Viewpoint: New and old faces lining up for fall elections

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Though qualifying does not take place until early August, candidates for legislative and judicial races are already making their interests known. Perhaps the most exciting race will be in the newly created Louisiana House District 23 — which includes portions of Mid-City and Bayou St. John along with the Hollygrove, Dixon. Gert Town, Esplanade, Tulane-Gravier and the Cemeteries neighborhoods. The voters in the new district are 67% Democratic, 6% Republican and 27% Independent.

Danae Columbus

Viewpoint: Gov. Edwards introduces candidate Shawn Wilson to New Orleans heavy hitters

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Local Democratic elected leaders, small business owners and deep-pocketed donors eagerly lined up Monday night (March 27) to meet Shawn Wilson, who they hope will be the next governor of Louisiana. Wilson resigned earlier this month after seven years as Louisiana Secretary of Transportation and Development under Gov. John Bel Edwards to run for governor. He also worked as legislative director for former Gov. Kathleen Blanco. A native of Algiers, Wilson graduated from the University of Louisiana in Lafayette with a degree in urban and regional planning and completed a doctorate in public policy and urban affairs at Southern University. 

More than 100 movers and shakers crowded into the venue Calcasieu for the chance to chat privately with Edwards and Wilson, who calls himself a “bridge-builder.” As DOTD chief, Wilson was responsible for the successful execution of $5.5 billion of transportation and infrastructure projects in almost every city and town in Louisiana. He’s relying on those relationships to create a winning statewide network of Democrats as well as some Independents and moderate Republicans.

Viewpoint: The four teens must bear responsibility for their actions in deadly carjacking

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The family of Linda Frickey visited her grave this week, a year after the 73-year-old was brutally killed in a Mid-City carjacking. “We want justice for our family member, but it’s not just for Linda. We want this for all elderly people. For all the victims of  juvenile crime,” said Kathy Richard, Frickey’s sister-in-law. 

Three of the Frickey Four — the teenagers who laughed in Frickey’s face as she bled to death on the North Pierce Street on March 21, 2022 — are expected to go to trial in April. Lenyra Theophile, one of the four defendants in the case, was found to be incompetent and too depressed to stand trial.

Viewpoint: Cleaning up Louisiana’s voter rolls is long past due

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Many supporters of the campaign to recall Mayor LaToya Cantrell may have been surprised Tuesday (March 14) when the mayor and Lower 9th Ward activist Rev. Willie Calhoun filed a challenge to the negotiated settlement on the recall case. Because of the settlement, 25,000 New Orleans voters were temporarily moved to the inactive voter list, which eliminated them for the overall number of authenticated signatures needed to trigger a recall election. After all, the Registrar of Voters has until March 22 to review all the signatures. If the recall’s goal is not met, the recall campaign is automatically over.  

Attorneys for Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin and NoLaToya.org had arbitrarily agreed to the 25,000 number when, in fact, the data consultant for the recall determined the number of voters who had moved away, died or are inactive is considerably higher. A quick look at voter turnout in recent elections illustrates that many New Orleanians do not prioritize voting.

Viewpoint: Judicial and legislative elections really do matter

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How many readers can name the candidates who are running for the two judgeships and the state House race on the March 25 ballot? Probably very few. Wedged between Mardi Gras and the St. Joseph and St. Patrick festivities, these races have gotten lost in spring fever.

elections

Viewpoint: The challenge to voting rolls shows how lazy New Orleanians are

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Voting is a privilege that Americans often take for granted. Millions of people in countries around the world are willing to risk their lives for freedom, democracy and fair elections. Yet thousands of New Orleanians are labeled on the rolls as “inactive voters” because they haven’t gone to the polls often enough. 

Sure, some inactive voters have moved out of parish or out of state. Individuals who have passed away are purged. Yet there are still plenty of New Orleanians who end up on the inactive list because they are just too lazy to get off the couch on Election Day or cast their ballots in advance.

opinion

Viewpoint: Registrar of Voters Sandra Wilson is in the recall hot seat

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Now that NoLaToya.org submitted 10 boxes of mayoral recall petitions to Registrar of Voters Sandra Wilson, the pressure on Wilson is mounting. She is responsible for the review and authentication of approximately 50,000 signatures, delivered Wednesday (Feb. 22), within 20 working days. Even if Wilson and her staff labor seven days a week, they would have to review of almost 1,800 signatures each and every day to reach their goal. As the result of a lawsuit filed by NoLaToya.org, Wilson will also have to defend the accuracy of the voting rolls she oversees in Civil District Court on Monday (Feb.

opinion

Viewpoint: One thing is certain about Saturday’s District 93 election: low turnout

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The election on Saturday (Feb. 18) to replace former state Rep. Royce Duplessis in House District 93 is a popularity contest, pure and simple. The ultimate winner will be the candidate who does the best job of getting his or her friends, family and admirers to the polls on Endymion Saturday. Duplessis was sworn into the state Senate last week during a well-attended ceremony at Xavier University. Fast, furious and barely funded, the race includes six competitors who reflect the district’s geographic and ethnic diversity.

opinion

Viewpoint: Could Tyre Nichols’ killing have happened in New Orleans?

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My heart went out to RowVaugh Wells as she watched the evidence unfold last week against the seven rogue Memphis police officers and three first-responders who are alleged to be responsible for the untimely death of her son Tyre Nichols. A 29-year-old Black man, Nichols died on Jan. 10, three days after a fatal encounter with the MPD’s Scorpion police unit. Nichols made the mistake of trying to run away from the officers during a traffic stop. Running from the police is never a wise move and usually leads to an ugly chase.