Louisiana Secretary of State

Presidential Preference Primary

 

A statewide presidential preference primary election is held on the third Saturday after the first Tuesday in March in 2012 and every fourth year thereafter for the purpose of allowing the electors of each political party in the state which has 40,000 or more registered members to express their preference for a person to be the nominee of the party for president of the United States.

 

·   This election is a closed party election. There are only two political parties involved, the Democratic and Republican parties, because they have 40,000 or more registered members.

 

·   Democratic voters may only vote on candidates for the offices of Democratic presidential nominee and Democratic state and local committees, plus any local offices and/or propositions. 

 

·   Republican voters may only vote on candidates for the offices of Republican presidential nominee and Republican state and local committees, plus any local offices and/or propositions.

 

·   All other voters may vote only for any local offices and/or propositions if any are on the ballot.

 

·   There are no runoff elections for the Democratic and Republican offices. A general election is held only if local offices are on the ballot and no one receives a majority vote in the primary election.

 

The 2012 Presidential Preference Primary Election will be held on March 24, 2012. Qualifying will be held on Dec. 7–9, 2011. Click here to download the fillable Notice of Candidacy Qualifying Form for presidential nominee candidates.
 

Last day to register to vote in this election is Feb. 22, 2012. Absentee by mail ballots may be requested from Jan. 24-March 20, 2012 (except for military stationed anywhere, civilians overseas, persons hospitalized and sequestered juror voters). Early voting will be held March 10-17, 2012.