Staff Reporter

LAPLACE – St. John the Baptist Parish President and Sheriff will face a runoff after receiving more than 49 percent of the primary vote.

Other close races include both at-large parish council races and School Board District 10.

In the parish president’s race, incumbent Nickie Monica is headed for a runoff against councilman Jobe Boucvalt, while eliminating former councilman Perry Bailey.

Monica picked up 7,698 votes, or 49.43 percent. Boucvalt picked up 4,266 votes, or 27.40 percent, eliminating Bailey who picked up 3,608 votes, or 23.17 percent of the vote.

Monica is unofficially 89 votes from a first-primary win of the 15,572 votes cast. Boucvalt, who came in second place, failed to carry a single precinct, while Bailey picked up five precincts in his unsuccessful bid.

In the sheriff’s race, incumbent Wayne L. Jones is headed for a runoff against challenger Shannon Penn, while eliminating Wilton “Boobie” Bailey.

Jones picked up 7,900 votes, or 49.64 percent, while Penn picked up 6,149 votes, or 38.64 percent. Bailey received 1,866 votes, or 11.73 percent of the vote.

Jones was unofficially 60 votes from a first-primary win of the 15,915 votes cast in this race. Of the 35 precincts across the parish, Jones had 22 precincts, Penn had 12 and Bailey had one precinct with one split between the candidates.

Incumbent Clerk of Court Eliana Olivier DeFrancesch, with 9,470 votes, or 62.26 percent, defeated challenger Audrey A. Holmes who had 5,740 votes, or 37.74 percent of the vote.

Holmes did pick up five of the parish’s 35 precincts, plus the edge on absentee voting.

In the wide-open race for assessor deputy assessor Whitney Joseph Jr. is headed for a runoff against councilman Duaine Duffy. Joseph picked up 5,523 votes, or 35.21 percent. Duffy picked up 3,370 votes, or 21.48 percent of the votes.

Eliminated were “Sonny’ Fisse, with 1,241 votes or 7.91 percent; Dale Madere, with 662 votes or 4.22 percent; Danny J. Millet with 2,697 votes or 17.19 percent; and Lester Millet III with 2,195 votes or 13.99 percent.

In a close race, Duffy picked up 18 of 35 precincts, while Joseph got the remaining 17 precincts.

In the Councilman at Large Division A race, incumbent Cleveland Farlough is the apparent winner by a hair. Farlough picked up 3,669 votes or 50.53 percent. Burl picked up 2,028 votes or 27.93 percent. Carter picked up 1,564 votes or 21.54 percent.

Burl picked up one precinct, 1-4, while Carter picked up precinct 4-9, leaving the other 13 precincts for Farlough.

In the Councilman at Large Division B race, another whisker-thin race is being watched, as Joel McTopy picked up 3,729 votes or 50.54 percent, while Steve Thornton picked up 3,649 votes or 49.46 percent of the vote.

Thornton picked up eight precincts of the division’s 20 precincts, leaving 12 for McTopy.

For Councilman District One, a runoff is set with former councilman Haston “Lipper” Lewis against incumbent Lester Rainey.

Lewis led with 937 votes or 36.47 percent, to Rainey’s 899 votes or 34.99 percent, eliminating Kurt Becnel, who picked up 733 votes or 28.53 percent.

For Councilman District Two, incumbent Allen St. Pierre is headed for a runoff with Mark Entremont, while eliminating former councilman Kevin Duhon and Chad Joseph Mollere.

St. Pierre picked up 824 votes or 33.24 percent, while Entremont picked up 583 votes or 23.52 percent. This left Duhon to pick up 537 votes or 21.66 percent and Mollere to pick up 535 votes or 21.58 percent.

For Councilman District Four, “Mel” Powell is in a runoff with Jaclyn S. Hotard, while eliminating Ruben Keating.

Powell picked up 668 votes or 36.11 percent. Hotard picked up 634 votes or 34.27 percent, trailing Powell by 34 votes. Keating picked up 548 votes or 29.62 percent.

For Councilman District Five, Sean P. Roussel beat J. “Randy” Smith by nearly 600 votes. Roussel picked up 1,404 votes or 61.69 percent. Smith picked up 872 votes or 38.31 percent.

For Councilman District Six, incumbent Melissa Faucheux was eliminated and a runoff is set between Emile A. Bergeron and Ronnie S. Smith.

Bergeron picked up 525 votes or 37.61 percent, while Smith picked up 471 votes or 33.74 percent. Faucheux trailed with 400 votes or 28.65 percent.

For Councilman District Seven, “Steve” Lee took the win from Arnold M. Ryan handily, with Lee picking up 2,165 votes or 79.45 percent, to Ryan’s 560 votes or 20.55 percent.

District Three Councilman Richard Dale Wolfe was re-elected without opposition.

In School Board District One, Russell Jack Jr. and Robert Carl Sylvain are headed for a runoff, while eliminating Leroy Mitchell.

Jack picked up 823 votes or 42.40 percent, while Sylvain picked up 610 votes or 31.43 percent. Mitchell picked up 508 votes or 26.17 percent of the vote.

In School Board District Two, Elexia O. Henderson took the win over Geraldine Taylor, as Henderson picked up 808 votes or 53.79 percent, and Taylor picked up 694 votes or 46.21 percent of the vote.

In School Board District Five, Daniel Becnel Jr. is headed for a runoff with 585 votes or 49.41 percent of the vote, opposed by incumbent Dowie Gendron, who picked up 441 votes or 37.25 percent. Anderson picked up 158 votes or 13.34 percent of the votes.

In School Board District Seven, Phillip Johnson is headed for a runoff with Bertis Tamplain, eliminating Randall Triche. Johnson picked up 376 votes or 34.53 percent, while Tamplain picked up 364 votes or 33.43 percent, trailing Johnson by a scant 12 votes. Triche picked up 349 votes or 32.05 percent.

In School Board District Eight, incumbent “Russ” Wise is headed to a runoff with “Chris” Ory, eliminating Paul V. Millet.

Wise picked up 788 votes or 45.87 percent, while Ory picked up 482 votes or 28.06 percent. Millet picked up 448 votes or 26.08 percent of the vote.

In School Board District 10, “Matt” Ory held onto a slim lead over Monica Brown.

Ory picked up 595 votes or 51.65 percent, over Brown’s 557 votes or 48.35 percent.

Incumbents Gerald Keller of District Two, Patrick Sanders of District Four and Lowell Bacas of District Nine were re-elected without opposition. Keith Jones was elected to the District Six seat without opposition, succeeding C.J. Watkins. Clarence Triche was elected to the District 11 seat without opposition, succeeding John Crose.

A good percentage of St. John Parish voters cast 1,183 absentee ballots from among its 27,383 registered voters.(From Page 1A)

In the wide-open race for assessor deputy assessor Whitney Joseph Jr. is headed for a runoff against councilman Duaine Duffy. Joseph picked up 5,523 votes, or 35.21 percent. Duffy picked up 3,370 votes, or 21.48 percent of the votes.

Eliminated were “Sonny’ Fisse, with 1,241 votes or 7.91 percent; Dale Madere, with 662 votes or 4.22 percent; Danny J. Millet with 2,697 votes or 17.19 percent; and Lester Millet III with 2,195 votes or 13.99 percent.

In a close race, Duffy picked up 18 of 35 precincts, while Joseph got the remaining 17 precincts.

In the Councilman at Large Division A race, incumbent Cleveland Farlough is the apparent winner by a hair. Farlough picked up 3,669 votes or 50.53 percent. Burl picked up 2,028 votes or 27.93 percent. Carter picked up 1,564 votes or 21.54 percent.

Burl picked up one precinct, 1-4, while Carter picked up precinct 4-9, leaving the other 13 precincts for Farlough.

In the Councilman at Large Division B race, another whisker-thin race is being watched, as Joel McTopy picked up 3,729 votes or 50.54 percent, while Steve Thornton picked up 3,649 votes or 49.46 percent of the vote.

Thornton picked up eight precincts of the division’s 20 precincts, leaving 12 for McTopy.

For Councilman District One, a runoff is set with former councilman Haston “Lipper” Lewis against incumbent Lester Rainey.

Lewis led with 937 votes or 36.47 percent, to Rainey’s 899 votes or 34.99 percent, eliminating Kurt Becnel, who picked up 733 votes or 28.53 percent.

For Councilman District Two, incumbent Allen St. Pierre is headed for a runoff with Mark Entremont, while eliminating former councilman Kevin Duhon and Chad Joseph Mollere.

St. Pierre picked up 824 votes or 33.24 percent, while Entremont picked up 583 votes or 23.52 percent. This left Duhon to pick up 537 votes or 21.66 percent and Mollere to pick up 535 votes or 21.58 percent.

For Councilman District Four, “Mel” Powell is in a runoff with Jaclyn S. Hotard, while eliminating Ruben Keating.

Powell picked up 668 votes or 36.11 percent. Hotard picked up 634 votes or 34.27 percent, trailing Powell by 34 votes. Keating picked up 548 votes or 29.62 percent.

For Councilman District Five, Sean P. Roussel beat J. “Randy” Smith by nearly 600 votes. Roussel picked up 1,404 votes or 61.69 percent. Smith picked up 872 votes or 38.31 percent.

For Councilman District Six, incumbent Melissa Faucheux was eliminated and a runoff is set between Emile A. Bergeron and Ronnie S. Smith.

Bergeron picked up 525 votes or 37.61 percent, while Smith picked up 471 votes or 33.74 percent. Faucheux trailed with 400 votes or 28.65 percent.

For Councilman District Seven, “Steve” Lee took the win from Arnold M. Ryan handily, with Lee picking up 2,165 votes or 79.45 percent, to Ryan’s 560 votes or 20.55 percent.

District Three Councilman Richard Dale Wolfe was re-elected without opposition.

In School Board District One, Russell Jack Jr. and Robert Carl Sylvain are headed for a runoff, while eliminating Leroy Mitchell.

Jack picked up 823 votes or 42.40 percent, while Sylvain picked up 610 votes or 31.43 percent. Mitchell picked up 508 votes or 26.17 percent of the vote.

In School Board District Two, Elexia O. Henderson took the win over Geraldine Taylor, as Henderson picked up 808 votes or 53.79 percent, and Taylor picked up 694 votes or 46.21 percent of the vote.

In School Board District Five, Daniel Becnel Jr. is headed for a runoff with 585 votes or 49.41 percent of the vote, opposed by incumbent Dowie Gendron, who picked up 441 votes or 37.25 percent. Anderson picked up 158 votes or 13.34 percent of the votes.

In School Board District Seven, Phillip Johnson is headed for a runoff with Bertis Tamplain, eliminating Randall Triche. Johnson picked up 376 votes or 34.53 percent, while Tamplain picked up 364 votes or 33.43 percent, trailing Johnson by a scant 12 votes. Triche picked up 349 votes or 32.05 percent.

In School Board District Eight, incumbent “Russ” Wise is headed to a runoff with “Chris” Ory, eliminating Paul V. Millet.

Wise picked up 788 votes or 45.87 percent, while Ory picked up 482 votes or 28.06 percent. Millet picked up 448 votes or 26.08 percent of the vote.

In School Board District 10, “Matt” Ory held onto a slim lead over Monica Brown.

Ory picked up 595 votes or 51.65 percent, over Brown’s 557 votes or 48.35 percent.

Incumbents Gerald Keller of District Two, Patrick Sanders of District Four and Lowell Bacas of District Nine were re-elected without opposition. Keith Jones was elected to the District Six seat without opposition, succeeding C.J. Watkins. Clarence Triche was elected to the District 11 seat without opposition, succeeding John Crose.

A good percentage of St. John Parish voters cast 1,183 absentee ballots from among its 27,383 registered voters.