Be informed about state and local elections
Dylan Meche/The Lion's Roar
Campaign signs for local and state elections can be seen in yards and along roads across Hammond. Early voting for this year’s election began n Oct. 16.
On Nov. 3, the U.S. General Election will commence. Though the presidential election is the most widely-known election occurring, there are several local elections in Louisiana that will also take place.
Incumbent Republican Senator Bill Cassidy is running for re-election. Louisiana elects its senators through a jungle primary, meaning several candidates of the same party will be on the ballot. If no candidate gains 50% of the vote on election day, a runoff election will be held in December.
Seven amendments to the Louisiana Constitution are on the ballot for ratification. The majority of the amendments deal with the state’s budget and other issues related to taxation. Proposed Amendment No. 1, referred to as the Love Life Amendment by supporters, has gained the most attention. According to the Secretary of State’s website, the amendment states that the state’s constitution cannot require abortion funding or protect the right to abortion. If ratified, Louisiana will become the seventh state to adopt such an amendment.
Proposed Amendment No. 3 would allow for the creation of the Budget Stabilization Fund, also called the Rainy Day Fund, in the event of a federally declared disaster. This would allow state lawmakers to redirect money towards disaster response more quickly.
In addition, several parish and citywide elections will commence.
Elections for all six seats of Louisiana’s delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives will also occur. Hammond is a part of Louisiana’s 1st Congressional District.
Incumbent Republican Representative for Louisiana’s 1st Congressional District and current Minority Whip for the U.S. House of Representatives, Steve Scalise, will be running for re-election against Democratic challenger, Lee Ann Dugas.
Several local races will also be held in the Hammond area.
Grace Bennett Gasaway, Incumbent Democratic Hammond City Court Judge, is seeking re-election against Republican challenger John Watts, a local attorney and university alumnus.
Current 7th Ward Marshal Pat Farris is running for re-election against two challengers. One is perennial Republican candidate Arden Wells. The second challenger is Charles “Bert” Deliberto, a recently retired Hammond Police Officer.
To access ballots and view other information about the upcoming election, visit the Secretary of State’s Website at https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/.
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Dylan Meche is a Political Science major from Baton Rouge and serves as Opinions Editor. He has been a reporter for The Lion's Roar since August of 2019....