VIDALIA &8212; Judge Sharon Marchman heard arguments for a change of venue in the Ferriday voter fraud case Friday, but no decision was made.

Marchman &8212; a judge from outside the parish appointed after both local judges recused themselves &8212; said she would rule on the matter next Friday.

&8220;The court is not prepared to make a ruling on this today,&8221; she said.

State attorney&8217;s prosecuting the case are pushing to get the trial moved to another parish, citing pre-trial publicity.

The defendants include several Town of Ferriday employees, and other well-known Ferriday figures. The election in question includes the 2004 mayor&8217;s race in the town.

Assistant Attorney General Butch Wilson is prosecuting the case. Attorneys for the defendants include Robert E. Clark, Samuel H. Thomas, Raymond Lee Cannon, Derrick Carson and William G. Whatley.

Marchman will reveal her decision in a conference call between the attorneys Friday at 3 p.m.

Henrietta Williams was sentenced in May on one count of filing a false public document, an absentee ballot. She was sentenced to serve five years; all but 18 months were suspended. Williams is still facing 21 additional counts of voter fraud.

Other defendants in the case include Justin Conner, Willie Robinson, Emerson Slain and James Skipper.

Conner is charged with nine counts of conspiracy, seven counts of filing or maintaining public records and seven counts of principal to forgery.

Robinson is charged with three counts of principle to forgery and three counts of conspiracy to filing or maintaining false public records.

Slain is charged with three counts of filing or maintaining false public records.

Skipper, already incarcerated on a drug conviction is charge with three counts of conspiracy for filing public records and two counts of principal to forgery.

Williams face 21 counts including criminal conspiracy, election offense and filing or maintaining false public records.