With Saturday’s primary election having come and gone, there were some surprises at the polls. Even with the heavy rain and Grambling State and Louisiana Tech universities playing football games at home, many still made it out to vote.
Then again, some would say that both these things played a major part in the voter turnout. “The home games and weather had a effect on the election,” said Dianna Stone, Lincoln Parish registrar of voters. She said there was a bigger turnout for the mayoral election last year than this governor’s election.
In Grambling’s Police Jury races, the two incumbents held their offices. District 1’s Theresa Wyatt defeated Charles “Chuck” Owens IV, taking 55 percent of the vote. In District 2, Hazel Hunter received 59 percent of the vote, compared to challenger Larry Gipson’s 41 percent.
The three statewide offices in which there are runoffs are governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general.
The runoff election will be held on November 21.
In the governor’s race, Democrat John Bel Edwards, with 40 percent of Saturday’s vote, will face-off against Republican David Vitter, the second-highest vote-getter at 23 percent. Democrat Melvin L. “Kip” Holden, at 33 percent, will vie against Republican “Billy” Nungesser, who had 30 percent, for lieutenant governor. The attorney general runoff will include two Republicans, James D. “Buddy” Caldwell, who had 35 percent of the vote, and Jeff Landry, at 33 percent.