Surprise Announcement from Louisiana Secretary of State

Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin has made a surprising political announcement.

I have decided not to seek re-election. For the last five years, I have had the blessing of serving as Louisiana’s 44^th Secretary of State. In that time, we have faced unprecedented challenges including major hurricanes, a global pandemic, and lies about our election processes and procedures. Through it all, I have been able to witness the unyielding dedication of election staff across the state who worked countless late nights and weekends, sometimes putting their own needs on hold, to deliver democracy to the people of Louisiana. I could not be prouder of their work, and being tasked with leading these individuals has been the honor of a lifetime.

Ardoin will step aside at the end of his term in January. Reports indicate Ardoin is stepping aside for health reasons, but other details have not been disclosed.

The 55-year-old Ardoin was appointed as secretary of state in 2018 to replace Tom Schedler, who resigned amid sexual harassment allegations. Ardoin won seat in 2019.

Ardoin also sent out this message:

I hope that Louisianans of all political persuasions will stand against the pervasive lies that have eroded trust in our elections by using conspiracies so far-fetched that they belong in a work of fiction. The vast majority of Louisiana’s voters know that our elections are secure and accurate, and it is shameful and outright dangerous that a small minority of vocal individuals have chosen to denigrate the hard work of our election staff and spread unproven falsehoods.