JUDGES: Provides for appointment of an ad hoc judge for election contests and challenges. (8/1/24) (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

This bill creates a new rule for handling election disputes in Louisiana by requiring the state Supreme Court to appoint a temporary judge for specific challenges. The appointed judge must be either currently serving or retired and must come from a judicial district that is neither adjacent to nor contiguous with the parish where the election contest is taking place. This provision aims to ensure that judges hearing these cases have no local ties to the area involved in the dispute. It directly affects the process for contesting elections, objecting to candidate qualifications, and challenging petition certifications.