Changes

=== Louisiana ===

=== Louisiana ===

49 out of the 50 States in the United States use the "common law" tradition based on English law.  Under the common law, courts create and refine legal rules by deciding thousands of cases.  What is "trespass"?  Under the common law, "trespass" is defined by court decisions over the years.  For example, someone's liability for chopping down a tree that he thought was on his own property, but actually was on his neighbor's property, is established by many court decisions rather than by laws passed by the legislature.

49 out of the 50 States in the United States use the "common law" tradition based on English law.  Under the common law, courts create and refine legal rules by deciding thousands of cases.  What is "trespass"?  Under the common law, "trespass" is defined by court decisions over the years.  For example, someone's liability for chopping down a tree that he thought was on his own property, but actually was on his neighbor's property, is established by many court decisions rather than by laws passed by the legislature, under a common law system.

One State, Louisiana, uses a completely different system: the civil law system based on French law.  Under the civil law system, the legislature passes thousands of laws and virtually everything in court is decided based on what the laws say, rather than what prior decisions held.  A judge is supposed to interpret and apply directly the applicable laws passed by the legislature, rather than worry about what prior courts held.   

One State, Louisiana, uses a completely different system: a civil law system based on French law.  Under the civil law system, the legislature passes thousands of laws and virtually everything in court is decided based on what the laws say, rather than what prior decisions held.  A judge is supposed to interpret and apply directly the applicable laws passed by the legislature, rather than worry about what prior courts held.   

Louisiana did not become a state until 1812, and four years earlier it adopted the Napoleonic Code from France.  Louisiana was also influenced by Spanish law.

Louisiana did not become a State until 1812, and four years earlier it had adopted the Napoleonic Code from France.  Louisiana was also influenced by Spanish law, which is also a civil law system.

Many things in Louisiana are different from everywhere else in the United States.  The counties in Louisiana are called "parishes", for example.  Louisiana has been governed by a total of 10 different flags in its rich history.  When the Civil War began, Louisiana was an independent nation for 6 weeks prior to becoming part of the Confederacy.

Many things in Louisiana are different from everywhere else in the United States.  The counties in Louisiana are called "parishes", for example.  Louisiana has been governed by a total of 10 different flags in its colorful history.  When the Civil War began, Louisiana was even an independent nation for 6 weeks prior to becoming part of the Confederacy.

Elections in Louisiana were different from other States.  Beginning in the 1970s, Louisiana began holding an "open primary" in October of an election year, with everyone (including Democrats and Republicans) on the same primary ballot.  All voters, regardless of their party registration, were entitled to vote on that day for whomever the like.  In the other States, the primary day is for voters who belong to each party (e.g., Democrat or Republican) to vote only for a candidate in their own party.  But in Louisiana, everyone voted at the same time in the primary for anyone they wanted.

Elections in Louisiana were different from other States.  Beginning in the 1970s, Louisiana began holding an "open primary" in October of election years, with everyone (including all the Republican and Democrat and independent party candidates) on the same primary ballot.  All voters, regardless of their party registration, were entitled to vote on that day for whomever the like.  In the other States, the primary day is for voters who belong to each party (e.g., Republican or Democrat) to vote only for a candidate in their own party.  But in Louisiana, everyone voted in the primary using the same overall ballot, and they voted for anyone they wanted.  A Republican voter could vote for a Democrat, and vice-versa.  That is different from most States, where the voters in a primary election only vote for candidates in their own political party, in order to nominate them for the general election.

If no candidate for a particular office, such as a House or Senate seat, received a majority of the votes, then there would be another election between the two top vote-getters (called a "run-off").  This subsequent election would be on Election Day, the Tuesday after the first Monday in November, when the rest of the Nation votes.

If no candidate for a particular office, such as a House or Senate seat, received a majority of the votes in the Louisiana primary elections in October, then there would be another election between the two top vote-getters (called a "run-off").  This subsequent election would be on Election Day, the Tuesday after the first Monday in November, when the rest of the Nation votes.

But if a candidate did win a majority on the primary election day in October, then he was declared the winner and there would not be a run-off on Election Day.

But if a candidate did win a majority on the Louisiana primary election day in October, then he was declared the winner and there would not be a run-off on Election Day.

One problem:  the law passed by Congress requires that elections for the House, Senate, and President be on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November.  After nearly two decades of Louisiana's unusual system, the Supreme Court ended it by declaring it to be in violation of federal law concerning the timing of elections, in ''Foster v. Love'' (1997).

One problem:  the law passed by Congress requires that elections for the House, Senate, and President be on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November.  After nearly two decades of Louisiana's unusual system, the Supreme Court ended it by declaring it to be in violation of federal law concerning the timing of elections, in ''Foster v. Love'' (1997), because Louisiana was electing many congressmen in October rather than on Election Day.

=== Early Voting ===

=== Early Voting ===