East Side Water votes for change in recent election

After a two year long lawsuit, members of the East Side Water System, Inc. have spoken and it seems they have chosen change.
On Monday, East Side Water held an election that was overseen by former District Judge John Larry Vidrine for three board member seats.
According to the former judge, “a normal voter turnout in the past was about 200.” However, a total of 350 of the water system’s members came out to vote in the April 24, 2017 election.
When the results were in, only one incumbent - John Vidrine - won reelection.
Vidrine defeated Carroll Fontenot 236 to 103 for the District 1 seat.
For District 2, Randel Brown, who brought the lawsuit against East Side Water in 2015 faced off against incumbent Todd Deville.
Brown sued East Side Water’s board after they changed the voter turnout required to validate an election from 10 percent to 50 pct.
Voter turnout hadn’t reached 50 pct. since nearly the creation of the water system, which is why the turnout required had been previously changed to 10 pct.
Judge Gary Ortego, who presided over this matter in court, ruled that the voter turnout requirement would go back to 10 pct.
Brown defeated Deville in the election 221 to 131.
For the final board seat up for grabs in the election incumbent Steve Vidrine was up against Lee Ray Johnson for District 3.
Johnson defeated Vidrine 213 to 126.
These however are not the only elections that had been pushed back for sometime due to the lawsuit.
Another election will be held for East Side Water’s District 4 board seat on May 22, 2017.