Politics

May 16 election results: Louisiana voters reject all 5 amendments; see full results

WWNO - New Orleans Public Radio | By WWNO Staff

Published May 16, 2026 at 11:40 PM CDT

A supporter follows election voting results during an election night watch party for Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Baton Rouge, La.

Nearly 800,000 Louisianians voted in the May 16 election, with voters rejecting all five state constitutional amendments put forward by Gov. Jeff Landry.

They also sent Rep. Julia Letlow and State Treasurer John Fleming to a runoff for Sen. Bill Cassidy's seat. Cassidy became the first incumbent senator to lose their primary race in 14 years.

On the Democratic ticket, Jamie Davis, a northeast Louisiana crop farmer, and Nick Albares, a New Orleans native and nonprofit executive, will also head to a run-off for the party's Senate nomination.

A sign alerting voters to the cancellation of the U.S. House primary race in Louisiana is hung up next to a sample ballot during early voting at the New Orleans City Hall on Tuesday, May 5, 2026.

Politics

Widespread confusion surrounds Louisiana's May 16 election, leaving voters 'frustrated'

Drew Hawkins

Similar issues that plagued early voting in Louisiana were present on election day. The state Democratic Party says the “mass confusion” amounts to “voter suppression and voter intimidation.”

You can see complete election results and coverage of key races below:

Amendment 1: Allows for removal of civil service protection from state employees

BALLOT LANGUAGE: Do you support an amendment to allow the legislature to remove or add officers, positions and employees to the unclassified state civil service?

YES — 170,392 (22%)
NO — 621,747 (78%)

Amendment 2: Creates a separate school system for the City of St. George

BALLOT LANGUAGE: Do you support an amendment to grant the St. George community school system in East Baton Rouge Parish the same authority granted parishes for purposes of Article VIII, Section 13 of the Constitution of Louisiana, including purposes related to the minimum foundation program, funding for certain school books and instructional materials, and the raising of certain local revenues for the support of elementary and secondary schools?

YES — 282,856 (36%)
NO — 504,665 (64%)

Amendment 3: Dissolves state savings accounts to pay off teacher retirement system debt, increase teacher and school staff pay

BALLOT LANGUAGE: Do you support an amendment to fund a $2,250 teacher pay raise and a $1,125 support staff pay raise by utilizing the remaining savings from paying down the debt of the Teachers’ Retirement System of Louisiana with monies from certain constitutional funds?

YES — 333,950 (42%)
NO — 465,180 (58%)

Early voting at New Orleans City Hall on Tuesday, May 5, 2026.

Education

Louisiana teachers face pay cut after voters reject plan to drain education trust funds

Aubri Juhasz

While the state’s largest teachers' unions supported Amendment 3 on the May 16 ballot, some educators opposed the measure, and some union affiliates remained neutral as a result.

Amendment 4: Allows local government to shrink or end business inventory taxes

BALLOT LANGUAGE: Do you support an amendment to allow a parish to reduce or exempt property tax on property held as business inventory and to provide for the classification of Public Service Property?

YES — 268,232 (34%)
NO — 523,087 (66%)

Amendment 5: Increase the age for the mandatory retirement of judges

BALLOT LANGUAGE: Do you support an amendment to change the mandatory retirement age for judges from 70 to 75, provided that a judge may continue to serve to complete a term of office?