Tomorrow is Election Day in St. Tammany. Polls will open Saturday from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. Here are a few of the local races we’ll be watching.
Incumbent Pat Brister is seeking a third term as parish president against a strong challenger in former Covington mayor Mike Cooper. Karen Champagne is a business owner who is waging a long shot campaign for parish president for the third time.
The race for Sheriff has first-term incumbent Randy Smith trying to hold off a pair of challengers. Smith worked for the sheriff’s office before being elected Slidell’s Police Chief, then defeating five-term incumbent Jack Strain in 2015. His challengers include Tim Lentz, Covington’s former police chief and a 30-year veteran of the sheriff’s office, and long-time law enforcement officer Nick Tranchina has found some traction in the three-man race.
In a pair of judicial races seven local attorneys are vying for the Division F seat at the 22nd JDC. The candidates include Bartholomew, Keller, Knight, Kovach, Lobello, Pennison and Vogeltanz. Four Republicans are running for the First District seat on the Louisiana Supreme Court; they include First Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Will Crain, local attorney Richard Ducote, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Hans Liljeberg and 24th JDC Judge Scott Schlegel.
Senate District 11, which is southwestern St. Tammany and parts of Tangipahoa, has been a battle between current District 89 Representative Reid Falconer, Covington Councilman at Large Patrick McMath and political newcomer Daniel Ducote. Five candidates are looking to replace Falconer in the House: Ellis, Liuzza, Nelson, Phillips and Powell. In District 76 around Slidell Michele Blanchard and Bob Owen square off. Voters in Slidell will select a new City Court Judge between Chatman, Haggerty and Powell. And half of the 14 seats on the St. Tammany Parish Council are contested. Three of the seven are open seats.
Run-offs, if necessary, will take place Nov. 16.
