Stay here to keep up with local 2014 Election Night results
November 4, 2014
Grudge Match: Adrenaline high as LSU prepares for Alabama
November 5, 2014
11:40 p.m. update
By RICHARD FISCHER
Acting Lafourche Parish Assessor Wendy Thibodaux (No party-Lockport) has become the official assessor after receiving 51 percent, consisting of 14,337 votes.
Thibodaux has served as assessor in an interim role since the death of the pervious assessor, Mike Martin, in March.
“Thank you to everybody who has supported me from the beginning. Their support and prayers have meant so much to me throughout my campaign, and I want to thank my two opponents for running a clean campaign,” Thibodaux said.
Thibodaux knocked off District 55 State Rep. Jerome “Dee” Richard (No party-Thibodaux) and Jonathan “Jo-Jo” Cheramie (R-Thibodaux).
Richard came in second with 9,005 votes (32 percent), and Cheramie garnered 4,646 votes (17 percent).
“The people spoke, and I give credit to her for a well run campaign,” Richard said. “I congratulate my opponent. She did a wonderful job. She did the things she needed to do to win, and I commend her for it.”
Richard said following his defeat he would continue serving his role as a state representative.
“I’m going to do as good a job as a representative as I’ve done in the past,” he added.
Thibodaux said she wouldn’t celebrate much in a phone interview with The Times at about 11 p.m. Tuesday because she would be back at work at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.
“My No. 1 priority is to the Lafourche residents, and I will get their tax roll out on time by Nov. 10,” said Thibodaux. “I am very happy to have the support of the Lafourche Parish residents and from this point on it is my duty to make every single resident of Lafourche Parish proud of me as their assessor and I will do what I have to do to make them proud.”
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There will be a run off in the District Judge – 17th Judicial District Court, Division B race.
“Steve” Miller (R-Thibodaux) garnered the most votes of the three candidates with 11, 704 votes (41 percent), while John. J. Erny III (R-Raceland) narrowly punched his ticket to the run off over Anthony “Tony” Lewis (D-Thibodaux).
Erny received 8,702 votes (30 percent) while Lewis received 8,253 votes.
The run off election will be held Dec. 6.
Not needing a run off is Bryan Fontenot (R-Thibodaux) who secured the Justice of the Peace – 1st Justice of the Peace Courtship over Melissa “Missy” Granier (D-Thibodaux) and Ronnie Wilson (D-Thibodaux).
Fontenot got 3,529 votes (55 percent), compared to 2,126 votes (33 percent) for Granier and 747 votes (12 percent) for Winston.
In the Constable – 1st Justice of the Peace Court race, 3,813 votes was enough for Paul “P-4” LeGraize (R-Thibodaux).
The was good enough for 62 percent, edging the 2,373 votes and 38 percent tallied by Benny Joseph Percle (D-Thibodaux).
In the city of Thibodaux, thre will be a new District A Councilman.
With 1,128 votes (60 percent), Eric J. Tabor (R-Thibodaux) unseated incumbent Eddie Hebert (D-Thibodaux). Hebert received 758 votes (40 percent).
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11:25 p.m. update
By JOHN DeSANTIS
Constable upset in Pointe-aux-Chenes, run-off in Gibson
Pointe-aux-Chenes and upper Montegut have a new constable following the defeat of incumbent William BJ Underwood III by challenger Kyle Neal.
Neal, a volunteer firefighter and former Terrebonne Parish deputy, drew 494 votes, or 69.77 percent to Underwood’s 112 votes, or 15.82 percent.
Another challenger to Underwood, Kevin Duplantis, logged 102 votes, or 14.41 percent.
Neal could not be reached by telephone Tuesday night. Underwood refused to comment on his loss, complaining of the late hour.
Gibson’s constable will have to face a challenger in the Dec. 6 run-off. Incumbent Paul Breaux only snagged 456 votes, or 21.66 percent. Challenger Ryan Bonvillain came in first with 890 votes, or 42.28 percent.
Another challenger, Anthony Cocke, had 378 votes or 17.96 percent. Jody Ellender had 381 votes, or 18.10 percent
George Doescher of Montegut will remain Justice of the Peace for Ward 6 in Terrebonne Parish, after winning 408 votes, or 56.12 percent.
Cathy LeBoeuf claimed 179 votes, or 24.62 percent and Mark Richards 140 votes, or 19.26 percent.
In Ward 8 Horace Johnson of Gibson was re-elected with 577 votes, or 66.63 percent, besting challenger Floyd Ruffin Jr., with 289 votes or 33.37 percent.
Drew Breaux remains Justice of the Peace for Ward 9, with 1416 votes or 66.35 percent, besting challengers Lloyd Ruffin Sr. who had 384 votes, or 17.99 percent, and Raymond Ledet, with 334 votes or 15.65 percent.
In Bourg’s Ward 5 Constable Douglas “Chubby” Chauvin retained his job, with 1485 votes, or 76.78 percent, compared to challenger Philip Pitre’s 449 votes, or 23.22 percent.
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11:11 p.m. update
By MICHAEL HOTARD
Three incumbents return to their seats for the Terrebonne Parish School Board, while two will head to run-offs.
Incumbent Roosevelt “Rosey” Thomas will head to a run off with “Joe” Thompson for the seat in District 1. Thomas finished with 49 percent of the votes and Thompson captured 35 percent, leaving out David Rockward who finished with 17 percent.
Thomas is confident for the run off saying that the track record speaks for itself.
“All we have to do is continue what we have been doing and we will be in good shape,” Thomas said. “I will go back out there and knock on the doors and get the concerns of people.”
Thompson says he is humbled by the run-off.
“I am glad and humbled that people went out there to vote and look like they want a change,” Thompson said. “I am glad to be in a run-off so I need to go out there and do a little more walking and talking.”
Brenda Leroux Babin reclaimed her seat in District 5 with 57 percent of the votes defeating William “Bill” Simmons.
“I am really excited that my district realizes I am the choice to give them their voice,” Babin said. “I want to thank my opponent for challenging me because he forced me to look at the issues we have. The people who went unopposed were not forced to look at the issues so I want to thank [Simmons] for that.”
District 6 incumbent L.P. Bordelon III ran away with the 59 percent of the votes defeating his neighbor Clyde Hamner.
Bordelon has his sights set on making the teachers in the parish happier with higher pay checks.
“I am ready to hit the ground running,” Bordelon said. “We have a serious problem with teacher pay. I want to make sure we are paying them what they deserve. We are in the bottom third in teacher pay so we don’t stand a chance against other systems.”
In District 7, Roger DeHart sweat out another close election defeating Wendy Billiot 51 percent to 49 percent.
“I won this election bigger than last time,” DeHart said. “Last election, I won by 48 votes and this time I won by 85 votes. The people spoke and I am happy to be victorious. I am sincere about my job and I am glad the people thought I did well.”
In addition to District 1, District 9 will also have a run off featuring incumbent Hayes Badeaux who took home 30 percent of the vote edging out Cally Trosclair for the second run-off spot.
Trosclair picked up 28 percent.
Vicki Bonvillain had the most votes with 42 percent.
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10:47 p.m. update
By JOHN DeSANTIS
Terrebonne voters elected attorney Matt Hagen as Houma City Court Judge, choosing him over Randy Alfred and Cheryl Carter.
Hagen garnered 14,779 votes, or 52 percent. Alfred’s votes stood at 8229, or 28.95 percent, and Carter 5,412, or 19.04 percent.
Hagen’s 52 percent eliminated the need for a run-off.
All three candidates had some experience related to City Court, which handles small claims, juvenile and landlord-tenant matters from throughout Terrebonne Parish.
Hagen has acted as a prosecutor; Alfred sat in for current City Court Judge Jude Fanguy on several occasions; Carter had served as a long-time prosecutor.
Fanguy is retiring after 36 years on the bench.
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10:37 p.m. update
By JOHN DeSANTIS
Houma City Marshal Brian LeBlanc failed to win a clear majority of votes to retain his office, and now faces a Dec. 6 run-off against challenger Orville Callahan.
Callahan bested LeBlanc 6394 to 5817, or 22.7 versus 20.26 percent of the vote.
Callahan is a former Houma City Police Chief.
DL Mosely came in third with 5,236 votes, or 18.23 percent. Willie Radau was fourth with 5,129 votes or 17.86 percent. Ronald Lirette had 3,626 votes or 12.63 percent. Ernest Boudreaux had 2,513 votes, or 8.75 percent.
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10:25 p.m. update
By MICHAEL HOTARD
The Lafourche Parish School Board adds one new face, while three incumbents return for another term.
Incumbent Richmond “Rev” Boyd Jr. defeated Eva Mae Queen Shanklin for the third-consecutive election for the District 3 seat on the school board.
Boyd ran away with the election capturing 65 percent of the votes.
In District 6, incumbent Dr. Gregg Stall garnered 52 percent of the votes defeating Brian “T-Jack” Millet (19 percent) and Renee Morvant (30 percent).
Stall hopes he can continue down the path of building a better school system for Lafourche Parish.
“I plan to keep working to build the best school system we can build,” Stall said. “I was pleasantly surprised and appreciative of the voters and I am looking forward to the next four years.”
District 7 was the school board’s closest race as incumbent Gary Foret edged out Myra Zeringue Luft 51 percent to 49 percent.
The last seat up for grabs was District 15, which proved to be a major swing in another direction. Calvin Duet defeated Lawrence Mounic in a wide 69 percent to 31 percent margin.
Mounic said he could not comment on the result for the time being.
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10:13 p.m. update
By JOHN DeSANTIS
Terrebonne Parish District Attorney Joe Waitz Jr. easily won a fourth six-year term, besting former District Attorney Doug Greenburg by more than xx percent, according to complete but unofficial results.
Waitz won 71.75 percent of the vote compared to Greenburg’s 28.25 percent. The totals were 20,929 to 8,241.
Greenburg ran an aggressive campaign, alleging that Waitz had bloated the office, imprudently spent money and neglected to prosecute criminals.
Greenburg served as District Attorney for the 32nd Judicial District, which encompasses all of Terrebonne Parish, from 1985 to 1996, when he was beaten by Waitz, who was unopposed for two terms after that.
“I have a hard working staff that has helped me build a reputation for helping good people and putting the bad people in jail,” Waitz said. “We have worked hard for 18 years to build award winning programs and the people recognized that and mandated it, and now we can work even harder over the next six years.”
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10:11 p.m. update
By RICHARD FISCHER
In the Justice of the Peace – 2nd Justice of the Peace Court race, Lillie Foret (R-Raceland) scored three-quarters of the vote in a blowout victory over Carolyn Smith (D-Raceland).
Foret got 4,598 votes (75 percent) compared to 1,511 (25 percent) for Smith.
Foret’s mother and longtime Justice of the Peace Mary Foret, 79, withdrew from the race citing her age, stating, “with all the controversy surrounding the age limitation that I bow out of this election” in a letter the Secretary of State’s Office.
In June, lawmakers approved Act 495, a revamped law preventing anyone 70 or older from running for constable or justice of the peace.
However, a Baton Rouge judge has filed a temporary restraining order, putting enforcement of Act 495 on hold and allowing 70-plus year olds to qualify.
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10:03 p.m. update
By RICHARD FISCHER
Troy Templet (No party-Raceland) defeated Bennett Arceneaux (D-Larose) for the Justice of the Peace – 3rd Justice of the Peace Court seat.
Templet garnered 2,074 votes (55 percent) compared to 1,701 votes (45 percent) for Arceneaux.
In the Constable – 3rd Justice of the Peace race, Marvin Allemand (D-Raceland) narrowly held off Johnny Detillier (D-Raceland).
Allemand’s 1,958 votes (53 percent) held off Detillier’s 1,769 votes (47 percent).
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9:36 p.m. update
By RICHARD FISCHER
Carl Martin (D-Galliano) defeated Martin Wade (Lib-Galliano) in the Constable – 4th Justice of the Peace Court race.
Martin garnered 3,657 votes (65 percent) compared to 1,982 votes (35 percent) for Wade.
In the Thibodaux District C Council race, incumbent Constance Johnson (D-Thibodaux) held on to her seat, scoring 729 votes (59 percent).
Her opponent, Varick Taylor Sr. (D-Thibodaux) received 515 votes (41 percent).
