LAPLACE — There are nine board members on the St. John the Baptist Parish Council, and six of those seats are set following Saturday’s primary election.

Still up for grabs is the Division A Council at Large position, which was whittled down to two Saturday as Larry Sorapuru Jr. (47.18 percent) and Sylvia Taylor-Dunn (26.68 percent) finished as the top vote getters.

“People came out because they were concerned with the conditions of the parish and the way the parish government is being run,” Sorapuru said. “They are looking for some changes to take place. I’m trying to get my message across about helping small businesses and increasing their profit margins. We’re going to work with the youth and get the parks up to par. I’m going to keep doing what I’ve been doing, elected or not.

“My message is that I answer to the community. The voters, I work for them. We need to form a bond and a partnership to bring people together to make this Council more effective.”

Demetria Robinson Carter narrowly missed making the runoff after collecting 26.14 percent of the vote.

Attempts to reach Taylor-Dunn for comment were unsuccessful.

In District 1, Kurt Becnel led all vote getters with 48.39 percent of the turnout. Lester “Coach” Smith, who collected 34.58 percent of the vote, joins him in the runoff.

Incumbent Arthur “Dokie” Smith finished third and did not make the runoff. Attempts to reach Dokie Smith for comment after the election were unsuccessful.

Becnel said he is looking forward to Nov. 21’s general election, adding he is very optimistic.

“I wish I could have won it in the first (election), but you have to accept what it is,” Becnel said. “I’m looking forward to it. Hopefully, I will prevail.

“People really want you to pay attention to their concerns. If I’m the councilman and someone has a parish-related issue, he’ll say ‘I need you to check something in my yard. My drainage is stopped up.’ If he calls me on a Monday, he doesn’t want me to wait two weeks to get out there.”

Becnel said he has implemented a system to address community concerns.

“I’m coming there with a laptop and a form that I created to document the issues and hold myself accountable,” he said. “They want somebody to pay attention to their concerns and needs.”

Attempts to reach Lester “Coach” Smith for comment were unsuccessful.

In District 2, voters cut the field from four to two, pegging Julia Remondet (43.59 percent) and incumbent Ranney Wilson (22.41 percent) for the runoff.

Remondet said she is going to continue to show District constituents she is concerned about local issues.

“I think my 23 years experience in the administration of St. John Parish gives me a different insight when you look at it from the councilman’s perspective,” she said. “It’s an asset for the Council, itself.

“I can be on the Council and help whatever administration is in office and the people of my District. People really just want somebody to come out, talk to them and care if their problem gets solved. People are eager to find somebody they have common ground with and feel will represent them.”

Wilson said he was surprised his campaign was “off by that much,” but added he would do his best to get his message out.

“This is a very difficult district; it’s very large in area,” Wilson said. “It runs all the way from the St. James Parish line to East 12th Street in Reserve. That is a lot of territory. (Sunday) night I was out there under a tornado watch in the neighborhoods. I wasn’t at my house. When Isaac came, I was up for three days and three nights.”

Wilson said there is not too much he can promise voters other than saying he would continue to do the job he is doing.

“The administration has a lot to do with that,” Wilson said. “Hopefully, we will have a new administration.”

Not all the elections ended in runoffs.

Incumbent Jaclyn Hotard defeated Cheryl Millet in the Division B Council at Large race by vote count of 4,391 to 2,752.

Incumbent Lennix “Tweet” Madere Jr. topped Lionel Dennis in the District 3 race by collecting nearly 74 percent of the vote. The margin was almost as great for Michael P. Wright in District 5, as the incumbent secured 72.22 percent of the turnout, easily defeating a challenge from Dwayne Francis.

Incumbent Larry Snyder Sr. had perhaps the best showing Saturday night, collecting 74.15 percent of the turnout in District 6, where he faced a challenge from Jerry Wilson Sr.

There was no incumbent in District 7, where three candidates qualified, but only one seemed to make a significant impact with voters.

Buddy Boe will join the Council after collecting 62.14 percent of the vote. Lamont Bigham, who collected 27.31 percent, and Steven Fraker, who finished with 10.55 percent, followed him.

Marvin Perrilloux ran unopposed in District 4.

— Staff writers Raquel Derganz Baker and Stephen Hemelt contributed to this report.