Louisiana 2020 Election Results and Constitutional Amendment Outcomes

The Louisiana Ballot: A Mandate on Abortion and Corporate Tax

When Louisiana voters headed to the polls on November 3, 2020, they faced a ballot heavy on constitutional housekeeping but defined by two high-stakes campaigns that pulled the state in starkly different directions. According to an analysis by MultiState, the election results revealed a electorate deeply engaged in the specifics of state governance, ultimately approving five of the seven proposed constitutional amendments while drawing a hard line against corporate tax restructuring.

Continuing our 2026 Constitutional Amendment Guide. Here’s a look at Amendments 4–7 and what a vote FOR or AGAINST would mean: https://t.co/Qcvvvmi4yH pic.twitter.com/l0nDeksoXB

— https://x.com/louisianasenate/status/2104918942766559506

The most consequential outcome was the passage of Amendment 1, which effectively stripped the state constitution of any implied right to abortion or its funding. By a margin of 62.06% to 37.94%, voters codified this stance, acting on what proponents described as a preemptive legal strategy. Louisiana Right to Life framed the move as an essential safeguard, ensuring that should the U.S. Supreme Court overturn Roe v. Wade—a development that would eventually come to pass—state judges would be constitutionally barred from discovering an independent right to abortion within the Louisiana Constitution. The result effectively finalized a long-standing goal of the state’s anti-abortion movement to insulate local statutes from judicial intervention.

The Defeat of Amendment 5 and the Corporate Welfare Debate

While the abortion measure passed with relative ease, the business community faced a significant defeat with Amendment 5. This proposal sought to grant local governments the power to negotiate payments in lieu of property taxes for new or expanding manufacturers. Supporters, including many in the energy sector, viewed it as a vital tool for incentivizing investment in large-scale projects like the liquefied natural gas terminals currently transforming the landscape of southwest Louisiana.

The opposition, led by a coalition of teachers unions and the advocacy group Together Louisiana, successfully reframed the amendment as a form of corporate welfare. The National Education Association provided the bulk of the funding to defeat the measure, and their message resonated across the state. In a rare show of geographic unity, Amendment 5 failed in every one of Louisiana’s 64 parishes. It was a clear signal that, regardless of local economic development goals, voters were wary of granting broad tax-exemption authority to local officials.

Shifting Fiscal Rules and Local Governance

Beyond the headline-grabbing amendments, the ballot featured several technical but impactful changes to how Louisiana manages its finances. Voters approved Amendment 2, which allows assessors to include the presence or production of oil and gas when calculating the fair market value of wells for tax purposes. They also passed Amendment 3, permitting the state to tap its “rainy-day” fund for federally declared disasters, and Amendment 6, which raised the income cap for the senior property-tax freeze to $100,000. Additionally, the creation of the Unclaimed Property Permanent Trust Fund, codified under Amendment 7, took effect on July 1, 2021, to better manage state-held abandoned assets.

Louisiana Constitutional Amendment Results: A Deep Dive

The legislature itself remained largely unchanged, with Republicans maintaining firm control over both the House and the Senate. In the Public Service Commission races, the results underscored the power of incumbency. Foster Campbell, a Democrat who has been a fixture in Louisiana politics since his initial election to the state Senate in 1976, secured a final term in District 5 by defeating challenger Shane Smiley. In District 1, Republican Eric Skrmetta faced a more competitive path, leading a crowded field in November before ultimately defeating Democrat Allen H. Borne Jr. in the December 5 runoff. Borne’s campaign, which explicitly rejected contributions from utility companies, failed to overcome the 24-point margin that ultimately handed the seat to Skrmetta.

The rejection of Amendment 5 served as a stark reminder that while local governments are eager to attract manufacturing, the public remains deeply skeptical of tax structures that bypass traditional property assessment.

The Unresolved Runoffs

The election cycle concluded with a series of runoffs on December 5, 2020. Beyond the Public Service Commission contest, voters were asked to weigh in on a constitutional amendment that would have granted the governor authority to appoint an out-of-state member to the University of Louisiana System board. The proposal was rejected by a significant margin, suggesting a preference for keeping oversight within the state’s borders. This final decision closed a chapter of legislative maneuvering that had occupied the state’s political discourse for months, leaving the existing board structure intact.

Looking back, the 2020 cycle remains a study in contrasts. Voters were willing to grant the state greater flexibility in disaster management and senior tax relief, yet they remained stubbornly protective of traditional tax assessment methods and local control. As the state continues to navigate the long-term economic shifts brought on by the energy sector, the tension between industrial growth and public accountability remains an open question, unresolved by the ballot box alone.