The May 16 election is behind us. Here’s how things turned out, and what it means going forward.
U.S. Senate: Letlow and Fleming Advance to Runoff
Congresswoman Julia Letlow (45%) and State Treasurer John Fleming (28%) advanced to a June 27 runoff in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate. Incumbent Sen. Bill Cassidy finished third with 25%. On the Democratic side, Jamie Davis (47%) and Gary Crockett (26%) also advance to a June 27 runoff.
Constitutional Amendments: All Five Fail
All five Constitutional Amendments on the Saturday ballot were rejected by voters — including Amendments 3 and 4, which One Acadiana supported. The margins were decisive.
Amendment 3 — Teacher Pay (42% yes, 58% no)
Amendment 3 would have dissolved three state education trust funds and used the proceeds to pay down retirement debt in the Teachers’ Retirement System of Louisiana, freeing up recurring savings for permanent teacher pay raises of $2,250 for teachers and $1,125 for support staff. Voters rejected it 58% to 42% — the second consecutive year an effort to restructure the state’s education trust funds has come up short.
The defeat creates immediate budget pressure at the Capitol. Teachers have received temporary stipends for the past three years, but those stipends are not guaranteed to continue and are not included in the current budget. Lawmakers will now have to decide how to fund teacher pay in the coming year, at a time when the Revenue Estimating Conference has already reduced the state’s FY 2027 general fund forecast by $104 million.
Amendment 4 — Inventory Tax (34% yes, 66% no)
Amendment 4 would have given parishes the option to reduce or eliminate the property tax on business inventory — a local-choice reform One Acadiana supported as a step toward making Louisiana more competitive. Voters rejected it 66% to 34%. Louisiana remains one of only seven states that fully taxes business inventory, and One Acadiana will continue to advocate for addressing this competitive disadvantage.
Amendments 1, 2, and 5
The remaining three amendments — covering civil service flexibility (22% yes), the St. George school district in East Baton Rouge Parish (36% yes), and the mandatory retirement age for judges (23% yes) — were also rejected. One Acadiana had not taken positions on these amendments.
Lafayette Parish Library Millage
Lafayette Parish voters also rejected the library millage renewal, with 56% voting against it. The millage generates roughly $9 million annually and makes up 58% of the library system’s revenue. The current millage is set to expire at the end of 2026, but it can go back on the ballot in December for another attempt at renewal.
What’s Next
Lawmakers return to the Capitol this week for the final two weeks of the 2026 Regular Session, with adjournment set for June 1. The defeat of Amendment 3 adds a new variable to an already constrained budget debate — and redistricting continues to consume significant time and energy as the House takes up the Senate-passed congressional map.
Away from the Capitol, Louisiana voters will return to the polls on June 27 for the U.S. Senate primary runoffs — Letlow vs. Fleming on the Republican side and Davis vs. Crockett on the Democratic side. The U.S. House primary elections, removed from the May 16 ballot following the Supreme Court ruling, have been officially rescheduled for November 3 as an open primary election, with qualifying August 5-7. One Acadiana will update our Elections Hub ahead of the June 27 election. Visit OneAcadiana.org/Elections for voter resources and additional information.