By Bonnie Culverhouse
Gov. Jeff Landry has officially called a special session of the Louisiana Legislature, set to begin October 23 and run through November 13.
The stated purpose is to legislate changes to the election code, election dates, deadlines and plans for the 2026 election-cycle, including funding if needed.
Rep. Wayne McMahen, R-10, said Legislators are awaiting a decision by the United States Supreme Court regarding the state’s congressional map (redistricting) that could require Louisiana to redraw its districts, but he doesn’t expect it before the end of 2025.
“The special session gives the state a chance to address the election schedule, deadlines and other technical issues before a potential map-change ruling takes effect,” McMahen said. “We are looking at elections for 2026, not knowing how the Court will rule, but it’s important to get those dates in place. For that reason, we are proceeding with the current law in place.”
Key reasons for special session:
• The state’s current congressional map has two majority-Black districts following a prior court order. That map is under challenge for alleged racial gerrymandering.
• If the Supreme Court rules the map invalid, Louisiana may need to redraw districts, which could disrupt the schedule for the 2026 elections.
• To avoid chaos (e.g., missed deadlines, ballots printed under invalid maps, legal challenges, uncertainty for candidates) the governor wants to give the Legislature a chance now to adjust election dates, code provisions, deadlines, and funding so things are aligned in advance.
• As is common in Louisiana, a special session is also a tool for items that either failed in the regular session or need urgent attention outside of the normal session timeframe. For instance, the governor signaled earlier that he planned a special session after the 2025 regular session ended.
Implications
• If the Supreme Court rules the map invalid, the Legislature will be better positioned having already addressed deadlines and schedules.
• There could be contentious political fights: map-drawing often has major partisan implications.
• The state may shift or delay election deadlines, which could affect candidates, voter registration, ballots, etc.
• Because only the topics listed in the call can be legislated in this session, the scope is narrower than a full regular session.