The crowded field in the St. John the Baptist Parish President’s race narrowed considerably Saturday after local voters weighed in at the polls.

Incumbent Natalie Robottom collected the second most votes with 4,549, which equals 30.86 percent of the turnout.

Challenger Daniel E. Becnel Jr. collected the most votes with 4,689, which equals 31.8 percent.

The top two candidates will face each other in a runoff next month.

Charles Julien finished third with 20.76 percent of the turnout. Kent St. Amant logged 11.52 percent. DeLisa R. Brown and Terry Gene Lewis Sr. proved non factors.

Before the election, Robottom said she was confident voters looking at qualifications, experience and productivity would decide her record speaks for itself.

“It’s proven leadership with results that are … visible,” she said. “They will vote accordingly.”

Her words proved correct Saturday.

Becnel, a local businessman and trial lawyer, said a deep dissatisfaction with St. John’s current government led to his decision to run for office.

He warned the parish was losing tax-paying residents by the thousands and was in danger of losing its basis to support itself.

In other news going into Saturday’s election, many people saw the race for Sheriff of St. John the Baptist Parish as a two-person affair. The voting mirrored the expectations as incumbent Sheriff Mike Tregre now faces a runoff election challenge from Michael Hoover.

Tregre finished Saturday with 7,280 votes or 49.64 percent. Hoover finished with 6,372 votes or 43.45 percent.

Clifford Bailey and Samantha Wilson proved non factors, collecting 523 votes and 490 votes, respectively.

With his 25 years of service, Hoover said before the election he believed he was the candidate for the position.

“I was known as the man who can get things done,” Hoover said. “That’s who I am, and that’s who I’m going to continue to be as your sheriff.”

During a voters forum before the election, Tregre said he has instituted different measures that have kept people safe.

“I meet with all of the sheriffs in the metro area almost monthly,” Tregre said. “I copy and paste what’s working out there. Every time I see something that I can bring back to St. John Parish, I bring it back. I have a brand new bicycle patrol, and they have been out there doing a tremendous job. When we have a burglary in a neighborhood, we put out door hangers in the neighborhood. We have a crime map system where you can log on and see everything that’s going on. We also have an app. You will know everything that is going on under my administration.

“I’m completely transparent, you’re going to know the good, the bad and the ugly.”