The November 18 Gubernatorial General Election will be held this Saturday with LaSalle Parish voters joining with voters across the state to decide three key positions, along with determining who will be LaSalle Parish Sheriff for the next four years.
Polls at precincts across the parish will open at 7 a.m. and stay open until 8 p.m. Saturday as voters cast ballots to decide the fate of races that have major implications in the parish and across the state.
For LaSalle, it is the Sheriff’s race that has drawn the most attention as Jena Chief of Police Scott McLendon and retired Alexandria Police Department Lieutenant Lane Windham will face off in the runoff Saturday.
During the October 14 primary, McLendon led the field of six candidates with 37% of the total vote. Windham received 27% of the vote to force the runoff.
Both candidates have been working hard during the past four weeks to not only sway voters that did not vote for them last month to join their team but to also encourage their supporters to get out and vote during Saturday’s runoff.
LaSalle’s next Sheriff will likely come down to which camp can get their voters to the polls to cast ballots.
Also locally, voters will be deciding four positions on the LaSalle Parish Police Jury as the October 14 primary forced runoffs in four different districts.
In District 2, Jordy Poole will face Rod Douglas. During the primary, Poole was the high man receiving 48% of the vote while Douglas received 32%.
In District 7, Brandon Streetman will face Steve Cripps. During the primary, Streetman was the high man receiving 32% of the vote while Cripps received 26%.
In District 8, Wacker Pritchard will face Jarred Pugh. During the primary, Pritchard took the top spot with 24% but Pugh was close behind at 22%.
In District 9, Incumbent Brent Farley will face Curt Ainsworth. Although Farley had a higher percentage of votes during the primary at 36%, Ainsworth was close behind with 35%. Only three votes separated the two men.
Voters in the Eden-Fellowship Volunteer Fire District will also vote on a 15-mill renewal proposition during the November 18 ballot.
This is a renewal that provides necessary funds for the operation of the fire district. The renewal is for ten years and will be voted on in Precincts 6-2, 7-1, 8-2, 8-3, 8-5, 8-7 and 10-1.
State Races
Voters across the state will elect a Secretary of State, Attorney General and Treasurer as each of these races required a runoff to determine the winner.
“Gwen” Collins-Greenup (D) will face Nancy Landry (R) for the position of Secretary of State. During the primary election, both candidates received 19% of the total vote with just 16 votes separating the pair.
Lindsey Cheek (D) will face “Liz” Murrill (R) for the position of Attorney General. During the primary election, Murrill received 45% of the total vote while Cheek received 23%.
John Fleming (R) will face Dustin Granger (D) for the position of Treasurer. During the primary election, Fleming received 45% of the vote while Granger received 32%.
Voters will also decide the fate of four Louisiana Constitutional Amendments by voting “Yes” or “No.” The four include: Amendment 1: Do you support an amendment to clarify that the timing of gubernatorial action on a bill and his return of a vetoed bill to the legislature is based upon the legislative session in which the bill passed and to authorize the legislature, if it is in session, to reconsider vetoed bills without convening a separate veto session?
Amendment 2: Do you support an amendment to remove provisions of the Constitution of Louisiana which created the following inactive special funds within the state treasury: Atchafalya Basin Conservation Fund, Higher Education Louisiana Partnership Fund, Millennium Leverage Fund, Agricultural and Seafood Products Support Fund, First Use Tax Trust Fund, Louisiana Investment Fund for Enhancement and to prove for the transfer of any remaining monies in such funds to the state general fund?
Amendment 3: Do you support an amendment to authorize the local governing authority of a parish to provide an ad valorem tax exemption for qualified first responders?
Amendment 4: Do you support an amendment authorizing the legislature, after securing a two-thirds vote of each house, to use up to two hundred fifty million dollars from the Revenue Stabilization Trust Fund to alleviate a budget deficit subject to conditions set forth by law and allowing the legislature to modify such conditions set forth by law and allowing the legislature to modify such conditions for accessing the monies in the fund, subject to two-thirds vote?
For any election or voter registration information, please contact LaSalle Parish Registrar of Voter Angie Sandifer at (318) 992-2254.
