Voter groups challenge order to postpone House primaries in Louisiana

Campaigns Lawsuit contends Gov. Jeff Landry exceeded his authority after Supreme Court ruling Rep. Troy Carter, D-La., speaks during the Congressional Black Caucus news conference Wednesday on the Supreme Court’s ruling in Louisiana v. Callais. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call) Posted May 1, 2026 at 5:41pm Facebook Twitter Email Reddit A group of Louisiana voters and voting rights groups filed a state lawsuit Friday challenging Gov. Jeff Landry’s executive order to postpone the state’s May 16 primaries for the House. The lawsuit seeks to block Landry’s move, arguing in part it exceeds the governor’s authority to invoke emergency power to stop elections because of a Supreme Court ruling, rather than a natural disaster, public health or other safety emergency. Plaintiffs and counsel, who sought a temporary restraining order from a Louisiana court, said in a news release any last-minute effort to alter election procedures or enact discriminatory maps must be stopped. “Emergency powers are not a blank check to rewrite election rules after voting has begun, nor do they authorize the Governor to cancel votes that have already been cast to suit his political purposes,” the statement said. “The Governor’s order is sparking chaos and is an illegal effort to erase