Candidates qualify for upcoming elections

While Terrebonne and Lafourche parish residents will have the chance to elect state and parish representatives on Oct. 24, four major positions within each parish will go unchanged.

All candidates for political office in Louisiana had to register their intentions with the Secretary of State within a three-day window ending Sept. 10.

If a candidate is the only one to register to run for a particular office, he or she automatically wins the office.

If any race ends Oct. 24 without a candidate garnering a clear majority of the vote in their particular race, the two candidates with the most votes will head to a run-off election during the gubernatorial general election on Nov. 21.

4 Terrebonne officials unopposed

In Terrebonne, Sheriff Jerry Larpenter, R-Gray

• Assessor Loni Grabert, R-Donner

• Coroner Victor Tedesco, III, R-Houma

• Clerk of Court Theresa Robichaux, R-Houma

Tedesco will continue serving as coroner for Terrebonne Parish. Tedesco has been the parish’s coroner for 21 years, and is pleased with his work.

Tedesco said during this upcoming term, he plans to update his office’s computer system. Tedesco wishes to adopt a system developed in Shreveport that provides more security and helps investigators.

“We think we’re going to be able to get it done this year. So all of our data will be easier to deal with. We’re trying to get into the 21st century,” he said.

Larpenter ran for Terrebonne sheriff unopposed. He will continue his second stint as sheriff, which started in 2012. Larpenter previously served as sheriff for 22 years from 1985 to 2007. He was not available for comment at the time of printing.

Robichaux will continue to be Clerk of Court for the parish after running unopposed. She began serving as Clerk of Court in 2011 after making history as the first female official elected to a parish-wide office in Terrebonne.

Grabert is still the Terrebonne Assessor after running unopposed as well. He served as Deputy Assessor in 2011 following the death of Gene Bonvillain, and was elected to the permanent position shortly after.

4 unopposed in Laf.

Four positions in Lafourche Parish have been determined early since the candidates for those offices were unopposed by the end of qualifying last week.

Positions yet to be determined by voters include Clerk of Court, Parish President, and all of the Parish Council seats except for District 5.

In Lafourche Parish, the following candidates were unopposed:

• Sheriff Craig Webre, R-Thibodaux

• Assessor Wendy Thibodeaux, No party-Lockport

• Coroner John C. King, No party-Thibodaux

• District 5 Councilmember John Arnold, R-Gray

Webre said it is “unprecedented and historic” that a [Lafourche Parish] sheriff be elected two times in a row unopposed. He said his ultimate goal is to become the longest serving Louisiana sheriff.

According to LPSO spokesman Sgt. Brennan Matherne, the Louisiana sheriff with the longest tenure was Sheriff Larmartine Bonchaud, who served Pointe Coupee Parish for 42 years from 1912-54.

Webre has been a law enforcement officer for more than 24 years and would have to serve past 2032 to break that record.

Thibodeaux said she is grateful to be back to work maintaining the parish’s tax rolls. She said she will continue to modernize the assessor’s office to improve its efficiency.

“I’m so appreciative [that] the people of Lafourche Parish gave me this affirmation that they trust in me and believe in me to continue doing my job,” Thibodeaux said.

Arnold is unopposed for the District 5 seat, but said he is still out in his district shaking hands with and talking to constituents.

“That way it can help me a little more along the way in the next four years,” Arnold said. “I’m asking everyone to put together a wish-list so I can have a better idea of what to go after.”

King also was unopposed this year and will serve another four years.

The following are seeking election in Terrebonne Parish:

• Parish Council District 1

John Navy, D –Houma;

Alvin Tillman, D-Houma;

Daniel Turner, D-Houma

• Parish Council District 2

Noble “Pat” Patterson, D-Houma;

Arlanda J. Williams,D-Houma

• Parish Council District 3

Shari Champagne, R-Houma;

“Greg” Hood Sr., R-Houma;

Gerald Michel, R-Houma

• Parish Council District 4

Scotty Dryden, R-Houma;

Darryel Tippett, R-Houma

• Parish Council District 5

Christopher Domange, R-Houma;

Christa Duplantis-Prather, Other-Houma;

John Pizzolatto, R-Houma

• Parish Council District 6

“Angi” Falgout, R-Houma;

Darrin Guidry, R-Houma;

Clyde F. Hammer, R-Houma;

Russell “Red” Hornsby, R-Houma

• Parish Council District 7

Robert Champagne Jr., D-Theriot;

“Al” Marmande, R-Houma;

John Silver III, No Party-Houma;

Nathan Trosclair, Other-Dulac;

Guy Waalk, No Party-Houma;

Matt Webb, R-Houma

• Parish Council District 8

Dirk Guidry, D-Chauvin;

Peter “Pete” Rhodes, No Party-Houma

• Parish Council District 9

Vincent Kreamer, R-Bourg;

Steve Trosclair, R-Bourg

The following are running in Lafourche:

• Parish President

Aaron Caillouet, No party-Green;

“Jimmy” Cantrelle, No party-Raceland;

Harris “Chuckie” Cheramie, Jr., D-Galliano;

Joseph “Joe” Fertitta, R-Thibodaux;

Charlotte Randolph, R-Larose

• Clerk of Court

Vernell “Nell” Autin, D-Raceland;

Kim Breaux, D-Thibodaux;

Annette Fontana, No Party-Thibodaux

• Parish Council District 1

Alfred “Al” Carter, R-Thibodaux;

Jerry Jones, D-Thibodaux;

Burnell Tolbert, D-Thibodaux;

Tyrone Brown Williams, D-Thibodaux

• Parish Council District 2

Michael F. Delatte, D-Thibodaux;

“Luci” Sposito, R-Thibodaux

• Parish Council District 3

Michael T. Gros, R-Thibodaux;

Eddie Hebert, No party-Thibodaux;

Ronnie Winston, D-Thibodaux

• Parish Council District 4

Joseph Dantin, D-Raceland;

Greg Gaubert, Other-Thibodaux;

“Tommy” Lasseigne, Other-Thibodaux;

Aaron “Bo” Melvin, No party-Thibodaux

• Parish Council District 6

Renell Compeaux, D-Raceland;

Corey Perrillioux, No party-Raceland;

Lindel Toups, No party-Gheens

• Parish Council District 7

Armand “Noonie” Autin, R-Lockport;

Ernest P. Boudreaux, Sr., D-Lockport;

Ron Sapia, No party-Lockport

• Parish Council District 8

Gary Champagne, D-Cut Off;

Jerry Lafont, No party-Cut Off;

Darryl Marlbrough, No party-Cut Off

Parish Council District 9

“Will” Lasseigne, R-Galliano;

Daniel Lorraine, Other-Golden Meadow