GOTV leaders say Louisiana — and other Deep South states — should follow Georgia’s lead

Published: December 26, 2023

By:  Molly Ryan, Piper Naudin, LSU Manship School News Service, Eliza Stanley, Sanaa Dotson

In an important election year — featuring races for governor, lieutenant governor, treasurer, secretary of state, attorney general and several local government seats — Louisiana saw historically low voter turnout. Experts are still looking at why.

Only about 36% of registered voters cast ballots in October’s primary election, marking the lowest turnout in a Louisiana gubernatorial primary since 2011. The general election in November saw even lower turnout, when only about 23% of registered voters made it to the polls.

“This entire state didn’t show up,” said Ashley Shelton, president and CEO of the Power Coalition, a nonpartisan civic engagement group.

Turnout was significantly down among Democrats and Black Louisianans. And it was down in areas that traditionally lean more Democratic, like New Orleans.

Read more at 89.3 WRKF Baton Rouge.