Nearly 1,000 vote early for March 25 election

Almost 1,000 voters cast their ballots early for the March 25 election in St. Mary Parish, Registrar of Voters Jolene Holcombe said in a news release.

Early voting ended Saturday with 963 votes cast in the parish. Voting began March 11.

On ballots parish-wide is the election to fill the District 10, at-large parish council seat vacated by former Councilman Steve Bierhorst, who stepped down in September 2016 due to health reasons. Pam Washington has replaced Bierhorst on the council until a new council member is elected.

Candidates for the seat include current District 6 Councilman Gabriel Beadle, R-Berwick; Darryl Perry, R-Bayou Vista; and Reginald Weary, D-Patterson.

Also on the ballot for Morgan City area voters is a bond proposition for St. Mary Parish Consolidated Gravity Drainage District 2. The proposition would allow the drainage district to issue $6.25 million in bonds for 20 years to pay to build a new pumping station by Lake End Park as part of the Morgan City Levee Improvements Project.

Officials say the proposition wouldn’t raise property taxes, but would allow the district to borrow more money based on a millage that’s already in place.
A total of 170 mail-in ballots were received before in-person early voting started. The daily voting totals were the following: March 11, 101; March 13, 93; March 14, 121; March 15, 119; March 16, 105; March 17, 133; and March 18, 121.

By party, 471 Democrats, 369 Republicans and 123 other-party voters voted early in St. Mary Parish. By race, 692 white voters, 253 black voters and 18 voters of others race cast ballots. By sex, 540 women and 423 men voted early in the election.