secretary of state.
(c) To an official elected for a full term at a municipal election not held at the time
of a congressional or gubernatorial election, within thirty days after the name of the official
has been certified to the governor by the secretary of state.
(d) To an official elected at a special election to fill an unexpired term, within thirty
days after the name of the official has been certified to the governor by the secretary of state.
(e) Repealed by Acts 1996, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 23, §2.
(6) The name of a candidate elected to the office of parish president for the parish
of Jefferson or to the Jefferson Parish Council shall be certified by the secretary of state to
the governor who shall issue a commission to the elected official which shall not become
effective until the first Wednesday after the first Monday in January following the election.
B. Certification of candidates elected for an unexpired term. If a candidate is elected
at a special primary or general election for an unexpired term or if he is elected at such an
election by the people without opposition, the secretary of state shall promptly certify the
name of the candidate elected to the appropriate official named in Paragraphs (1) through (6)
of Subsection A of this Section.
C. Certification of candidates elected to a reduced term due to a postponed election.
When a reapportionment or redistricting plan fails to receive preclearance pursuant to the
Voting Rights Act of 1965 by the deadline set forth in R.S. 18:1941 or 1942 and there is a
postponement of the election, the secretary of state shall certify the name of each candidate
elected at the postponed election to the appropriate official named in Subsection A of this
Section. The certification shall be made within thirty days of the date that every candidate
to be elected at the election pursuant to the reapportionment or redistricting plan has been
elected.
D. If the secretary of state receives a proclamation calling a special election in
accordance with the provision of R.S. 18:583(A), prior to certifying a candidate's name as
required by this Section, the secretary of state shall not be required to certify the name of the
candidate as being elected to the office.

Legislative History

Acts 1976, No. 697, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1978. Amended by Acts 1977, No. 523, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1978; Acts 1978, No. 292, §1, eff. July 6, 1978; Acts 1978, No. 630, §1; Acts 1978, No. 720, §2, eff. July 17, 1978; Acts 1980, No. 444, eff. July 21, 1980; Acts 1986, No. 815, §1; Acts 1996, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 23, §§1, 2; Acts 2004, No. 526, §2, eff. June 25, 2004; Acts 2013, No. 383, §1, eff. June 18, 2013; Acts 2025, No. 386, §8(B).