Gov. Jeff Landry is expected to suspend Louisiana elections for the U.S. House to allow lawmakers to pass a new congressional map before the November elections.
Two officials with knowledge of the decision told the Shreveport Times, part of the USA TODAY Network, that the decision is set to be announced on the afternoon of April 30. The change follows the Supreme Court ruling April 29, throwing out Louisiana’s congressional map because the majority said it relied too heavily on race to sort voters.
The non-Black voters who successfully challenged the map have separately asked the court to speed up the effect of its ruling.
Closed party primary elections for the state's six House members had been set for May 16, with early voting beginning May 2. But Landry, a Republican, will cancel those party primaries and instead opt for what's known as a "jungle primary" on Nov. 3 that includes candidates of any party or no party after a new map is drawn by the legislature or a federal court. The U.S. Senate party primary would remain in place for the May 16 election.
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