Handbook·Elections

Running for office in Louisiana

State page·Verified 2026-07-10

This page covers what's specific to Louisiana on top of the general guide to filing for local office.

Filing in Louisiana

Louisiana compresses candidate filing into a single three-day qualifying period set before each election, rather than an open-ended window. Local candidates qualify in person at the parish Clerk of Court's office in the parish where they're registered to vote, not with the Secretary of State directly. You file a notice of candidacy and choose either to pay a qualifying fee or submit a nominating petition with signatures instead. The notice of candidacy must be signed in front of a notary public or in front of registered voters who can vote for that office. If you can't appear in person, an authorized agent can file for you with a signed agent affidavit.

Deadlines and numbers

  • Qualifying period: 3 days, set by law before each election
  • Fall 2026 qualifying dates: August 5-7, 2026
  • Spring 2026 municipal qualifying dates: February 11-13, 2026
  • Sample fees: parish council $115, parish president $225 (fees vary by office, confirm the current schedule each cycle)
  • The Clerk of Court may retain up to 10 percent of the fee, minimum $10

The dossier didn't independently confirm exact nominating-petition signature counts for every local office type. The Secretary of State's fee and petition schedule PDF lists current per-office numbers each cycle. Check that document or /engage before circulating a petition.

Where to go