Redistricting slices through Tri-parishes

TGMC dedicates pictured wall of donors
April 19, 2011
Lafourche permit office tries to stymie
April 21, 2011
TGMC dedicates pictured wall of donors
April 19, 2011
Lafourche permit office tries to stymie
April 21, 2011

After public meetings and political appeals were made to keep complete coastal parishes, particularly Terrebonne and Lafourche, together in the redistricting of state and congressional maps, the Louisiana legislature elected to separate them not totally from one another but with a horizontal line across both.

The result for the entire Tri-parishes of Terrebonne, Lafourche and St. Mary means having three congressional representatives splitting concerns between three individual groups of coastal and inland constituents.


Redistricting results decided last week also mean state legislators would be working lines that geographically and significantly separate one end of their districts from another.


On more local levels, in the case of Terrebonne Parish, redistricting means some council members might not necessarily be representing the complete majority of community populations with common interests.

Terrebonne Parish Results


After debating procedure and haggling over last minute adjustments for more than one hour, members of the Terrebonne Parish Council approved by a 5-4 vote a map of representation that leaves two separate minority districts – District 1 represented by Alvin Tillman and District 2 represented by Arlanda Williams, each with only a 52 percent black majority population.


While still in compliance with the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and federal law that requires the state of Louisiana to guarantee at least one district in each voting region where a minority can basically be guaranteed the chance of being elected, both Tillman and Williams voted against the plan after having favored one that would have given each of their districts a 53 percent minority majority.

Other council members voting against the final map included Billy Hebert of District 3 and Joey Cehan who represents District 8.


The problem, while it is a good problem, said South Central Planning and Development Commission CEO Kevin Belanger, is that Terrebonne Parish is far more integrated than it had been in the past, making it more difficult to draw boundaries of representation along racial lines while meeting criteria of population density. “The minority districts include as many minorities as possible,” he said.


It was noted that by resident counts the minority districts are significantly lower in overall population than other districts and rage in difference by as much as 1,577 residents between District 2 and District 9 which is represented by Pete Lambert, and 1,530 between District 1 and District 8, which is represented by Cehan.

A centerpiece argument among council members was one of if the public had been allowed sufficient opportunity to view all redistricting maps under consideration.


While a committee was formed by the council to select a map to recommend to the full body of elected officials, some members felt neither they nor the public had been given sufficient opportunity to discuss the matter. “I don’t know what’s going on,” said Councilwoman Teri Cavalier of District 4.


Councilman Kevin Voisin, District 6, complained that more opportunity should have been given for the entire council to look at all options as one body. As he attempted to argue his point, Council Chairman Clayton Voisin of District 7, who along with Williams, Councilman Johnny Pizzolato of District 5, and Hebert served on the redistricting committee, rebuked the younger Voisin regarding his statements. “You are out of order because you are wrong,” the elder Voisin said.

“I want to make it perfectly clear that the parish president does not handle redistricting. It is completely a council matter,” said Terrebonne Parish President Michel Claudet following the plan’s approval.


“There was a lot of acrimony between some of the council members on this particular vote,” Claudet said. “It appears that even after it was voted on … it still has disagreements and disappointments among the council districts.”


A public meeting for review of redistricting maps in Lafourche Parish is scheduled for April 26. The St. Mary Parish Council will review their redistricting option in public session on May 11.

Many state representatives from the Tri-parish region admit that a legislative special session that ended last Wednesday left them wondering what happened to their efforts to remain unified as a complete coastal representation in the statehouse.

Their district lines now crisscross the region with four legislators meeting in Thibodaux as a common border point. State senators have ended up with equally misshaped districts as some contend that population numbers, political interests and common sense seemed to be in conflict.

“The House is 90 percent satisfied. I still don’t understand it,” said state Rep. Jerry Gisclair (D-Larose). “A lot of that was in our hands but a lot was out of our control because we were a minority voting for this.”

The main event being watched had been that of Congressional redistricting which is decided by state lawmakers. Louisiana will lose a Congressional seat this year because of slow population growth, and as it turns out freshman Rep. Jeff Landry (R-New Iberia) and veteran Rep. Charles Boustany (R-Lafayette) could face off for the same job as the old District 3 is dissolved and the two fight over who will remain to represent St. Mary Parish as part of the former district.

As for Lafourche and Terrebonne, while they remain together in some respects, a horizontal line separates them into four pieces with two congressional districts drawn to divide the pair by north and south.

As a result the northern portion of Terrebonne and Lafourche, including Shriever, Gray and Thibodaux which would go the 6th Congressional District with Rep. Bill Cassidy (R-Baton Rouge), while the southern portions of both parishes with Houma, Larose and all points south would be in 1st Congressional District with Rep. Steve Scalise (R-Metairie).

A last minute appeal by Gov. Bobby Jindal helped push through congressional redistricting and his favored plan that would keep two northern districts represented by Rodney Alexander (R-Minden) and Rep. John Fleming (R-Quitman) basically secured as they were previously with one long vertical line between them extending south from the border with Arkansas to as far as approximately U.S. Highway 190, plus some modifications to include parishes that border with Mississippi to their north. Some contend this was done at the cost of coastal districts.

“I am angry and very sad about the outcome of everything,” said state Rep. Gordon Dove (R-Houma).

Dove said debate in the state Senate made the difference as state Sen. Norby Chabert (R-Houma) battled to keep Lafourche and Terrebonne completely together, but failed when he was overpowered by legislators with more experience. Dove also said that state Sen. D.A. “Butch” Gautreaux (D-Morgan City), who will be leaving office due to term limits, offered no assistance to Chabert. “Butch is my friend, but if Butch Gautreaux would have stood up with Norby it was over with. Norby lost by two votes,” Dove said.

“I’m very disappointed that Sen. Gautreaux did not fight for Terrebonne and Lafourche as did Chabert,” Gisclair said.

Neither Chabert nor Guatreaux returned telephone calls seeking their reactions.

Gisclair and Dove both voiced dissatisfaction with input made by Jindal during the closing hours of the special session.

“I’m totally disgusted with Gov. Jindal,” Gisclair said of the governor’s influential involvement. “The way the system unfolded they took care of the north and once it tricked down Jeff Landry [became the] sacrificial lamb. What I didn’t expect was Lafourche and Terrebonne getting sliced up.”

Dove said that both Cassidy and Scalise have been in touch with him and each wants to meet with area legislators to hear their concerns regarding representation.

“If there is a silver lining in all this … I feel pretty good after talking to Scalise and Cassidy,” Dove said.

All redistricting matters must go before the U.S. Department of Justice for final approval.