Louisiana Secretary of State

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Louisiana Secretary of State

Seal of Louisiana.png

General information
Office Type:  Partisan
Office website:  Official Link
Compensation:  $110,741
2025 FY Budget:  $109,399,586
Term limits:  None
Structure
Length of term:   4 years
Authority:  Louisiana Constitution, Article IV, Section 7
Selection Method:  Elected
Current Officeholder

Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry
Republican Party
Assumed office: January 8, 2024

Elections
Next election:  November 20, 2027
Last election:  November 18, 2023
Other Louisiana Executive Offices
GovernorLieutenant GovernorSecretary of StateAttorney GeneralTreasurerSuperintendent of EducationAgriculture CommissionerInsurance CommissionerNatural Resources CommissionerLabor CommissionerPublic Service Commission

The Secretary of State for Louisiana is one of the constitutional officers of the U.S. state of Louisiana. The secretary of state is popularly elected every four years, and re-election is not restricted by term limits. The officeholder serves as the chief election officer of the state, the official state archivist, and the keeper of the great seal of the state of Louisiana.[1]


Louisiana has a Republican triplex. The Republican Party controls the offices of governor, secretary of state, and attorney general.

Current officeholder

The current Louisiana Secretary of State is Nancy Landry (R). Landry assumed office in 2024.

Authority

Article 4, Section 7 of the Louisiana Constitution establishes a Department of State, headed by the office of Secretary of State:

There shall be a Department of State. The secretary of state shall head the department...[2]

Qualifications

Article 4, Section 2 of the Louisiana Constitution enumerates the qualifications for holding the office of Secretary of State:

To be eligible for any statewide elective office, a person, by the date of his qualification as a candidate, shall have attained the age of twenty-five years, be an elector, and have been a citizen of the United States and of this state for at least the preceding five years. In addition, the attorney general shall have been admitted to the practice of law in the state for at least the five years preceding this election. During his tenure in office, a statewide elected official shall hold no other public office except by virtue of his elected office.[2]
  • at least 25 years old
  • an elector
  • a United States citizen for the last five years
  • a resident of Louisiana for the last five years

Elections

Louisiana state government organizational chart

As with other state executive officers, the secretary of state is elected to serve for a term of four years in length, which runs concurrently with the term of the governor. The election is held in November and the statewide official takes office the following January. In accordance with the Louisiana Constitution. There is no term limit for this office. [2]

Results

2023

See also: Louisiana Secretary of State election, 2023


Louisiana elections use the majority-vote system. All candidates compete in the same primary, and a candidate can win the election outright by receiving more than 50 percent of the vote. If no candidate does, the top two vote recipients from the primary advance to the general election, regardless of their partisan affiliation.

General election

General election for Louisiana Secretary of State

Nancy Landry defeated Gwen Collins-Greenup in the general election for Louisiana Secretary of State on November 18, 2023.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Nancy Landry
Nancy Landry (R)
 
66.8
 
446,494
Image of Gwen Collins-Greenup
Gwen Collins-Greenup (D)
 
33.2
 
221,739

Total votes: 668,233
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Louisiana Secretary of State

The following candidates ran in the primary for Louisiana Secretary of State on October 14, 2023.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Nancy Landry
Nancy Landry (R)
 
19.3
 
197,514
Image of Gwen Collins-Greenup
Gwen Collins-Greenup (D)
 
19.2
 
196,534
Image of Mike Francis
Mike Francis (R)
 
17.9
 
182,842
Image of Clay Schexnayder
Clay Schexnayder (R)
 
14.7
 
149,987
Image of Arthur Morrell
Arthur Morrell (D)
 
11.1
 
113,703
Image of Thomas Kennedy III
Thomas Kennedy III (R)
 
10.1
 
102,628
Image of Brandon Trosclair
Brandon Trosclair (R)
 
6.3
 
64,686
Image of Amanda Smith Jennings
Amanda Smith Jennings (Independent) Candidate Connection
 
1.3
 
13,275

Total votes: 1,021,169
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2019

See also: Louisiana Secretary of State election, 2019


Louisiana elections use the majority-vote system. All candidates compete in the same primary, and a candidate can win the election outright by receiving more than 50 percent of the vote. If no candidate does, the top two vote recipients from the primary advance to the general election, regardless of their partisan affiliation.

General election

General election for Louisiana Secretary of State

Incumbent Kyle Ardoin defeated Gwen Collins-Greenup in the general election for Louisiana Secretary of State on November 16, 2019.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Kyle Ardoin
Kyle Ardoin (R)
 
59.1
 
867,607
Image of Gwen Collins-Greenup
Gwen Collins-Greenup (D)
 
40.9
 
601,126

Total votes: 1,468,733
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Louisiana Secretary of State

Incumbent Kyle Ardoin and Gwen Collins-Greenup defeated Thomas Kennedy III and Amanda Smith in the primary for Louisiana Secretary of State on October 12, 2019.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Kyle Ardoin
Kyle Ardoin (R)
 
41.1
 
528,253
Image of Gwen Collins-Greenup
Gwen Collins-Greenup (D)
 
33.8
 
434,587
Image of Thomas Kennedy III
Thomas Kennedy III (R)
 
19.0
 
244,646
Image of Amanda Smith
Amanda Smith (R) Candidate Connection
 
6.1
 
78,986

Total votes: 1,286,472
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2018

See also: Louisiana Secretary of State election, 2018


Louisiana elections use the majority-vote system. All candidates compete in the same primary, and a candidate can win the election outright by receiving more than 50 percent of the vote. If no candidate does, the top two vote recipients from the primary advance to the general election, regardless of their partisan affiliation.

General election

Special general election for Louisiana Secretary of State

Incumbent Kyle Ardoin defeated Gwen Collins-Greenup in the special general election for Louisiana Secretary of State on December 8, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Kyle Ardoin
Kyle Ardoin (R)
 
59.3
 
306,568
Image of Gwen Collins-Greenup
Gwen Collins-Greenup (D)
 
40.7
 
210,085

Total votes: 516,653
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

Special nonpartisan primary for Louisiana Secretary of State

The following candidates ran in the special primary for Louisiana Secretary of State on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Kyle Ardoin
Kyle Ardoin (R)
 
20.5
 
298,657
Image of Gwen Collins-Greenup
Gwen Collins-Greenup (D)
 
19.8
 
289,097
Image of Renee Fontenot Free
Renee Fontenot Free (D)
 
16.4
 
239,116
Image of Rick Edmonds
Rick Edmonds (R)
 
11.3
 
164,955
Image of Julie Stokes
Julie Stokes (R)
 
11.2
 
163,773
Image of Thomas Kennedy III
Thomas Kennedy III (R)
 
9.4
 
137,050
Image of A.G. Crowe
A.G. Crowe (R)
 
4.9
 
71,495
Image of Heather Cloud
Heather Cloud (R)
 
4.9
 
71,195
Matthew Moreau (Independent)
 
1.5
 
21,579

Total votes: 1,456,917
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2015

See also: Louisiana Secretary of State election, 2015

There was a regularly scheduled election for secretary of state in 2015. Tom Schedler (R) was eligible for re-election. The primary election took place on October 24, 2015.

There were only two candidates on the ballot in the blanket primary election. Incumbent Secretary of State Tom Schedler won a majority of votes, eliminating the need for a general election contest in November.[3]

Secretary of State of Louisiana, Blanket Primary, 2015
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngTom Schedler 62.2% 649,153
     Democrat Chris Tyson 37.8% 394,153
Total Votes 1,043,306
Election Results Louisiana Secretary of State.

Vacancies

Article 4, Section 16 of the Louisiana Constitution outlines how vacancies in the office of secretary of state should be filled:

(A) A vacancy in a statewide elective office other than that of governor or lieutenant governor shall be filled by the first assistant. If the unexpired term exceeds one year, the first assistant shall serve only until the person elected as provided in Paragraph (B) of this Section takes office.

(B) If the unexpired term exceeds one year, the office shall be filled by election at the next regularly scheduled congressional or statewide election; however, if no such election date is available within one year of the vacancy, the office shall be filled by election at a special election called by the governor for such purpose.[2]

Duties

Article 4, Section 7 of the Louisiana Constitution establishes a Department of State, headed by the secretary of state:

There shall be a Department of State. The secretary of state shall head the department and shall be the chief election officer of the state. He shall prepare and certify the ballots for all elections, promulgate all election returns, and administer the election laws, except those relating to voter registration and custody of voting machines. He shall administer the state corporation and trademark laws; serve as keeper of the Great Seal of the State of Louisiana and attest therewith all official laws, documents, proclamations, and commissions; administer and preserve the official archives of the state; promulgate and publish all laws enacted by the legislature and retain the originals thereof; and countersign and keep an official registry of all commissions. He may administer oaths, and shall have other powers and perform other duties authorized by this constitution or provided by law.[2]

Divisions

Updated January 20, 2021
  • Accounting
  • Archives
  • Commercial
  • Commissions
  • Elections
  • Museums
  • Notary
  • Publications
  • Voter Outreach[4]

State budget

See also: Louisiana state budget and finances

The Office of the Secretary of State's budget for fiscal year 2025 was $109,399,586.[5]

Compensation

See also: Compensation of state executive officers

The salary of the secretary, along with the rest of Louisiana's elected executives, is determined by the Louisiana State Legislature. Article IV, Section 4 of the Louisiana Constitution requires that changes in compensation take effect in the term after they were passed.[2]

Louisiana Constitution, Article IV, Section 4

Compensation Section 4. Except as otherwise provided by this constitution, the compensation of each statewide elected official shall be provided by law. An increase in the salary of a statewide elected official shall not become effective until the commencement of the subsequent term for that office following the adoption or enactment of the increase.[2]

2023

In 2023, the officer's salary was $110,741, according to the Council of State Governments.[6]

2022

In 2022, the officer's salary was $115,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[7]

2021

In 2021, the secretary of state received a salary of $115,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[8]

2020

In 2020, the secretary of state received a salary of $115,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[9]

2019

In 2019, the secretary of state received a salary of $115,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[10]

2018

In 2018, the secretary of state received a salary of $115,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[11]

2017

In 2017, the secretary of state received a salary of $115,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[12]

2016

In 2016, the secretary of state received a salary of $115,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[13]

2015

In 2015, the secretary of state received a salary of $115,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[14]

2014

In 2014, the secretary of state was paid an estimated $115,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[15]

2013

In 2013, the secretary of state was paid an estimated $115,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[16]

2010

In 2010, the secretary of state was paid an estimated $115,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[17]

Electoral history

2011

Incumbent Tom Schedler won election to a full four-year term as Louisiana Secretary of State on October 22, 2011. He defeated fellow Republican and Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives Jim Tucker, who was the only candidate to register to run against him. State Rep. Walker Hines and New Orleans attorney Caroline Fayard considered running, but ultimately chose not to. Schedler captured more than 50 percent of the vote in the blanket primary, winning re-election outright.

Louisiana Secretary of State, 2011
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngTom Schedler Incumbent 50.5% 449,616
     Republican Jim Tucker 49.5% 441,170
Total Votes 890,786
Election results via Louisiana Secretary of State


Historical officeholders

Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the Louisiana Secretary of State has not yet been added because the information was unavailable on the relevant state official websites, or we are currently in the process of formatting the list for this office. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.

Contact information

Louisiana

Capitol Address:
Executive - Secretary of State
Post Office Box 94125
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9125

Phone: (225) 922-2880
Fax: (225) 922-2003

See also

Louisiana State Executive Elections News and Analysis
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Louisiana State Executive Offices
Louisiana State Legislature
Louisiana Courts
2025202420232022202120202019201820172016
Louisiana elections: 2025202420232022202120202019201820172016
Party control of state government
State government trifectas
State of the state addresses
Partisan composition of governors

External links

Footnotes

  1. Louisiana Office of the Secretary of State, "Our Office," accessed January 20, 2021
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Louisiana State Senate, "Constitution of Louisiana," accessed January 20, 2021
  3. The Lens, "Election 2015," accessed October 25, 2015
  4. Louisiana Secretary of State, "Contact Us," accessed January 20, 2021
  5. Louisiana House of Representatives, "FY 2025 State Budget Tracker," accessed January 17, 2025
  6. Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2023 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 15, 2025
  7. Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
  8. Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 22, 2022
  9. Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2020," accessed January 20, 2021
  10. Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed January 20, 2021
  11. Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed January 20, 2021
  12. Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed January 20, 2021
  13. Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed January 20, 2021
  14. Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed January 20, 2021
  15. Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 20, 2021
  16. Council of State Governments, "Table 4.11 Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 20, 2021
  17. Council of State Governments, "Table 4.11 Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 20, 2021