Did you know that the fastest-growing political party in Louisiana isn’t even really a party? It’s the Independent Party.
As Business Report highlights in a new video series called “The Brief,” the state Legislature banned the formation of a formal Independent Party back in 2004. But that changed in 2014, when lawmakers passed a bill allowing candidates to put “Independent” next to their names on the ballot.
That reflects a change in voter trends in the state and nationwide. Of 2.9 million registered voters in Louisiana, roughly a quarter are “No Party” voters. Before the fall 2014 elections, more new voters identified themselves as “Other” than Democrats and Republicans combined.
Yet even as approval ratings for Republicans and Democrats drop, no one has come forward to formally create the Independent Party. That’s probably because no “Independent” wants to join a party in the first place.
But even if an Independent Party was ever formalized, there’s one problem—independents tend to be the worst voting group in Louisiana. In November, 41% of independent voters said they will “absolutely” vote, which is down 19 percentage points from 2010—and easily the lowest total since 1994.
As their ranks continue to grow, will the Independents ever get their party started? Maybe not, but at this rate, their voices will be heard soon—assuming they vote, that is.
Read a Business Report feature from April about Louisiana’s growing Independent Party.
