§ La. R.S. 18:1280.22(untitled)

Candidates; procedure for qualifying
A. Candidates for presidential nominee shall qualify in accordance with procedures established by
the party. Prior to qualification as a candidate of a political party for presidential nominee, a person shall
pay a qualifying fee of one thousand dollars and any additional fees as authorized by R.S. 18:464(B)(5) and
(C) or shall have obtained a nominating petition, bearing the handwritten signatures of no less than one
thousand registered voters affiliated with the party from each of the congressional districts into which the
state is divided. If the candidate is qualifying by paying a fee, the fee shall be paid in cash, by certified or
cashier's check drawn on a state or national bank or credit union, by United States postal money order, or by
a money order issued by a state or national bank or credit union.
188 – House of Representatives Database
R.S. 18:1280.22
B.(1) The qualifying period for presidential candidates shall open and close as provided in Chapter
5 of this Title. During the qualifying period, presidential candidates shall file notices of candidacy with the
secretary of state.
(2)(a) A notice of candidacy shall be in writing and shall state the candidate's name, the office he
seeks, the address of his domicile, and the political party with which he is registered as being affiliated. The
political party with which the candidate was affiliated at the time of qualifying is the one which shall appear
on the ballot, even if the candidate changes his political party designation after he qualified for the election.
(b) The candidate shall designate in the notice the form in which his name shall be printed on the
ballot. The candidate may designate his given, first, and middle name, the initials of his given, first, and
middle name, a nickname, or any combination thereof as the form in which his name shall be printed on the
ballot. However, he shall not designate a title, designation, or deceptive name, nor shall he designate an
occupational or professional description or abbreviation. If the candidate designates a nickname in the place
of or in combination with his given name or the initials thereof, the nickname shall be set off with quotation
marks and shall be placed immediately preceding his surname. A candidate shall include his surname in his
designation of the form in which his name shall be printed on the ballot.
(c) The notice of candidacy also shall include a certificate signed by the candidate, certifying that
he has read the notice of his candidacy and that all of the statements contained therein are true and correct.
The certificate shall be executed before a notary public. If the candidate is serving outside the state with the
armed forces of the United States, his notice of candidacy shall be witnessed by a commissioned officer in
the armed forces of the United States.
(d) A notice of candidacy shall be accompanied by the qualifying fee and any additional fee imposed
or a nominating petition.
(3)(a) Each sheet of a nominating petition shall set forth the name of the presidential candidate, as
it shall appear on the election ballot, the address of the candidate, the political party with which he is
affiliated, and the date of the presidential primary.
(b) Each voter who signs a nominating petition shall include his name and residence address.
(c) All persons who obtained signatures shall certify that to the best of their knowledge, information,
and belief all of the signatures on the nominating petition are genuine, and all of the statements contained
in the petition are true and correct.
(d) A nominating petition shall be submitted to the registrars of voters in the parishes where the
signers reside not less than thirty days before the end of the qualifying period.
(e) The registrar for each parish shall endorse upon the nominating petitions, whether original or
supplemental, the date and time of submission and shall promptly certify the nominating petitions, in the
order received, by determining and certifying on each nominating petition which of the signers are registered
to vote in the parish. A registrar may stop certifying the signatures on a nominating petition when the total
number of the signers he has certified as having signed the petition timely and as being registered to vote
equals fifteen percent more than the number of registered voters required from the congressional district.
A registrar's certification shall be conclusive as to number of qualified voters who timely signed a nominating
petition, and evidence to the contrary shall not be admitted in an action objecting to the candidacy of a
presidential candidate filing the nominating petition.
C.(1)(a) Any person who qualifies as a candidate for presidential nominee may withdraw his
candidacy by filing a notice of his withdrawal that is signed by the candidate and duly acknowledged before
an officer authorized to administer oaths. The notice of withdrawal shall be filed prior to 4:30 p.m. on the
seventh day after the close of the qualifying period with the secretary of state, who shall note thereon the date
it was filed.
House of Representatives Database
Louisiana Election Code – 189
R.S. 18:1280.27
(b) The secretary of state shall not accept a statement of withdrawal that does not satisfy the
requirements of Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph. The secretary of state shall endorse the date and time
of receipt of such a notice of withdrawal and return the notice forthwith, either personally or by registered
or certified mail.
(2) A notice of withdrawal filed in accordance with the provisions of Subparagraph (1)(a) of this
Subsection shall become effective when it is filed with the secretary of state. The effect of the withdrawal
shall be as provided in R.S. 18:502.