Voters renew two Avoyelles School District taxes

Two Avoyelles Parish School District tax renewals received overwhelming support from voters in Saturday's elections.

The 1/4-cent sales tax and 10-mill property tax are both dedicated to paying for school district employees' salaries and benefits. The sales tax renewal passed with 66 percent of the votes. The property tax received 64 percent support.

The parishwide voter turnout for the tax renewals was just over 20 percent.

In the special election for Simmesport alderman at large, Romaro Turner defeated Claire Dupont with 73 percent of the vote, 192-70. Approximately 27.1 percent of Simmesport voters cast ballots in the election.

Jeffery Carmouche narrowly defeated incumbent Floyd Voinche for Marksville/Ward 2 marshal with 52 percent of the votes, 711-657. Approximately 21.9 percent of Marksville voters cast ballots in the election.

Stephen Gremillion defeated Leroy Daniels for Bunkie/Ward 10 marshal with 68 percent of the votes, 556-256. There was a voter turnout of approximately 28.2 percent in Bunkie.

Donald Jenkins defeated Jennifer C. Lofton for Cottonport police chief with 54 percent of the votes, 271-229. Cottonport had the highest voter turnout with 39.4 percent.

With only four precincts out in the sprawling 5th Congressional District, Luke Letlow had received 62 percent of the votes in his race against Lance Harris. The race between the two Republicans was closer in Avoyelles, where 43 percent of the 19 percent of voters who cast ballots in that election supported Harris, who is from neighboring Rapides Parish.

A proposed constitutional amendment that would have allowed out-of-state residents to serve on state higher education supervisory boards was defeated. With less than 200 of the state's 3,934 precincts still to report, 77 percent of voters said "No." Avoyelles voters were more in step with the rest of the state in this election, with 75 percent opposed to the proposition.