Governor Jeff Landry believes shifting to a closed-party primary election system is at the core of making fundamental changes to advance the Bayou State. Landry said other states do it and he defended his stance on The Moon Griffon Show.
“One of those at the very foundation is the way that we elect people because the way we elect people allows us to share ideas,” said Landry.
The state has closed party primaries for the president and did for Congress in 2008 and 2010. Landry, who was elected to Congress in 2010 said now it’s a problem because our representation in DC could be decided as late as December.
“If we’d done it the older way, and I’d gotten elected under the old system there is no telling the things we would have missed because I would have come in a whole month later. All of the plumb committees being picked, it just sets us back,” said Landry.
But Senator Bill Cassidy said it hasn’t hindered the state’s current congressional clout whatsoever.
In a closed primary election, voters would have to be registered with a political party to vote in that particular primary. Landry believes if voters want to vote in either for example the Republican or Democratic primaries then they register with the party.
“But if they want to be in a party, that party should have the ability and those people should that the ability to choose their candidate to be placed on the ballot,” said Landry.
While redrawing the state’s congressional districts at the special session lawmakers could also debate changing to closed primary elections.
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