Early voting exceeds last two Presidential Primaries combined
By: RAYMOND PARTSCH III
Managing Editor
A total of 630 Evangeline Parish residents took part in the early voting period for this Saturday’s election.
The majority of those votes cast were done in person as 544 voted at the Registrar of Voters Office. The other 86 votes cast were done by mail. The early voting period ran from February 20 to February 27.
The early voter turnout exceeds the last two Presidential Preference Primary elections combined.
A total of 226 parish voters cast their ballots early for the 2008 election and that number rose to 249 for the 2012 election. Even if one were to combine the two elections together the vote total would come to 475, which is still 69 votes shy of this year’s early voting period results.
“I wasn’t surprised because of the number of people that were switching parties the last few weeks before the voting period,” Registrar of Voters Lucas Buller said. “There was a lot of interest building up for this election.”
A total of 421 registered voters in the parish switched their party affiliation to Republican by the deadline of Feb. 3.
In addition to serving as a Presidential Preference Primary for registered Democrats and Republicans, this Saturday’s election will also feature two local races and one state race for local voters.
There are seven on the ballot for Mamou Police Chief which includes: Armond Benoit Jr., Chris Godeaux, Lucas Lavergne, Ricky J. McGee, Charles Perdices, Katina Richard and Brent Zachery.
Then there are three on the ballot for Chataignier Police Chief which includes: Joseph Brasseaux, Elliot N. Thomas and McDaniel Wilson.
Toni Aguillard and Jimmy Lafleur meanwhile are on the ballot to be named to the Republican State Central Committee.
Buller has also announced the close of books for the April 9, 2016 election will be Wednesday, March 9, 2016.
If you need to register to vote or make changes to your registration for that election you may do so in person at the Registrar of Voters Office from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday or go online at geauxvote.com.