Full Breakdown
Louisiana Governor Links State Raises to Teacher-Pay Amendment Defeat
5/19/2026, 2:39:42 AM
Gov. Jeff Landry's Statement
Governor Jeff Landry posted on X that no state employee will receive a raise unless teachers secure a permanent increase, saying the amendment’s failure blocks any state-worker salary increase.
Amendment 3 Outcome
Amendment 3 would have made permanent raises of $2,250 for teachers and $1,125 for staff, replacing $2,000/$1,000 temporary stipends. Voters rejected it by roughly 60%, with margins from 16 to 56 points.
Key Stakeholders
Governor Landry backed all five measures. Larry Carter, president of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers & School Employees (? 18,000 members), championed the amendment and warned of financial harm. Senate President Cameron Henry said the legislature would not continue the $2,000/$1,000 stipends without voter approval.
Data Summary
The amendment would have given teachers $2,250 and staff $1,125, replacing $2,000/$1,000 temporary stipends. Voters rejected it by roughly 60%, and amendment turnout exceeded primary turnout by 65,000 voters.
Opposition View
Ed Chervenak called the amendments a political weapon, noting that amendment turnout exceeded primary turnout by 65,000 voters and that the defeat sends a message to Governor Landry.
Union Plan
Larry Carter expressed disappointment but said the union will seek a raise through the budget with leaders.
Quotes
- “I want to make it clear—if our teachers don’t get a permanent pay raise this year, nobody in state government gets a pay raise. I mean nobody.” — Jeff Landry, Governor of Louisiana
- “Now, that has grown because those states over the last two to three [legislative] sessions, they’ve improved their teacher pay and school support. Now it’s going anywhere from $4,500 to $5,500 in terms of the pay gap.” — Larry Carter, President, Louisiana Federation of Teachers & School Employees
- “What we saw was lower turnout in the two primaries combined compared to the vote in the amendments; 65,000 more people voted on the amendments than in the two-party primaries.” — Ed Chervenak, Political Analyst, University of New Orleans
- “We definitely heard about voters and how they felt a ‘no’ vote for everything was a way to get back at the governor. We didn’t take that approach. We wanted to make sure that it passed. So, we tried our best to inform our members what the amendment was about.” — Larry Carter, President, Louisiana Federation of Teachers & School Employees
Gaps
The amendment’s failure “likely means teachers will get pay cuts equivalent to those stipends,” but no precise figure or timeline for an alternative raise is provided.
Future Outlook
State employees are expected to forgo raises pending a permanent teacher-pay solution. The teachers’ union will seek legislative action in the upcoming budget, while observers watch for further electoral repercussions for Governor Landry.
