LAPLACE — Russell Jack, a longtime St. John the Baptist Parish School Board member, is ready for his newest challenge — Registrar of Voters.

Parish Council members appointed him to the position Jan. 24 after two other candidates failed to generate the five-vote approval majority required.

Jack told L’OBSERVATEUR he is “very comfortable,” eager to take over and ready to do a good job.

“I got a warm welcome from the Registrar at St. Charles Parish,” he said. “I talked to three other registrars around the state already. I’m ready to hit the ground running and move this office forward.”

When news of previous Registrar Rita E. Jarrow’s retirement spread last year, Jack said he began thinking about the position as a natural progression of his longtime community service to St. John the Baptist Parish.

“I have been an elected official for the last 14 years on the School Board and I am ready to move to something else and get out of politics,” Jack said.

“I just think this is a great job, has some stability and is something where I can still serve the community. It is an opportunity that I can be great at. I think I have shown to be a people person. This job is something that fits me pretty well.”

Jack said he will be resigning as a School Board member in the near future; however, he stressed he is not unhappy on the School Board. Jack said he cherishes serving the constituents of District 1 and looks to continue to do so as the Parish’s Registrar of Voters.

There will be a quick learning curve, as St. John’s next election is less than two months away.

Local voters will decide March 25 who fills the unexpired seats for St. John the Baptist Parish Council District 7 and St. John School Board District 10.

The last day to register to vote for the March primary is Feb. 22.

Early Voting runs March 11-18.