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VIDALIA, La. — Early voting began Tuesday, Oct. 25, for the Louisiana Open Congressional Primary Election and ends Tuesday, Nov. 1.

Early voting hours are 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., excluding Sunday, Oct. 30, at the Concordia’s Parish Registrar of Voters office on the first floor of the Concordia Parish Courthouse.

Primary elections will be held Nov. 8 and polls are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on election day.

Registered voters in Concordia Parish will be deciding the next Tax Assessor and Concordia Parish School Board Members.

Jeanne Archer (I) and Stephen Dawkins (I) are vying for the position of Tax Assessor following the retirement of longtime assessor Jerry Clark.

Candidates for School Board are:

District 1, Place A — Incumbent Fred T. Butcher (D) and Jennie C. Kimble (D).

District 2 — Incumbent Raymond Riley (D) and Fred Marsalis Sr. (D).

District 3, Place A — Incumbent Ricky Raven Sr. (no party), and Vanessa Houck (R).

District 4, Place B — Angela Hayes (D) and Ronnie Lewis (I).

District 5, Place A — Incumbent Warren Enterkin (D), Sandy Netherland Roberts (no party) and Wayne Wilson (R).

Unopposed board members are Dorothy Parker, District 1, Place B; Lisette Forman, District 3, Place B; Derrick Carson, District 4, Place A; and Nicky Pere, District 5, Place B.

 

Vidalia voters will also be choosing between Stuart Boykin (no party), Ann Siddall (R) and Hu’Cheryl Walker (I) for City Court Judge and between Frank Duson (I) and Dusting Lemoine (no party) for City Marshal.

 

Ridgecrest Mayor Veller Ray Carroll is challenged by Dorothy Evans. Alderpersons for the Villag of Ridgecrest Connie Adair, Deborah Barrett and Charlie Brown are unopposed.

 

Louisiana voters are also deciding U.S. Senators and U.S. Representatives races.

Candidates for U.S. Senator are: Incumbent John Kennedy (R), Beryl A. Billiot (no party), Gary Chambers Jr. (D), Devin Lance Graham (R), “Xan” John (other party), W. Thomas La Fontaine Olson (no party), Bradley McMorris (I), MV “Vinny” Mendoza (D), “Luke” Mixon (DEM), Salvador P. Rodriguez (D), Aaron C. Sigler (L), Syrita Steib (D), and Thomas Wenn (other party).

Candidates for U. S. Representative, 5th Congressional District are: Incumbent Julia Letlow (R), Oscar “Omar” Dantzler (D), Allen Guillory (R), Walter Earl Huff (D), and Hunter Pullen (R).

 

Voters may also vote “yes” or “no” to eight constitutional amendments on the ballot.

These proposed amendments are as follows:

 

Proposed Amendment No. 1

Act 130 of the 2021 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature proposing to amend Article VII, Sections 10.1(B), 10.8(B), 10.11(D), and 14(B) of the Louisiana Constitution.

“Do you support an amendment to increase to 65% the cap on the amount of monies in certain state funds that may be invested in stocks?”

 

Proposed Amendment No. 2

Act 172 of the 2022 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature proposing to amend Article VII, Section 21(K) of the Louisiana Constitution.

“Do you support an amendment to expand certain property tax exemptions for property on which the homestead exemption is claimed for certain veterans with disabilities?”

 

Proposed Amendment No. 3

Act 156 of the 2021 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature proposing to amend Article X, Sections 9 and 20 of the Louisiana Constitution.

“Do you support an amendment to allow classified civil service employees to support the election to public office of members of their own families?”

 

Proposed Amendment No. 4

Act 155 of the 2021 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature proposing to amend Article VII, Section 14(B) of the Louisiana Constitution.

“Do you support an amendment to allow local governments to waive water charges that are the result of damage to the water system not caused by the customer?”

 

Proposed Amendment No. 5

Act 133 of the 2021 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature proposing to amend Article VII, Section 23(C) of the Louisiana Constitution.

“Do you support an amendment to allow the levying of a lower millage rate by a local taxing authority while maintaining the authority’s ability to adjust to the current authorized millage rate?”

 

Proposed Amendment No. 6

Act 129 of the 2021 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature proposing to amend Article VII, Section 18(F)(2)(a)(introductory paragraph) of the Louisiana Constitution and Adds Article VII, Section 18(F)(3) to the Louisiana Constitution.

“Do you support an amendment to limit the amount of an increase in the assessed value of residential property subject to the homestead exemption in Orleans Parish following reappraisal at ten percent of the property’s assessed value in the previous year?”

 

Proposed Amendment No. 7

Act 246 of the 2022 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature proposing to amend Article I, Section 3 of the Louisiana Constitution.

“Do you support an amendment to prohibit the use of involuntary servitude except as it applies to the otherwise lawful administration of criminal justice?”

 

Proposed Amendment No. 8

Act 171 of the 2022 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature proposing to amend Article VII, Section 18(G)(1)(a)(iv) of the Louisiana Constitution.

“Do you support an amendment to remove the requirement that homeowners who are permanently totally disabled must annually re-certify their income to keep their special assessment level on their residences for property tax purposes?”

 

The deadline to request an absentee ballot, other than for military and overseas voters, is Nov. 4 by 4:30 p.m. These can be requested online at voterportal.sos.la.gov or in writing through the Registrar of Voters Office. The deadline for a registrar of voters to receive a voted absentee ballot is Nov. 7 by 4:30 p.m.