The Louisiana secretary of state has received tens of thousands of mail-in ballots for the state’s primary but is now refusing to count them, in a desperate attempt by Republican Governor Jeff Landry to appease Donald Trump.
Last week, the state Supreme Court voted 6-3 to invalidate Louisiana’s electoral map and eliminate its only Democratic-majority (and predominantly African American) district. Landry immediately suspended the Louisiana House of Representatives primaries in order to implement a new electoral map likely to favor Republicans.
By the time the governor postponed the election from May 16 to July 15, more than 42,000 mail-in ballots had been received, according to Monday’s Louisiana Illuminator.
Landry’s blatant attempt to invalidate thousands of votes comes amid pressure from Trump, who is pressuring Republican-majority states to redraw their electoral maps.
Several Democratic candidates and civil rights advocates have urged voters to continue participating in the elections, as Landry’s decision is facing multiple legal challenges. Other primaries, including one for the Senate, will be held on May 16.
