Robichaux, Voisin headed to runoff

Republicans Steve Robichaux and Kevin Voisin will face one another in a runoff election for the Terrebonne Parish Council District 6 seat on Dec. 6.

The district had been represented by Leland Robichaux, who died earlier this year after beginning his term in January. Former Dist. 6 Councilman Harold Lapeyre has been serving as an interim appointment.

Robichaux received 41 percent of the vote to Voisin’s 32 percent. Democrat Al Badeaux drew 27 percent of the vote.

“I want to thank the residents of Dist. 6 for supporting me,” Robichaux said. “It was a clean race. Everybody was professional.”

Robichaux, 46, said his runoff campaign will differ from the one he ran for the primary, but he would not go into specifics.

He said the Dec. 6 runoff is different from the Nov. 4 date because no major races will be decided.

“Turnout will be low,” he said. “We have to work extra hard to get out the voters.”

For the runoff, Voisin, 32, said he will run on the same issues he supported during the primary campaign: bringing a 21st century infrastructure to Terrebonne Parish and creating more parks and bike trails.

“I’m the right person to take the parish forward,” Voisin said. “Three great guys ran, three nice guys, but that’s not enough.”

“We need to do a better job making the parish a place for families to enjoy,” he said. “It’s not just about bringing in hotels and restaurants. We need to develop the community.”

Both candidates say they want to improve levee protection and create more efficient zoning in Dist. 6, which has seen heavy commercial development along Louisiana Hwy. 311. In addition, Robichaux said he will attempt to deal with high electricity costs in Houma. Voisin said he will push to have the Houma Navigation Canal lock built.

In the race for Houma city marshal, Brian LeBlanc defeated Orville Callahan with 54 percent of the vote.

All of the parishwide and district tax propositions on the ballot Tuesday in Terrebonne passed easily. Ten-year property tax renewals for the Terrebonne Council on Aging, the Terrebonne Parish Health Unit and the Terrebonne Regional Mental Health Center passed with more than 72 percent approval. A parishwide tax renewal for maintaining recreational facilities in Terrebonne also passed with 72 percent of the vote.

In district tax propositions, voters in Road Lighting District No. 1 and No. 5 renewed 10-year, six-and-a-half mill property taxes, both passing with more than 69 percent of the vote. Fire Protection Dist. No. 8 voters renewed a 10.52-mill property tax for 10 years.

Voters in Recreation Dist. No. 9 approved a five-mill property tax increase and Fire Protection Dist. No. 5 voters approved a 20-year, $1,600,000 bond with 67 percent of the vote.