More than 3,100 vote early in St. Mary
About 10% of St. Mary’s registered voters cast early or mail ballots during the seven-day early voting period for the Oct. 14 primary.
The tally after the early voting period Saturday is 3,151, the Registrar of Voters Office reported. The parish has 31,614 registered voters, according to the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office.
The in-person voting will be 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday at polling places across the parish. Bring a photo ID.
The Oct. 14 primary includes statewide and legislative offices and parish offices.
In St. Mary races, three men have qualified to run for the Senate District 21 seat being vacated by Bret Allain, R-Franklin, who is term-limited. The candidates are Robert Allain of Franklin, Stephen Swiber of Gibson and Henry “Bo” LaGrange of Patterson. All three are Republicans.
State Rep. Vincent St. Blanc III, R-Franklin, is running for a second state House term in District 50. He’s being challenged by Gloria Robertson, D-Franklin.
State Rep. Beryl Amedee, R-Gray, qualified for re-election without opposition in House District 51, which reaches into east St. Mary.
In parish offices, energy industry employee Timothy “Tim” LeBlanc of Franklin is challenging former Franklin Mayor and state. Rep. Sam Jones for parish president. Incumbent David Hanagriff will leave the post due to term limits.
Incumbent Sheriff Blaise Smith is stepping down after this term. Qualifying for the open position are Gary Driskell of Morgan City, the current chief deputy; Jason Granger and Kenny P. Scelfo Sr. of Franklin; and Cody Thibodaux of Patterson.
Three parishwide offices have been filled by candidates who qualified without opposition: incumbents Assessor Jarrod K. Longman, Coroner Dr. Eric Melancon and former Judge Greg Aucoin, who will be the new clerk of court. Aucoin will succeed longtime Clerk of Court Cliff Dressel, who will retire after this term.
All 11 Parish Council seats are up for election this year, but three have been already filled by incumbents who qualified without opposition: Dean Adams of Morgan City in District 11, Dr. Kristi Prejeant of Centerville in District 9 and J Ina of Franklin in District 2.
Four proposed amendments to the Louisiana Constitution appear on the Oct. 14 ballot. Morgan City voters will also decide whether to change the city charter to recognize that City Council members are being elected from districts since a 2000 consent decree eliminated at-large voting.