Currently, Louisiana lets independent presidential candidates list themselves on the ballot as “independent” (or any other short label they wish, if the label does not mimic the name of a qualified party). But current Louisiana law does not permit independent candidates for other office to use the label “independent.” Instead they are on the ballot as “no party.”

On May 18, the Secretary of State’s omnibus election law bill was amended to say that independent candidates for all office should be on the ballot with the label “independent” instead of “no party.” The bill passed the House Committee on Governmental Affairs on May 18. The bill also deletes the names of candidates for presidential elector from the November ballot, so as to make for a shorter and simpler ballot.