Photo by secretlondon123/WikimediaQualifying is over and the Oct. 24 ballot is set. Few were the late and unexpected entries into local races. Three members of the City-Parish Council — Kevin Naquin in District 1, Kenneth Boudreaux in 4 and William Theriot in 9 — are unopposed, while a fourth candidate entered the field in District 6: Lafayette teacher Alicia Chaisson, who joins former Councilman Bruce Conque, evangelical publisher Sevie Zeller and incumbent Andy Naquin in a crowded field.
A few incumbents who serve in the Legislature will face challengers: Sen. Page Cortez, the Republican incumbent in District 23 will square off against Democrat Terry Hughes of Lafayette; incumbent Rep. Nancy Landry, a Republican, will also face a Democratic challenger, Evan Wright of Lafayette, in District 31; Democratic incumbent Rep. Stephen Ortego is being challenged by Republican Julie Emerson of Carencro for the District 39 seat; Democrat Vince Pierre, the incumbent in House District 44, is facing challenger Desmond Onezine, who lists no party affiliation; and Democratic Rep. Terry Landry in District 96 faces a challenge from longtime New Iberia Councilman Raymond “Shoe-Do” Lewis.
The remainder of the legislative and local council races feature candidates who had already declared their intentions before qualifying between Tuesday and Thursday of this week.
To see the Oct. 24 ballot for Lafayette Parish, click here.
Read more about this week’s qualifying here.