Louisiana is a one of a kind state. When comparing electoral systems for local, state, and federal offices, the Bayou State’s elections differ from the other 49 states. Sometimes referred to as a jungle primary, all candidates running for office appear on the same ballot regardless of their partisan affiliations. If a candidate wins 50% plus one vote, they win the election.
However, if no candidate meets the threshold, the top two candidates—regardless of their political affiliation—will advance to the second election. In the end, the candidate that receives the greatest number of votes wins. Despite this unique electoral system, Louisiana still does not have a completely representative democracy. In a recent WPLN Facebook Live, Renee Amar, Director of Louisiana Women Lead, spoke of her experiences with cultivating this representation, specifically for Louisiana women.
Louisiana Women Lead is one of Women’s Public Leadership Network’s state-based training partners. Their organization was founded by women who want to contribute to increased representation for women in Louisiana. By creating an organization that supports center-right women running for office, Amar believes not only can they close the gender gap within their state, but also help close the ideological gap. Of the women running during the 2020 election cycle, 25% of the ballot were women. However, only 10% of these women are center-right women. The main initiative of Louisiana Women Lead is to balance that figure. It is apparent to Amar that once the numbers are increased, women are able to “run up the board,” as she put it.
55% of registered voters in Louisiana are women, and yet, women currently only make up 18% of the Legislature. In addition, there are no women currently serving in Congress or in any statewide office. Amar credits this disparity to the traditional and cautious culture and mindset throughout the state: “A woman has to be asked seven times to run for office before she will agree to it.”
Amar’s team is working to shift that mindset by helping people across the state “believe it is okay that women can take these leadership roles and can do more than one thing at a time.” As Amar said, “digging in and helping women feel like this is an acceptable place for them to be” empowers women to make true change within the state. Louisiana Women Lead is helping build confidence in women that “politics is the place where they need to be.” They can be female politicians and leaders, and they can be themselves - dispelling the misconception that being a leader requires a harsh personality.
Amar sees a place for improvement in Louisiana within the state boards and commissions, which often make policy decisions. Louisianians are responsible for nominating individuals to serve locally and statewide. She believes creating a support network for women through her organization will allow women to get motivated and be tapped to have their voices at the table. Within their first months of operation, Louisiana Women Lead has plans to create regional networks throughout the state. By engaging women in every corner of Louisiana, they can better understand their specific needs and barriers and offer support. Through donations to this organization and a motivated Louisiana female network, Renee knows they can succeed and create the diverse representation that Louisianians deserve to have. “We can’t be what we can’t see,” she said.
Check out the conversation on WPLN’s Facebook page or watch it below. If you’d like to empower women in Louisiana, connect with Louisiana Women Lead on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and their website.