Election season beginning to take shape in Avoyelles

 

   Parish and state elections are four months away, but candidates are already lining up. Besides the state races, voters in Avoyelles will also choose their state representative, state senator,  sheriff, assessor, clerk of court and police jurors. Many local candidates have already begun campaigning, fundraising and organizing.

 

   The most heated race in Avoyelles so far appears to be the sheriff’s race, where the incumbent has two announced opponents and may face as many as three challengers. 

    Avoyelles Sheriff Doug Anderson is seeking a third term in office. Mansura Police Chief John Johnson and former state trooper Eddie Andrus are actively politicking  around the parish for the position. Former Sheriff Bill Belt has also indicated he will be a candidate. 

    Also catching intererest is the open seat of assessor. Incumbent Emeric Dupuy chose not to seek re-election after 16 years in office.  It appears this race will be a  hard-fought, but low-key, two-man race pitting Chief Assessor Heath Pastor against Cottonport Mayor Scotty Scott.

    Clerk of Court Connie Couvillon seems to be on her way to a second term in office with no opponent stepping forward to date.

 

    State Sen. Eric LaFleur, State Sen. Neil Riser and State Rep. Robert Johnson seem to have no opposition so far. School Board member Van Kojis had started a run for the representative position, but then ceased, citing health concerns. 

    There have been no mention of rivals to incumbent senators LaFleur or Riser. LaFleur is from Ville Platte and represents most of the parish. Riser is from Colombia and represents Ward 1 and part of the eastern area of the parish in a district that extends from northeast Louisiana into the Florida parishes.

     If elected, it would be the last term for LaFleur and Johnson due to the state’s term limits law.

 

    It is really too early to tell who is and is not running for the nine Police Jury seats. The “Yes, I am” and “No, I’m not” comments change almost weekly.

    At this time Sam Piazza is definitely not running for re-election in Disrict 1. District 7 Juror Jim Guillory has said he is not running, but recently said he might seek re-election. District 9 Juror Wayne Gremillion has said he is not running, but there is still a lot of time for him to change his mind.

    The other six jurors have all indicated they will run in the fall. Again, there are 11 weeks to choose a different course.

    Challengers who have stepped forward so far include Marsha Wiley and Paul Luneau in District 1. Angelo Piazza Jr. has also indicated he might run for the seat being vacated by his son.

   There are two possible candidates in Guillory’s District 7. Former county agent Trent Clark and former juror Gary Plauche are names mentioned by political watchers.

    In District 9, Dr. Henry Moreau, a Simmesport veterinarian, has said he will seek the jury seat.

There have been no active campaigning in the other jury races so far.

 

   Statewide elections on the fall ballot include governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and other heads of state departments. 

Many local candidates have been making the festival circuit and appearing before municipal council and club meetings to make comments about their candidacy. 

  Campaigning, traditionally, begins in earnest on July 4th. However, regardless of how many parades they walk in, babies they kiss or hands they shake, a candidate isn’t a candidate until they sign their name on the qualifying documents which takes place this year Sept. 8-10. 

    The election is set for Oct. 24 general with a Nov. 21 runoff.