By David Vitrano
L’Observateur

LAPLACE – Qualifying for a number of races in the River Parishes, as well as for state and national seats, ended Friday, a number of people filing necessary paperwork.

For St. John the Baptist Parish voters, the school board heads the election ballot.

Board Vice President Patrick Sanders, District 4, is being challenged by Reserve resident Ferdinand Wallace Jr., accountant for the parish’s housing authority.

For his part, Sanders was somewhat reluctant to run again, but he said encouraging phone calls from his constituents convinced him to seek re-election.

“It was very humbling,” he said. “It was basically a vote of confidence.”

Sanders said he is also used to facing opposition for his seat. In 2006 he was one of only a couple of incumbents who faced an opponent.

The board’s newest member, Sherry DeFrancesch of District 5, is being challenged by Wilbert J. Ocmond Jr.

District 8’s representative, Russ Wise has two challengers — Beverly Harris and Chris Ory.

In District 1, Russell Jack Jr. faces no opposition, but in District 2, Albert Burl III is being challenged by Elexia Henderson of Mt. Airy and Yvette Scioneaux of Garyville.

In District 3, Gerald Keller was re-elected with no opposition, as was Keith Jones of District 6, Phillip Johnson of District 7, Lowell Bacas of District 9, and Clarence Triche of District 11.

Matthew Ory of District 10 is being challenged by Rodney Nicholas and John Olynick.

The election is scheduled for Oct. 2.

Also on the ballot in the fall for St. John is the election for Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals for the seat currently held by Jude Gravois, who gained his first position as judge in a special election held to replace Tom Daley when he was elected district attorney of St. John Parish. Gravois will face LaPlace attorney Daniel Becnel Jr. and current St. John Division A Judge Madeline Jasmine in the election, which will be decided by voters in both St. John and St. James parishes.

Voters will also elect a Public Service Commissioner for District 3 between Lambert Boissiere III and John Schwegmann.

Voters in St. James Parish will also be voting in school board elections in the fall. The candidates that qualified for that race are Diana Cantillo in District 1; Kenneth Foret in District 2; Jared Amato and Carol Lambert in District 3; George Nassar in District 4; Patricia Schexnayder, Yvette Cantrelle Malancon and Lawrence Ambrose Jr. in District 5; Charles Nailor in District 6 and Richard Reulet Jr. in District 7.

Certain positions particular to the towns of Gramercy and Lutcher will also be voted on in the fall, although most are uncontested.

In Gramercy, Terry Borne was the lone person to qualify for mayor, and Brent Dicharry was the lone person to qualify for chief of police.

In that town’s aldermen elections, Kat Bocz, Rubenstein Mitchell Clark and Claude “Clyde” Wiggins are running for aldermen-at-large, Betty Cooper Coleman was the lone qualifier in District 1, John Doucet and John Doucet qualified for District 2 and Alvin St. Pierre Jr. was the only person to qualify for District 3.

In Lutcher, Rowdy Scott and Theresa “Tee” Williams qualified for the mayoral race, has qualified for the mayoral election, and Dwan Bowser and Jerome Franklin will run for chief of police.

Regarding Lutcher’s aldermen races, Darlene Riley is running for the at-large seat against R.J. St. Pierre. Nathaniel Jones and Danny Manuel are seeking the District 1, Division A seat, Donald Batiste Srwas the lone qualifier for the District 1, Division B seat; Patrick St. Pierre was the only person to qualify for the District 2, Division A seat; and Thomas George was the lone qualifier for the District 2, Division B seat.

St. Charles Parish voters will also be choosing their school board representatives in October. In that race, Ellis Alexander Sr. and Milton J. Allemand Jr. qualified for District 1; Melinda Bernard and Robert “Bobby” Faucheux qualified for District 2; Dennis Naquin was the lone qualifier for District 3; C.H. “Sonny” Savoie was the lone qualifier in District 4, John Smith was the only person to qualify in District 5, Jay Robichaux qualified alone in District 6; Art Aucoin was the only person to qualify in District 7; and Al Suffrin was the only person to qualify in District 8.

Voters in the River Parishes will also have a few other elections to consider in the fall.

The U.S. Senate seat currently held by Republican David Vitter is up for re-election, and Vitter will face fellow Republicans Nick Accardo and retired Louisiana Supreme Court Judge Chet Traylor in the party primary election on Aug. 28.

On the Democratic side, Cary Deaton, Neeson J. Chauvin Jr. and Charlie Melancon will square off on Aug. 28, and Libertarian candidates Anthony Gentile and Randall Todd Hayes will also square off. William R. McShane is running on the Reform Party ticket, and state Rep. Ernest Wooten is running as an Independent.

The general election will be Nov. 2.

River Parishes voters will also choose someone to fill Charlie Melancon’s vacated Third District Congressional seat.

The candidates for that office are Democrat Ravi Sangisetty of Houma, and Republicans Hunt Downer, also of Houma, Kristian Magar of New Iberia and Jeff Landry of New Iberia. They will face off in the party primary on Aug. 28.

Lastly, voters statewide will choose someone to fill the vacancy left by former Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu when he took over as mayor of New Orleans a little over two months ago. A full slate of Republicans are vying for the seat, including current Secretary of State Jay Dardenne of Baton Rouge, Kevin Davis of Slidell, Sammy Kershaw of Lafayette, Melanie McKnight of Baton Rouge and Roger Villere of Metairie.

Democratic candidates include Kenneth “Ken” Burkhalter of Slidell, Caroline Fayard of New Orleans and Butch Gautreaux of Morgan City.

They will face off in October, with a runoff election Nov. 2.