Smith, Melancon win in Saturday runoffs; charter amendment fails

Blaise Smith, the former Chitimacha police chief whose law enforcement career dates to the early 1970s, defeated interim incumbent Sheriff Scott Anslum in Saturday's runoff election for St. Mary Parish parish.

With all 51 precincts reporting according to complete but unofficial returns, Smith had 5,169 votes, or 52 percent, to 4,705, or 48 percent, for Anslum, who has served as sheriff since Mark Hebert resigned at the first of the year.

In the other race to replace a former official, Eric Melancon was an easy winner over interim incumbent Lianter Albert in the race for coroner.

Melancon got 59 percent of the vote, or 5,725, to 3,972 for Albert, or 41 percent.

They were running to succeed Dr. Chip Metz, who resigned earlier this year.

The parishwide charter proposal to set the pay of parish council members and regulate when raises may be passed was defeated badly.

The measure drew 2,338 yes votes, or 25 percent, to 6,998 no votes, or 75 percent.

The amendment would have set the pay of parish council members elected from districts at $800 per month, or $1,200 per month for those elected parishwide. The measure would also have prohibited the council from passing a pay raise in the final year of a term and would have required raises to go into effect in the term after the one in which the raise was passed.

A 12.82-mill tax renewal for Fire Protection District No. 11 passed easily.

Secretary of State
Runs in multiple parishes
(St. Mary only)
51 of 51 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100%
6,929 Kyle Ardoin (REP) 71%
2,802 "Gwen" Collins-Greenup (DEM) 29%
Total: 9,731
Unofficial Turnout: 29.3%
(Statewide)
2644 of 3910 precincts reporting - 68%
absentee reporting - 100%
223,381 Kyle Ardoin (REP) 62%
136,648 "Gwen" Collins-Greenup (DEM) 38%
Total: 360,029

Sheriff
51 of 51 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100%
4,705 Scott Anslum (NOPTY) 48%
5,169 Blaise W. Smith (DEM) 52%
Total: 9,874
Unofficial Turnout: 29.7%

Coroner
51 of 51 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100%
3,972 Lianter Albert (NOPTY) 41%
5,725 Eric Melancon (REP) 59%
Total: 9,697
Unofficial Turnout: 29.2%

PW HRC Amendment -- Sec. 2-05 (A) - PC
51 of 51 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100%
2,338 YES 25%
6,998 NO 75%
Total: 9,336
Unofficial Turnout: 28.1%

Fire Protection District No. 11 -- 12.82 Mills Renewal - BOC - 10 Yrs.
5 of 5 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100%
212 YES 62%
129 NO 38%
Total: 341
Unofficial Turnout: 18.9%