‘Know before you Geaux’

When voters go to the polls on May 16, there will be some changes.
Voters within the city limits of Abbeville and Kaplan will select among candidates in the various races in their municipal elections, as they have always done. There will not be any changes in that regard.
Where things will differ is in closed primaries for U.S. Senate and U.S. Representative in the 3rd Congressional District.
Vermilion Parish Chief Deputy Clerk of Court Vanessa Vollmer spoke to members of the Rotary Club of Abbeville on Wednesday to share information on the new process. It’s part of the “Know before you Geaux” campaign from Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry.
“We’re trying to get the word out to let voters know what to expect,” Vollmer said.
In the past, Louisiana had open, or jungle primaries, in statewide and federal elections. That process allowed voters to select among all candidates, regardless of party affiliation. As of this year, through state legislation that passed in 2024, those primaries are now tied to party affiliation. On May 16, registered Democrats will select among three candidates for U.S. Senate. Registered Republicans will choose among four candidates. Democrats in Vermilion Parish have three options running for U.S. Representative in the 3rd Congressional District, which includes the parish. Republicans will not see that option on May 16, as incumbent Congressman Clay Higgins is the only one to qualify in February.
In Vermilion Parish, there are 16,812 registered Republicans and 10,634 registered Democrats. However, there are a significant number of voters registered as No Party, 10,398 in total. Some of those voters were previously registered as Independent. As of Aug. 1, 2025, the Independent is no longer a party in Louisiana.
“After the state legislature dissolved the Independent Party,” Vollmer said, “the Registrar of Voters sent out letters to Independents letting them know that it would be dissolved on Aug. 1. They could either take action to register with one of the two major parties, or they could become No Party. If they took no action, they would be automatically changed to No Party.”
For those 10,398 No Party voters, they will not be shut out on May 16. At their polling place, they can choose to fill out a declaration of ballot choice, allowing them to select Democrat or Republican. However, should those voters vote in a potential runoff on June 27, they will have to vote for whichever party they selected in May.
“They will be locked into that party,” Vollmer said.
There will be no winners in the Senate race on May 16 or in the runoff on June 27. Those elections determine who will be on the ballot for the Senate and Congress in November.
“At that point,” Vollmer said, “voters can choose among all candidates, regardless of party. It will be an open general.”
As for the May 16 election, residents have until April 15 to register to vote or to make changes in person. They will have until April 25 to make those changes through the GeauxVote Online Registration System (sos.la.gov). Early voting will take place May 2-9. Appropriate adjustments will be made for those participating in early voting and for mail-in ballots.
Vollmer said that anyone with questions can contact the clerk’s office at 337-898-4536 or the Vermilion Parish Registrar of Voters Office at 337-898-4324.
Vollmer reminded voters that five state constitutional amendments will appear on the May 16 ballot.
“If you don’t live in Abbeville or Kaplan,” Vollmer said, “or you are affected by the closed primaries, there will still be something for everyone in the parish to go out to vote on May 16.”