This bill amends existing laws regarding political party recognition and voter registration in Louisiana. It raises the requirement for a political party to be recognized from one thousand to five thousand registered voters and mandates that the party must file a notarized registration statement and pay a registration fee of five thousand dollars. Additionally, the bill prohibits the recognition of any political party that declares its name solely as "Independent" or the "Independent Party." It also establishes that individuals registering to vote on or after August 1, 2025, cannot be designated as "Independent" or affiliated with the "Independent Party," and those already registered under these designations will have their affiliation changed to "No Party."

Furthermore, the bill introduces a procedure for political parties to request dissolution through their bylaws, requiring a notarized dissolution statement to be filed with the Secretary of State. Registrants affiliated with a dissolved party will also have their party affiliation changed to "No Party," with the Department of State responsible for notifying them of this change. Overall, the bill aims to clarify the process of political party recognition and voter registration while addressing the status of independent affiliations.

Statutes affected:
HB420 Original: 18:441(B)(1)
HB420 Engrossed: 18:441(B)(1)
HB420 Enrolled: 18:441(B)(1)
HB420 Act 84: 18:441(B)(1)