Long ballot awaits St. Mary as early voting begins Tuesday

Staff report
St. Mary voters can begin early voting Tuesday as a long and sometimes turbulent election season approaches its climax.
You can vote early 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday through Oct. 27, excluding Sunday, Oct. 25. Any registered parish voter can vote either at the St. Mary Parish Courthouse in Franklin or the St. Mary Sales Tax Office, 301 Third St., Morgan City. Bring a photo ID to the polls.
The primary election day is Nov. 3.
The ballot includes two federal offices that have been centers of controversy, as well as a proposition that would make major changes in the St. Mary home rule charter.
The election for U.S. representative was supposed to be a closed party primary this year. But after the U.S. Supreme Court’s Callais decision effectively eliminated one of Louisiana’s two Black-majority House districts, Gov. Jeff Landry put off the House primaries until Nov. 3.
Incumbent Rep. Clay Higgins, R-Lafayette, faces five primary challengers in his bid for a sixth two-year term.
In the Senate race, U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow beat incumbent Sen. Bill Cassidy and Treasurer John Fleming in the Republican primary, with the help of an endorsement by President Donald Trump. Her opponent is Democrat Jamie Davis, a Ferriday farmer making his first run for political office.
Locally, the proposed amendments to St. Mary’s home rule charter have been the biggest issue. An 11-member Chamber Review Commission put forward amendments that include elimination of the three at-large Parish Council districts, reducing the council to eight members from 11.
The amendments also rework leadership in the executive branch. The parish presidency would become a full-time post with a salary to match, and the chief administrative officer position would be eliminated.
Council members would be limited to two four-year terms, and the term limits would be retroactive.
Read more about the charter proposition on Page 2.
In the St. Mary Parish School Board election, three of 11 seats will be on parish ballots, two involving the Patterson area.
Two longtime members from Patterson, Marilyn LaSalle and Ginger Griffin, chose not to run for re-election, leaving open the District 5 and District 6 posts.
In District 5, Sandra K. Turner is running against Calyn Swords Welch.
District 6 attracted three candidates: Jeffrey “Jeff” Hustetler, Noel Pisani and Jameson “Budd” Sennette.
The third race is in District 8 in the Berwick area. There, incumbent Chad Paradee is running against Scott Babin.
Three mayoral races will be on the ballot, too.
In Berwick, incumbent Mayor Duval Arthur is stepping down. Incumbent Councilman Lud Henry is being challenged by Jason Romero.
In Patterson, incumbent Mayor Rodney Grogan is opposed by Slade Sanders.
And in Baldwin, Ajani Connor is running against incumbent Mayor Clarence Vappie.
In each of those three municipalities, voters will pick five candidates for the city or town council in multi-candidate fields.
Ten state constitutional amendments are on the ballot.
Amendment 1 allows the spouse of a deceased veteran to keep a special property tax exemption after moving to a new house after the veteran dies.
Amendment 2 gives local governments more flexibility in deciding whether to raise or lower property tax rates after reappraisals.
Amendment 3 would eliminate post-conviction bail for people convicted of some aggravated crimes against children.
Amendment 4 would limit any governor to two terms in a lifetime, rather than the current two consecutive terms.
Amendment 5 would give the Legislature and the state retirement systems the power to decide the order in which surplus funds are applied to retirement debt.
Amendment 6 would give parishes and municipalities the power to increase property tax exemptions to certain elderly homeowners.
Amendment 7 makes it clear that public money can be spent to replace lead water pipes that run from public to private property.
Amendment 8 prohibits the expropriation of property by companies deemed to be connected to “foreign adversaries.”
Amendment 9 would make homeowners with incomes up to $150,000 per year eligible for a property tax assessment freeze.
Amendment 10 would let parish governments to provide tax exemptions for rehabilitated property that had once been blighted or condemned.
Also in St. Mary, two water districts are asking for property tax renewals.
Sewer and Water Commission No. 3 is asking district voters to renew a 9.08-mill property tax.
In Sewer and Water Commission No. 4, voters are being asked to extend a 15.35-mill property tax.