House Bill No. 1154 amends several provisions of Louisiana election law, particularly regarding party primary elections and the participation of unaffiliated voters. The bill allows major political parties to permit unaffiliated voters to participate in their primary elections through their bylaws, which must be communicated to the Department of State at least 180 days before the primary. If a party allows this participation, unaffiliated voters will also be able to vote in elections for the state central committee and parish executive committee of that party. The bill also clarifies that unaffiliated voters can only vote in one major party's primary election.

Additionally, the bill modifies the requirements for nominating petitions for presidential candidates, increasing the number of required signatures from 1,000 to 2,500, with at least 250 signatures from each congressional district. It also stipulates that once a voter signs a nominating petition, they cannot withdraw their nomination. The changes are set to take effect on January 1, 2027.

Statutes affected:
HB906 Original: 18:22(A)
HB906 Engrossed: 18:521(B)(1), 18:22(A)