**Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry has suspended the state’s U.S. House primary elections, a move that effectively invalidates tens of thousands of votes already cast. The decision comes after the Supreme Court recently struck down the state’s congressional map, which featured a majority-Black district.**

Before the suspension, the Secretary of State had already collected more than 42,000 absentee ballots. Because the primary date for House seats has been moved from May 16 to July 15, these specific ballots will no longer be counted. The governor ordered the delay to redraw the districts, a process critics argue is designed to favor Republican candidates.

While the House races are on hold, the primary election is not entirely canceled. Louisianans will still go to the polls on May 16 to vote in other contests, including two U.S. Senate races.

The sudden change has sparked immediate backlash from civil rights groups and Democratic candidates. They have raised concerns about voter disenfranchisement and are currently challenging the legality of the delay in court. Despite the uncertainty, advocates are encouraging residents to remain engaged in the remaining May contests while the legal battle over the congressional map continues.

Louisiana Discards 42,000 Ballots Following Election Delay