Deadline approaches for primary election

Louisiana residents who are not already registered voters have until Feb. 22 to sign up for participation in the 2012 presidential primary on March 24.

“Voters who are currently registered are encouraged to check their status,” said Terrebonne Parish Registrar of Voters Linda Rodrigue. “New applicants for registration must be 18 years of age on or before election day, a bona-fide resident of [the parish where they will be voting] and a citizen of the United States. Naturalized citizens and those born outside the United States must present naturalization papers or a birth certificate at the Registrar’s Office when applying for voter registration.”

Rodrigue said the easiest and encouraged method to register is by using the Louisiana Secretary of State website at geauxvote.com. “We really would like to see people use this,” she said. “Even registered voters can confirm their information for accuracy on the site, and you can see a sample ballot.”

Additional voter registration locations in Terrebonne Parish include public libraries, the Department of Motor Vehicles for those that are getting or renewing driver’s licenses at the same time, or at the Registrar of Voters office at 7856 Main St. in Houma.

To date, Terrebonne Parish has 62,651 registered voters who will be casting ballots by party on presidential candidates and Republican State Central Committee members. Lafourche and St. Mary voters will also participate in primary selection of presidential candidates and RSCC representatives.

In Lafourche Parish, Registrar of Voters Mary Doucet also recommended voter registration take place on the Secretary of State website, but added that those that need to may also go to the Lafourche Parish Registrar of Voters office at 307 W. Fourth St. in Thibodaux.

Online registration is also encouraged for St. Mary Parish voters with the alternative being to sign up at the Registrar of Voters office at 301 Third St. in Morgan City.

Although 2012 is also a congressional election year, that primary will not be conducted until the same day as the general presidential election on Nov. 6. The general congressional election will then be conducted on Dec. 1.

The March 24 primary ballot includes:

• The Democrat presidential candidates listed as Bob Ely, Darcy Richardson and John Wolfe along with incumbent President Barack Obama.

• Republican presidential candidates listed on the ballot, although some have already dropped out of the race, are Michelle Bachman, Randy Crow, Newt Gingrich, John Huntsman, Ron Paul, Rick Perry, Charles “Buddy” Roemer, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum.

• RSCC races for the Tri-parish region include Dist. 50 in St. Mary Parish with candidates Jessie Morton and Blake Steiner.

In Terrebonne Parish the RSCC candidates include for Dist. 51, Sub District B, Joseph Harrison Jr. and Lucas Huddleston. In Dist. 53 Sub District A the candidates are Theresa Ellender, Leroy Trosclair Jr. and June Squyres Williams. A Ward 6 Justice of the Peace primary is also on the ballot with candidates George Doescher, Cathy LeBoeuf and Bill Underwood.

The Lafourche Parish RSCC race for Dist. 54 puts candidate Brent Callais against Irv Magri. Thibodaux voters will also consider a one-half percent increase in their sewer and utility tax.

Polling locations and Election Day hours are printed on voter registration cards.