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On this episode of Discover Lafayette, we welcome Nancy Landry, Louisiana’s 45th Secretary of State and the state’s chief elections officer. A Lafayette native and former State Representative for District 31, Landry brings both institutional knowledge and a deep personal connection to Acadiana as she returns home to discuss a pivotal moment in Louisiana’s election landscape.
Landry opens with a reminder that while most people associate her office with elections, its responsibilities extend far beyond the ballot box. “We administer all the elections in the state,” she explains, “but we also are in charge of registering businesses, we administer and run nine museums, and we’re in charge of keeping and preserving the state’s archives.” She emphasizes the office’s goal of providing “a one-stop shop” for businesses, with accessible and largely free public records, a resource many, including those in the legal community, rely upon daily.
The heart of the conversation centers on significant changes to Louisiana’s election system. Beginning with the May 16 primary, the state will implement a partially closed party primary for five specific races: U.S. House, U.S. Senate, Louisiana Supreme Court, Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), and the Public Service Commission. Landry explains clearly: “If you are a registered Republican, you will get a Republican ballot and if you’re a Democrat, you’ll get the Democrat ballot. And if you are an unaffiliated “No Party” voter, you will get to choose which primary you participate in when you arrive at your precinct to vote.” She stresses that this selection of Democrat or Republican, once made, carries through any runoff election.
This shift marks a notable departure from Louisiana’s long-standing “jungle primary” system and introduces new responsibilities for voters. Landry underscores the importance of awareness: “Even though you’ve been voting a certain way your whole life, if you’ve not officially changed your party registration, that official registration is what determines which ballot you get.” The deadline to update voter registration or party affiliation for the upcoming May 16 primary election is April 25. She strongly encourages voters to verify their party status using the Secretary of State’s GeauxVote webpage or mobile app.
The conversation also offers a behind-the-scenes look at the complexity of administering elections across Louisiana’s 64 parishes. Landry describes a highly coordinated system of training, logistics, and oversight, calling poll workers “the backbone of elections.” She candidly shares that election days are rarely without incident—“There is a fire somewhere at some precinct in almost every single election,” highlighting the adaptability required to ensure voting continues uninterrupted.
Louisiana’s election system, she notes, is nationally recognized for its integrity. “We’re ranked number four in the nation in election integrity,” Landry says, pointing to what she calls the “four P’s”: people, policies, procedures, and physical security. Among those safeguards: voting machines that are never connected to the internet, public testing and sealing procedures, and strict enforcement of election laws.
Looking ahead, Landry discusses efforts to modernize Louisiana’s voting infrastructure. The current system is more than 30 years old, and the state is working toward a new model that combines efficiency with accountability. “We want the speed and accuracy that we’re used to, but we also want to have that paper ballot to provide a check and balance,” she explains, describing plans for risk-limiting audits as the “gold standard” for verifying election results.
Beyond policy and process, Landry speaks passionately about civic engagement. From serving as a poll worker to contacting elected officials, she encourages citizens to take an active role in shaping their communities. “The number one people that we listen to are our constituents,” she says, reflecting on her own experience as a legislator. She also reminds listeners that even local elections, often overlooked, can have the most direct impact on daily life.
At its core, this conversation is a timely and practical guide for Louisiana voters navigating meaningful change. Landry’s message is clear: stay informed, verify your registration, and most importantly—show up.
We thank Secretary of State Nancy Landry for her service to our state and devotion to making her office the best in the U. S.
