Lafourche council sees several changes after Saturday’s run-off

The Lafourche Parish Council will be comprised of many new people after voters in the parish cast their votes during tonight’s run-off election.

Incumbent councilman for District 1, Jerry Jones, Democrat, won reelection to the council, garnering 54 percent of 1,988 total votes cast.

His opponent, Alfred “Al” Carter, Republican, received 910 votes.

The District 4 seat vacated by Joseph Fertitta when he unsuccessfully ran for parish president has been picked up by Aaron “Bo” Melvin, No Party.

Melvin beat out challenger Joseph Dantin, Democrat, garnering a whopping 62 percent of 2,963 votes cast.

“What really made the difference is personal contact, visiting with people and being a good listener,” Melvin said. “Genuinely wanting to help others comes out in my gestures, speech and actions. I believe people latched on to that and saw that in my campaign…”

In the race to represent District 6, incumbent councilman Lindel Toups, No Party, was unseated by Corey Perrillioux, No Party, by 78 votes.

Perrillioux received 52 percent of the total 2,528 votes cast in the district.

“It seems like there’s been a revolution in Lafourche Parish politics in the election tonight,” Perrillioux said. “I think people were ready for a change.. .1 think people were tired of the status quo and the status of politics.”

Perrilioux expressed “a heartfelt thank you to the voters and even the voters for Mr. Toups. I want to welcome them aboard and let them know that this is not a Corey Perrillioux issue, this is a team issue for all of the residents of District 6.”

Toups said he has been ill for the last two weeks and believes that his inability to campaign played a role in his loss tonight as well as overall low voter turnout in the district. He also said that Perrillioux’s campaign also made voters believe he will die before the end of his term.

Toups was diagnosed with liver cancer last year.

Jerry Lafont, No Party, has won reelection to Lafourche Parish Council District 8, winning 54 percent of the 2,389 votes cast during the runoff election.

His opponent, Gary Champagne, Democrat, scored 46 percent of votes cast.

“It’s my first race I ever won,” Lafont said. “So, it was a new experience for me also. I really got to say my opponent worked really hard.”

Lafont ran unopposed for the council seat in 2011.

Lafont attributed his win to his work as chairman of the council over the course of his previous term. He said there are many new minds on the council with good ideas and he looks forward to working with them.