Two Baton Rouge residents have kicked off a statewide political fight, filing a recall petition against Gov. Jeff Landry on May 4 and starting a 180-day sprint to gather enough signatures for a recall election. To get there, organizers must collect signatures from roughly 20 percent of Louisiana’s active registered voters, which works out to about half a million people.
How Many Signatures Are Needed
State records list 2,504,416 active registered voters in Louisiana, so recall organizers are staring down a target of about 500,884 valid signatures to meet the 20 percent mark required for a statewide recall. That figure, along with confirmation that the petition was formally filed, was verified by the Secretary of State’s office, according to reporting by The Shreveport Times.
Who Filed The Petition
The recall paperwork was submitted by Marian Gbaiwon Hills and Katilyn P. Stepter. In their filing, they argue that Landry should be removed from office because of what they describe as a “pattern of actions and statements that undermine fair representation.” The pair filed their petition with the Secretary of State on May 4 and say they plan to set up signing locations around Louisiana, WDSU reports.
Why Organizers Launched It Now
The move comes on the heels of Gov. Landry’s decision to suspend the state’s U.S. House primaries after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling threw out Louisiana’s current congressional map. That decision has already triggered lawsuits and sharp political pushback. The suspension and the court ruling have drawn extensive national scrutiny and breakdowns from outlets including The Associated Press.
Analysts Say The Odds Are Long
Political watchers are not exactly betting the house on this recall effort. Gathering around half a million valid signatures in six months is a massive organizing lift, and previous attempts at statewide recalls in Louisiana have struggled to clear similar hurdles. “Most elections, you can't get that many people to show up to the voting booth,” one analyst told WWL, noting that every modern Louisiana governor has faced a recall petition that ultimately went nowhere.
What The Law Requires
Under Louisiana law, the number of signatures needed for a recall depends on the size of the electorate. For any office chosen by more than 100,000 voters, petitioners must collect signatures from 20 percent of the active registered voters, and they have 180 days from the date of filing to turn those signatures in to parish registrars for verification. The state lays out detailed rules on recall petition formats, deadlines and how signatures are verified on the Louisiana Secretary of State website.
Next Steps
Organizers say they plan to hold signing events in all 64 parishes and are leaning on social media to advertise locations and recruit volunteers. With a 180-day window, they face an Oct. 31, 2026, deadline to turn in completed petition sheets. If parish registrars sign off on enough valid signatures, the Secretary of State will decide when the recall question appears on the ballot.
