Saturday’s election isn’t expected to draw the record number voters of November’s presidential election, but those who do cast a ballot will help decide Louisiana’s U.S. Congressional seat and two property tax renewals in St. Charles Parish.
“I think we’ll be lucky to see a third of what we had for the presidential election,” said Brian Champagne, the parish’s Registrar of Voters.
Champagne said 2,483 people voted early for this weekend’s election compared to a record shattering 7,689 votes cast in the presidential election.
“Early voting turned out a little less than expected,” Champagne said. “I thought we’d see a better turnout for the Senate race and parish propositions, but other than that we’ve had no problems. Everything went smooth.”
This weekend’s election will decide the U.S. Senate seat runoff between candidates Foster Campbell, Democrat, and John Kennedy, Republican.
Campbell and Kennedy surfaced from two dozen candidates, including ex-KKK leader David Duke, seeking Sen. David Vitter’s seat in Congress.
Parish voters also will decide whether to renew two property taxes for the parish’s Department of Recreation (3.03 mills expected to generate $3.7 million a year for 10 years) and St. Charles Council on Aging that will take effect in 2018.Polls open 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Saturday. Lance Marino, parish Clerk of Courts, said he also doesn’t expect Saturday’s election to be as busy as the presidential election.
Marino, like Champagne, is projecting a 30 percent turnout.On Tuesday, the River Region Chamber of Commerce endorsed both the two proposed millage renewals.
“These renewals will keep the Recreation Department and the Council on Aging in operation for St. Charles Parish,” said Henry Friloux, the chamber’s public policy chair.
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