Early voting begins in Tri-parishes

A Home Rule Charter amendments and property and sales tax renewals are among the handful of items that will be on the July 19 ballot in the Tri-parish area.

Voters in Lafourche, St. Mary and Terrebonne parishes have through Saturday, July 12, to vote early.

Each day, polling places are open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. On Election Day, the polls will open at 6 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. If residents are not able to vote during early voting or on Election Day, they can request an absentee ballot from their respective parish Registrar of Voter Office.

On the ballot for Lafourche are three parish-wide items and one district item.

The Lafourche Parish Council is asking voters to give it the authority to transmit complaints to the parish administration and parish-hired contractors.

The Lafourche Parish Council on Aging is asking voters to approve a 10-year, 2-mill property tax to fund senior citizens programs and services. The Council on Aging is a private non-profit that relies on funds from the parish government, United Way and the Governor’s Office of Elderly Affairs.

If passed, the property tax will generate about $1 million for the Council on Aging operating budget.

The Lafourche Parish Government is asking voters to renew a 10-year, 5.41-mill property tax for maintaining and approving public facilities. The property tax was first approving in 1998, and will generate estimated $2.7 million. The revenue will be used for drainage work and facilities, public health units, senior citizen services and library facilities.

Lafourche Parish’s Road Sales Tax District No. 1 is asking its constituents to renew a 10-year, 5-mill property tax to maintain ad improve public roads and bridges within the district.

The tax will generate an estimated to generate $2.2 million for the district.

In St. Mary Parish, public officials in wards one, two, three, four, seven and 10 are asking voters to approve a proposed .03 percent sales and use tax continuation.

The tax was first approved in 1983.

If passed, the funds will be split between Franklin and Baldwin St. Mary Parish Government. Franklin will use the funds to operate and maintain its municipal police, fire and volunteer fire departments. Baldwin will use the funds on public works. The parish government will acquire and maintain the lighting on streets, roads, highways, alleys and public places.

The Bayou Cane Fire Protection District is asking Terrebonne Parish voters to approve up to $4 million in bonds to buy machinery and make improvements to the Bayou Cane area.

In addition, Lafourche Parish Registrar of Voters Office is hosting its annual Voter Education Week starting Monday at various places in the parish. Residents can check the status of their voter registration, register to vote or become a polling commissioner. The sites include:

• Monday, July 14, at the Registrar of Voter Office, 307 W. 4th Street, Thibodaux, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Tuesday, July 15, at the Lafourche Parish Tourist Commission, 4484 La. Highway 1 – U.S. 90 @ La. Highway 1, Raceland, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Wednesday, July 16, Chowtaw Public Library, 1887 Chowtaw Road, Thibodaux, from 1 to 3 p.m.

• Thursday, July 17, South Lafourche Public Library, 16241 East Main St., Galliano, from 10 a.m. to noon.

• Friday, July 18, at Nicholls State University’s Student Union, Thibodaux, from 10 a.m. to noon.