Beauregard voters to decide runoff, tax renewals

<p class="p1">Voters in Beauregard Parish will decide a runoff election for DeRidder’s at-large council member seat Saturday, April 28, along with the fate of a parishwide sales tax renewal. Polls will open at 7 a.m.</p><p class="p1">Vying for the council position are incumbent Vincent Labue, Chance Lewis, Mike Harris and Billy Spikes. Voters will select two candidates from the slate.</p><p class="p1">Voter Registrar Robin Darbonne said last month’s primary election brought in 975 early voters, but that early voter turnout for Saturday’s election was 896.</p><p class="p1">“For a runoff, sometimes we see that happen,” Darbonne said. “But everything that we are hearing and seeing leads me to believe that we will still have a strong voter turnout on Saturday.”</p><p class="p1">She said voter turnout parishwide was still low and that many people aren’t aware of the polling dates.</p><p class="p1">“The most often response we get here is that people are unaware of the voting dates,” she said. “And unfortunately there is not much more that the registrar’s office can do to get that information out.”</p><p class="p1">Darbonne said she has begun encouraging voters to download the state’s Geaux Vote smartphone app so they can be alerted to upcoming elections and ballots.</p><p class="p1">“It’s a great app, and it can provide notifications of elections and polling times and locations,” she said “It’s a really useful tool that I wish more voters knew about.”</p><p class="p1">Saturday’s election will affect residents parishwide because it includes the continuation of a 10-year, 1 percent sales tax, which is expected to collect $2.5 million a year.</p><p class="p1">Parish Administrator Bryan McReynolds said the proceeds from the tax would be used to construct, improve, operate and maintain roads and bridges, as well as acquire any needed equipment.</p><p class="p1">McReynolds said 35 percent of the proceeds would go to parishwide work crews, 35 percent to equipment and equipment repairs, and 30 percent to acquire materials and supplies to be divided equally among the eight parish wards.</p><p class="p1">Polling places will close at 8 p.m.</p>

SportsPlus

McNeese Sports

Traveling man

Local News

Jennings High Key Club using grant to increase access to books

Local News

Program aimed at helping city workers buy homes

Local News

Several area schools named after Black education pioneers, local legends

Crime

LC man accused of going on crime spree

McNeese Sports

Back to their roots

Jim Beam

Jim Beam column:Second Harvest news unsettling

Local News

Meet the candidates: Five throw hat in ring for mayor’s race

McNeese Sports

SLC games set for McNeese

McNeese Sports

Cowgirls look for four-peat

Local News

UPDATE: Drug charges against veterinarian cleared of rape dropped

Local News

Cassidy, Senate committee advances Robert F. Kennedy Jr. nomination to be health secretary

Business

Waffle House adds surcharge to eggs as massive bird flu outbreak leads to soaring prices

Local News

Federal judge blocks enforcement of La. police ‘buffer-zone’ law

Local News

Louisiana Armed Forces Alliance opens new offices

Local News

NY shields abortion pill prescribers after doctor indicted in La.

McNeese Sports

Cowboys win by a tick

Business

Wall Street swerves lower after Trump announces tariffs and then puts some on hold

Local News

A heart for kids: New Big Brothers Big Sisters CEO driven to help others

McNeese Sports

Hot-shooting Nicholls guns down Pokes

McNeese Sports

Cowgirls struggle early, fall to Nicholls

Informer

The Informer: Floods followed in wake of 1940 Gulf Coast storm

Business

Economic advisor: Collaboration, focus on workforce development key

Jim Beam

Jim Beam column:Professor back in classroom