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Smith re-elected as sheriff; Harris, St. Blanc will meet in District 50 runoff

Sheriff Blaise W. Smith won re-election in Saturday's St. Mary Parish primary, according to complete but unofficial returns.

Smith, whose law enforcement career started in the 1970s, got 55% of the vote, beating Morgan City Mayor Frank "Boo" Grizzaffi and retired state trooper Todd Pellerin, each of whom got 22%.

Smith, first elected last year to fill the unexpired term of Mark Hebert, ran on his law enforcement experience. Grizzaffi said his administrative experience was more important for the job. Smith narrowly beat Grizzaffi for the second runoff spot in the 2018 election.

In other key races:
--Vincent St. Blanc III, a member of the state community college board, and former Franklin Mayor Raymond Harris are headed for a Nov. 16 runoff in the race to succeed House District 50 Rep. Sam Jones, who is term-limited.

--Incumbent state Rep. Beryl Amedee was an easy winner over Clayton Voisin in District 51.

--Parish President David Hanagriff and Clerk of Court Cliff Dressel were big winners in re-election bids.

--Physician Kristy Prejeant scored a victory in Parish Council District 9 with 51 percent of the vote. Districts 9, 10 and 11 are parishwide at-large seats.

--Dean Adams was elected to represent Parish Council District 11 with 52%.

--In At-Large District 10, Gwendolyn Hidalgo and Jeremy Chesteen are headed for a Nov. 16 runoff.

In other Parish Council districts:

--Peter Soprano and Rodney Olander earned spots in a Nov. 16 runoff in District 3.

--By unofficial count, Scott Ramsey was the outright winner in District 4 with about 50.5% of the vote.

--Leslie "Les" Rulf was the winner in District 5 with 60%.

--Mark Duhon is the new councilman for District 8 after winning 65% of the vote.

Saturday's complete but unofficial returns:

Sheriff

51 of 51 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100% Votes
3,247 Frank "Boo" Grizzaffi (NOPTY) 22%
3,255 Todd Pellerin (NOPTY) 22%
8,082 Blaise W. Smith (DEM) 55%
Total: 14,584
Unofficial Turnout: 44.4%

Clerk of Court

51 of 51 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100% Votes
5,006 Rose Susan Dorsey (NOPTY) 35%
9,201 Cliff Dressel (DEM) 65%
Total: 14,207
Unofficial Turnout: 43.2%

Parish President

51 of 51 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100% Votes
8,749 David Hanagriff (DEM) 62%
5,464 Kenneth W. Perry, Jr. (IND) 38%
Total: 14,213
Unofficial Turnout: 43.2%

Council Member -- District 3

8 of 8 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100% Votes
779 Rodney Olander (REP) 35%
564 Glynn Pellerin (REP) 25%
880 Peter Soprano (DEM) 40%
Total: 2,223
Unofficial Turnout: 51.6%

Council Member -- District 4

6 of 6 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100% Votes
463 James "Jimmy" Lemoine, Jr. (REP) 30%
314 Daniel "Danny" Lipari (NOPTY) 20%
792 Scott Ramsey (REP) 50%
Total: 1,569
Unofficial Turnout: 40.6%

Council Member -- District 5

5 of 5 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100% Votes
1,075 Leslie "Les" Rulf, Jr. (REP) 60%
703 Reginald D. Weary (DEM) 40%
Total: 1,778
Unofficial Turnout: 41.5%

Council Member -- District 8

5 of 5 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100% Votes
637 Mark A. Duhon (NOPTY) 65%
222 "Nick" Morris (NOPTY) 23%
117 Andros A. Williams (NOPTY) 12%
Total: 976
Unofficial Turnout: 33.3%

Council Member at Large -- District 9

51 of 51 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100% Votes
3,474 Murphy Pontiff (DEM) 25%
7,230 Kristi Prejeant (REP) 51%
3,427 Dale J. Rogers (DEM) 24%
Total: 14,131
Unofficial Turnout: 43.0%

Council Member at Large -- District 10

51 of 51 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100% Votes
4,492 Jeremy A. Chesteen (REP) 34%
3,074 Rhonda R. Dennis (REP) 23%
5,699 Gwendolyn Landry Hidalgo (NOPTY) 43%
Total: 13,265
Unofficial Turnout: 40.4%

Council Member at Large -- District 11

51 of 51 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100% Votes
7,354 Dean S. Adams (REP) 53%
4,444 Howard Castay (DEM) 32%
2,194 William "Bill" McCarty (NOPTY) 16%
Total: 13,992
Unofficial Turnout: 42.6%

Law Enforcement Sub-District No. 1 -- 15 Mills Renewal - Sheriff - 5 Yrs.

1 of 1 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100% Votes
28 YES 52%
26 NO 48%
Total: 54
Unofficial Turnout: 68.4%

MULTIPARISH

BESE -- District 3
(Districtwide results)
428 of 438 precincts reporting - 98%
absentee reporting - 100% Votes
104,543 "Sandy" LeBlanc Holloway (REP) 77%
31,878 Janice Perea (REP) 23%
Total: 136,421

State Representative -- 50th Representative District
(Districtwide results)
44 of 44 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100% Votes
1,946 Shawn Canty (REP) 16%
1,367 Javon Charles (NOPTY) 12%
2,961 Raymond Harris, Jr. (NOPTY) 25%
1,613 Chet Howard (REP) 14%
3,921 Vincent J. St. Blanc III (REP) 33%
Total: 11,808
Unofficial Turnout: 42.1%

State Representative -- 51st Representative District
(Districtwide results)
42 of 42 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100% Votes
6,287 Beryl Amedee (REP) 64%
3,475 Clayton Voisin (REP) 36%
Total: 9,762
Unofficial Turnout: 39.6%

ST. MARY NOW

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