Qualifying begins Wednesday for Patterson City Council, School Board races

Qualifying will be Wednesday through Friday for the March 26 election, which includes primaries for unexpired terms on the Patterson City Council and the St. Mary Parish School Board. Candidates for the Franklin City Council and mayor will also qualify at the Clerk of Court's Office in the parish courthouse.

The District II seat on the St. Mary School Board is up for election because of the Oct. 8 death of member Sylvia Lockett of Four Corners. Tammie Moore has been serving as an interim member.

One of the five at-large seats on the Patterson City Council will be up for election because former member Sandra K. Turner resigned July 6. She and her husband moved outside the Patterson city limits. Turner's daughter, Tina Johnson, has served as her mother's temporary replacement on the council.

Any runoffs would be April 30.

Patterson voters will also make decisions about three proposed amendments to the city charter. One would require the mayor to have a high school diploma or its equivalent. Another would allow the police chief to receive a pay raise during the same four-year term in which the City Council approves the increase. Currently, any change in the chief's salary can't take effect until after term in which the council makes the move. A salary cut would still have to wait for the end of the current term.

The third amendment would require the chief to be 21, a qualified voter in Patterson and Peace Officer Standards and Training-certified.

The deadline to register for the March 26 election is Feb. 23. Registration with the GeauxVote app continues until March 5.

Early voting will be March 12-19 excluding Sunday.