Edwards became the first governor since Earl Long to win non-consecutive terms.

A runoff would be held if no candidate received an absolute majority of the vote during the primary election.

Edwards came back in 1991, and along with former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, combined to oust Roemer in the primary before Edwards routed Duke in the runoff to win a fourth gubernatorial term.

This was the first time that any contestant for the governors election in Louisiana received at least one million votes.

(1) Gubernatorial Debate on September 7, 1983 [1] (2) Gubernatorial Debate on September 14, 1983 [2] (3) Election Special from LPB on October 21, 1983, detailing in-depth report on the statewide primary elections [3] (4) Edwin Edwards Campaign Commercial "Edwin Edwards....Now" [4] (5) Profile of Edwin Edwards from WWL-TV New Orleans on October 22, 1983 [5] (6) Edwards Victory Speech after winning landslide re-election to third term on WWL-TV New Orleans on October 22, 1983 [6] (7) LPB Coverage on the Primary Recap from October 28, 1983 [7]