(The Center Square) — Black voters are turning out at rates rarely seen in Louisiana's recent election history, accounting for nearly one-third of early ballots cast ahead of the Nov. 3 election, according to state election data.
Through Thursday, 74,275 Black voters had cast ballots, representing 31.9% of the 232,695 votes recorded statewide, according to the Louisiana Secretary of State's Office.
The turnout is particularly notable compared with recent nonpresidential elections.
Black voters have accounted for approximately 32% of ballots cast during the opening days of Louisiana's early voting period, a higher share than in the 2022 midterm election, when they accounted for 25.7% of all early and absentee ballots, according to Louisiana Secretary of State election data.
Black voters make up approximately 31% of Louisiana's registered electorate, meaning their share of early ballots is roughly proportional to their share of registered voters.
The early participation comes as Louisiana prepares to elect a new U.S. senator. Republican U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow faces Democrat Jamie Davis, a former Tensas Parish police juror, in the race to succeed Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy.
Democrats have struggled in statewide elections in Louisiana, where former Gov. John Bel Edwards was the last Democrat to win a statewide contest, securing reelection in 2019.
The higher Black voter participation comes months after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling reshaped Louisiana's congressional map, reducing the state's number of majority-Black congressional districts from two to one.
The redistricting eliminated the majority-Black configuration of the 6th Congressional District, currently represented by Democrat Cleo Fields, who is not seeking reelection.
The increase in participation extends beyond Black voters.
State election records show 98,502 registered Democrats and 95,567 registered Republicans had cast ballots through Thursday. Another 37,931 voters registered without party affiliation had participated, along with 695 voters affiliated with other parties.
Overall, 173,173 ballots had been cast in person, while another 59,522 absentee ballots had been recorded.
Early voting is also outpacing the 2022 midterm election in parts of Louisiana.
In Ascension Parish, 2,019 residents voted in person on the opening day, compared with 1,144 during the corresponding day in 2022, an increase of approximately 76%.
Early voting continues through Tuesday, excluding Sunday. Voters will decide Louisiana's U.S. Senate contest, six congressional races, 10 proposed constitutional amendments and various local elections.