| | 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. | | 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 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. | + | 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 candidates, and candidates in the smaller other political parties) 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 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. | | 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. |