Vernon Parish School District elections (2014)
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November 4, 2014 |
December 6, 2014 |
Method of election Elections What was at stake? Key deadlines Additional elections External links |
Vernon Parish School District Vernon Parish, Louisiana ballot measures Local ballot measures, Louisiana |
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Twelve seats on the Vernon Parish School Board were up for election on November 4, 2014. District 1 had five representatives on the school board, while the remaining seven districts had one representative each. Incumbents for all districts were up for re-election. The qualifying period for candidates
ran
from August 20, 2014, to August 22, 2014. Candidates who were unopposed at the end of the filing period were considered elected as of that date.
Louisiana elections use the Louisiana majority-vote system. All candidates compete in the same primary, and a candidate can win the election outright by receiving more than 50% of the vote. If no candidate does, the top two vote recipients from the primary advance to the general election, regardless of their partisan affiliation.
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
The partisan make up of the board prior to the election was five Democrats, four Republicans and three independents. The new board formed by the 2014 primary election gave the Republicans one more seat while the Democrats lost one and the independents remained the same. However, three board members changed their party affiliations for the 2014 election. William "Randy" Martin, the District 4 incumbent, was first elected as a Democrat, but was re-elected as an independent in 2010. He returned to the Democratic Party for the 2014 election, where he was elected without opposition.
District 7 incumbent John Blankenbaker was re-elected without opposition to his third term as a Republican. He won his first and second terms as a Democrat. While District 7 did not see a race for its representative on the school board, a bond issue specifically addressing that district was approved by voters.
The third incumbent to switch party affiliations, Steve Woods in District 1, was elected as a Republican in 2006 and 2010. He ran as an independent in the 2014 election. All five incumbents for District 1 sought re-election. Three newcomers, John J. Driscoll (I), Jim Seaman (I) and Sam Fulton (D), challenged incumbents Randi Schamerhorn Gleason (R), Mel Harris (D), Robert Pynes Jr. (D), Doug Brandon (R) and Woods.[1] All of the District 1 incumbents except Harris won re-election. Challenger Seaman also won a District 1 seat.
District 3 incumbent Richard Schwartz (R) did not file to run for re-election. Newcomers David J. Detz (R) and T.D. Holcomb (D) ran for the open seat, which Detz won.
Jesse Lentz (D) and James "PeeWee" McKee Jr. (D) were defeated by incumbent Michael "Mike" Perkins (D) for the District 5 seat. Incumbent Vernon Travis Jr. (D) defeated Robert B. Blow (D) in the District 6 race. District 8 incumbent Gerald Cooley (R) also retained his seat after defeating challenger Jeremy Goodwin (D).[1]
Newcomer Angie Wise-Davis (D) was elected without opposition to the District 2 seat. Incumbent Jerry L. Jeane (R) did not file to run for re-election.[1]
About the district
- See also: Vernon Parish School District, Louisiana
Vernon Parish School District lies in west central Louisiana in Vernon Parish. The seat of parish government is Leesville. Vernon Parish was home to approximately 52,606 residents according to 2013 estimates by the United States Census Bureau. In the 2011-2012 school year, Vernon Parish was the 18th-largest school district in Louisiana and served 10,139 students.[2]
Demographics
Vernon Parish underperformed compared to the rest of Louisiana in terms of higher education achievement in 2012. The United States Census Bureau found that 17.8 percent of Vernon Parish residents aged 25 years and older had attained a bachelor's degree compared to 21.4 percent for Louisiana as a whole. The median household income for the parish was $46,260 compared to $44,673 statewide. The poverty rate in the parish was 12.6 percent compared to 18.7 percent for the entire state.[2]
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Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Voter and candidate information
The Vernon Parish School Board consists of 12 partisan members who serve four-year terms and the Garrison Commander of the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk whose position is ex-officio.[4]. The 12 regular members are elected concurrently by district. This means that regular school board elections are held every four years with all 12 members being up for re-election at that time. Additionally, all members are elected by an area or district which they represent. District 1 has five representatives, while the remaining seven districts have one representative each. Starting with terms that began on or after January 1, 2015, any member who, at the end of his or her term, has served more than two and one-half terms in the last three consecutive terms cannot be re-elected in the following term. However, they can be re-elected following the one term break.[5]
The primary election was held on November 4, 2014. School board candidates in Louisiana are elected by majority vote.[5]
School board candidates were required to file a Notice of Candidacy or Qualifying Form during the qualifying period which ran from August 20, 2014, to August 22, 2014. At the same time, they were required to either pay a qualifying fee of $115.00 or submit a nominating petition with 100 valid signatures.[6]
To vote in the primary election, voters were required to register by October 6, 2014. Early voting ran between October 21, 2014, and October 28, 2014.[7]
Elections
2014
Candidates
District 1
Note: District 1 has five seats.
- Incumbent, first elected in 2008
- Sales director for Mary Kay
- B.A. in journalism from Northwestern State University
- Incumbent, first elected in 2002
- Incumbent, first elected in 2002
- Incumbent, first elected in 2006
- Veterinarian
- United States Army veteran
- Bachelor's from Louisiana State University
- Ph.D. from Auburn University, College of Veterinary Medicine
- Incumbent, first elected in 2006
- Originally elected as a Republican
- Senior vice president of The Vernon Bank
- B.B.A. from Southern Methodist University
- Owner of Head South Music
- Assistant administrator for business development at Byrd Regional Hospital
District 2
Note: District 2 has one seat.
District 3
Note: District 3 has one seat.
- Deployed to Baghdad, Iraq, with the 519th Military Police Battalion in 2005
- Computer operator lead at Oak Grove Technologies
District 4
Note: District 4 has one seat.
- Incumbent, first elected in 2002
- Originally elected as a Democrat, then as an independent in 2010
District 5
Note: District 5 has one seat.
- Incumbent, first elected in 2006
Jesse Lentz
James "PeeWee" McKee Jr.
District 6
Note: District 6 has one seat.
- Incumbent, first elected in 2006
- B.A. in sociology, Northeast Louisiana University
- JRTC Site Manager for A-T Solutions
- Retired fireman
- Leesville High School graduate
- Bachelor's in sociology, Northwestern State University
- Former substitute teacher, Emma Hutchins Elementary, Atlanta, Georgia
District 7
Note: District 7 has one seat.
- Incumbent, first elected in 2006
- Originally elected and re-elected in 2010 as a Democrat
District 8
Note: District 8 has one seat.
- Incumbent, first elected 2010
Election results
District 1
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |  Randi Schamerhorn Gleason Incumbent |
15.9% | 1,844 | |
| Independent | Steve Woods Incumbent |
15.8% | 1,833 | |
| Republican | Doug Brandon Incumbent |
14.6% | 1,694 | |
| Democratic | Robert Pynes Jr. Incumbent |
12.5% | 1,453 | |
| Independent | Jim Seaman |
11.9% | 1,376 | |
| Independent | John J. Driscoll | 10.7% | 1,247 | |
| Democratic | Sam Fulton | 10.4% | 1,205 | |
| Democratic | Mel Harris Incumbent | 8.2% | 956 | |
| Total Votes | 11,608 | |||
| Source: Louisiana Secretary of State, "Official Results," accessed December 5, 2014 | ||||
District 2
Newcomer Angie Wise-Davis (D) won the District 2 seat unopposed.
District 3
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | David J. Detz |
68.4% | 895 | |
| Democratic | T.D. Holcomb | 31.6% | 414 | |
| Total Votes | 1,309 | |||
| Source: Louisiana Secretary of State, "Official Results," accessed December 5, 2014 | ||||
District 4
Incumbent William "Randy" Martin (D) retained the District 4 seat unopposed.
District 5
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | Michael "Mike" Perkins Incumbent |
66.8% | 753 | |
| Democratic | Jesse Lentz | 26.6% | 300 | |
| Democratic | James "PeeWee" McKee Jr. | 6.6% | 74 | |
| Total Votes | 1,127 | |||
| Source: Louisiana Secretary of State, "Official Results," accessed December 5, 2014 | ||||
District 6
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Vernon Travis Jr. Incumbent |
65.8% | 582 | |
| Democratic | Robert B. Blow | 34.2% | 302 | |
| Total Votes | 884 | |||
| Source: Louisiana Secretary of State, "Official Results," accessed December 5, 2014 | ||||
District 7
Incumbent John Blankenbaker (R) retained the District 7 seat unopposed.
District 8
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Gerald Cooley Incumbent |
56.8% | 789 | |
| Democratic | Jeremy Goodwin | 43.2% | 600 | |
| Total Votes | 1,389 | |||
| Source: Louisiana Secretary of State, "Official Results," accessed December 5, 2014 | ||||
Endorsements
None of the candidates received any official endorsements.
Campaign finance
As of October 29, 2014, only one candidate in any of the Vernon Parish School District races had reported any contributions or expenditures to the Louisiana Ethics Administration Program. Vernon Travis Jr. in District 6 reported $489.00 in expenditures, but no contributions.[8]
Past elections
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2012A special election was held for the District 3 seat on November 6, 2012. Beryl Ford (D), the incumbent, had resigned in February 2012 due to a conflict of interest. Richard Schwartz (R) had been appointed to fill the seat until the special election could be held. Schwartz ran unopposed to fulfill the remainder of Ford's term.[1][9] 2010District 1
District 2
District 3Incumbent Beryl Ford (D) was re-elected without opposition.[10] District 4Incumbent William "Randy" Martin (I) was re-elected without opposition.[10] District 5Incumbent Michael "Mike" Perkins (I) was re-elected without opposition.[10] District 6
District 7
District 8
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What was at stake?
Prior to the election, the partisan make of the board was five Democrats, four Republicans and three independents. With incumbents switching party affiliations and open seats, the partisan composition of the board was likely to change with this election. Three seats were guaranteed for the Democrats and one for the Republicans.
Three board members changed their party affiliations for the 2014 election. William "Randy" Martin, the District 4 incumbent, was first elected as a Democrat, but was re-elected as an independent in 2010. He returned to the Democratic Party for the 2014 election, where he was elected without opposition. District 7 incumbent John Blankenbaker was re-elected without opposition to his third term as a Republican. He won his first and second terms as a Democrat. The third incumbent to switch party affiliations, Steve Woods in District 1, was elected as a Republican in 2006 and 2010. He ran as an independent in the 2014 election.
Beyond the board's partisan make up, this years elections will be the first affected by the term limits approved by voters in 2012. While District 7 did not see a race for its representative on the school board, a bond issue specifically addressing that district was on the ballot.
Issues
Issues in the election
District 7 bond
- See also: Additional elections on the ballot
The school board asked District 7 voters to approve a 10-year bond issue of $1.2 million to pay for sidewalks, playgrounds and other improvements. These funds would be used by Rosepine Elementary and its high school efforts. This could include new buildings, renovations, a new high school track and land acquisition.[11]
The full text of the ballot question can be read here.
Issues in the district
Term limits
Terms won in this election were the first to be affected by the imposition of term limits on school board members in the parish. On November 6, 2012, Vernon Parish voters elected by a more than three-quarters majority to instate term limits.
The question appeared on the ballot as follows:
| “ | LOCAL OPTION ELECTION
Within Vernon Parish School District: Shall the number of terms of office that any member of the school board may serve be limited to three consecutive four-year terms?[12] |
” |
| —Louisiana Secretary of State's website (2014)[13] | ||
Election results
| Parishwide School District Proposition (2012) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| 11126 | 78.25% | |||
| No | 3092 | 21.75% | ||
Starting with terms that began on or after January 1, 2014, any member who, at the end of his or her term, has served more than two and one-half terms in the last three consecutive terms cannot be re-elected in the following term. However, they can be re-elected following the one term break. The limit does not apply retroactively to incumbents, thus allowing them to potentially serve up to 12 more years.[14][5][15]
New elementary school
On May 6, 2014, the school board voted unanimously to begin the bidding process for the construction of a new school. The school will replace South Polk Elementary. The projected cost of the project was $21 million dollars. The costs will be covered with $18 million from the U.S. Department of Defense, $2 million from the district's general fund and $1 million from the state.[11]
Key deadlines
The following dates were key deadlines for the Vernon Parish Schools election in 2014.[6][7][16]
| Deadline | Event |
|---|---|
| August 20-22, 2014 | Qualifying period for candidates |
| October 5, 2014 | 30th day prior to election campaign finance report due |
| October 6, 2014 | Last day to register to vote in the primary election |
| October 21, 2014 | Early voting begins |
| October 25, 2014 | 10th day prior to election campaign finance report due |
| October 28, 2014 | Early voting ends |
| November 4, 2014 | Election Day |
| December 14, 2014 | 40th day after the election campaign finance report due |
Additional elections on the ballot
- See also: Louisiana elections, 2014
This election shared the ballot with primary elections for the United States Senate, the United States House of Representatives, two down ballot state executive positions, 14 statewide ballot measures and judicial elections.
Also, in District 7 of the school district, the following bond question appeared as follows and was approved by voters:
| “ | Shall Ward Seven Wardwide School District of Vernon Parish, Louisiana (the "District"), incur debt and issue bonds to the amount of not exceeding $1,200,000, to run not exceeding 10 years from date thereof, with interest at a rate or rates not exceeding 6% per annum, for the purpose of acquiring and/or improving lands for building sites and playgrounds, including construction of necessary sidewalks and streets adjacent thereto; purchasing, erecting and/or improving school buildings and other school related facilities within and for the District and acquiring the necessary equipment and furnishings therefor, title to which shall be in the public; which bonds will be general obligations of the District and will be payable from ad valorem taxes to be levied and collected in the manner provided by Article VI, Section 33 of the Constitution of the State of Louisiana of 1974 and statutory authority supplemental thereto, with no estimated increase in the millage rate to be levied in the first year of issue above the 26.34 mills currently being levied to pay General Obligation Bonds of the District?[12] | ” |
| —Louisiana Secretary of State's office (2014)[17] | ||
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Vernon + Parish + School + District + Louisiana"
See also
- Louisiana
- Vernon Parish School District, Louisiana
- Louisiana school board elections, 2014
- List of school board elections in 2014
- School board elections, 2014
- Vernon Parish, Louisiana ballot measures
- Local ballot measures, Louisiana
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Louisiana Secretary of State, "Candidate Inquiry," accessed September 3, 2014
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 United States Census Bureau, "Vernon Parish, Louisiana, Quick Facts," accessed September 3, 2014
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, "Official Results," accessed September 2, 2014
- ↑ Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk, "A Parent’s Guide to Quality Schools," accessed December 3, 2014
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Louisiana Secretary of State, "QUALIFICATIONS OF CANDIDATES," accessed September 2, 2014
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Louisiana Secretary of State, "FEES/NOMINATING PETITIONS TO QUALIFY FOR OFFICE," accessed September 2, 2014
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Louisiana Secretary of State, "2014 Elections," accessed September 2, 2014
- ↑ Louisiana Ethics Administration Program, "Louisiana Campaign Finance Reports," accessed October 29, 2014
- ↑ Leesville Daily Leader, "Schwartz appointed to replace Ford on Vernon Parish School Board," February 7, 2012
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Thetowntalk.com, "Election 2010: Parish Elections Oct. 2 ballot (excludes Rapides)," July 11, 2010
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 American Press, "Vernon School Board to open bidding process for new school," May 7, 2014
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, "Official Election Results," accessed September 11, 2014
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, "HOW ARE CANDIDATES ELECTED?" accessed September 2, 2014
- ↑ American Press, "School board members now have term limits," November 7, 2012
- ↑ Louisiana Ethics Commission, "SCHEDULE OF REPORTING AND FILING DATES PROPOSITION ELECTION: NOVEMBER 4, 2014," accessed August 15, 2014
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, "REVIEW TYPES OF ELECTIONS," accessed September 11, 2014
