Jeremy Alford and David Jacobs: With presidential nominations settled, party posts remain on ballot

The date of the March 23 ballot may very well match the turnout, with the Secretary of State’s Office forecasting voter engagement somewhere between 20% and 25%.
With a little over two weeks to go until election day, there doesn’t seem to be much interest in this spring’s exercise in politics and government.
The headlining presidential preference primary has become a dud, now that President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have locked up the nominations of the nation’s mainline parties. 
The leadership of our two major parties on the state level, meanwhile, could be at stake.
Republicans and Democrats will vote in the contested races for their State Central Committees, whose memberships will choose the officers for each party. 
DSCC Chair Katie Bernhardt faces a challenge from Madeline Brumley Clavier for her seat on the state central committee, and if she wins, she will have to fight to hang on to her leadership position. 
Former Rep. Randal Gaines in December announced plans to run for Democratic Party chair, and Public Service Commissioner Davante Lewis has been considering a run. Both drew challengers for their committee seats. 
On the Republican side, Derek Babcock, secretary of the executive committee, plans to run for chair if he can hold committee his seat against Brad Crosby. Current chair Louis Gurvich is expected to support Babcock’s leadership bid if the latter holds his seat. 
Gurvich did not confirm that scenario when LaPolitics asked earlier this year, but he did say he would wait and see the committee election results before deciding whether to run for chair again. Jude Savoie plans to run against the establishment for GOP party chair. 
Also on the March ballot is the hotly contested race for district attorney on the Northshore. The 22nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office, which covers St. Tammany and Washington parishes, opened when Warren Montgomery died last year. 
Interim DA Collin Sims, who led the office’s criminal division under Montgomery, takes on fellow Republican Vincent Wynne, who worked for former DA Walter Reed. The two men have questioned the other’s qualifications, as Wynne embraces his work in Reed’s office, while Sims paints his opponent as a relic of the past.
The Alliance for Good Government has endorsed Sims, though prominent figures in Slidell and in Washington Parish have endorsed Wynne, said Greg Buisson, Wynne’s campaign strategist. 
Buisson said the election has the potential to be a close, low-turnout race.
The candidates have been dealing with an abbreviated campaign schedule and an expensive media market.
The election also features three judicial races. There could have been seven, but four candidates were unopposed.
At least one of the judicial candidates likely is familiar to LaPolitics readers: Loren Lampert, general counsel for the Louisiana District Attorneys Association.
The Republican is running against Allie Paige Nowlin, an Independent, for district judge in Rapides Parish’s 9th Judicial District Court. Former Judge John Davidson retired last fall, necessitating the special election.
As for the other judicial races, Jackie Maloney, Jerry Smith and Lindsey Valenti — all Republicans — are running for district judge at the 24th Judicial District Court in Jefferson Parish.
Another trio of Republicans — Caleb Kent Aguillard, Laura Rougeau Garcille and Jessica Wimberly Marchand — are running for the 27th Judicial District Court in St. Landry Parish. 
This past Saturday was the first day of early voting for the March 23 election. Voting continues at designated locations through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. until 6 p.m.
For more Louisiana political news, visit www. LaPolitics.com or follow Alford on Twitter @ LaPoliticsNow.