LAPLACE — St. John the Baptist Parish Natalie H. Robottom isn’t going anywhere.

Robottom, by a 9,037 to 7,297 voting margin, defeated an election challenge from local attorney and businessman Daniel E. Becnel Jr. to serve as Parish President.

Robottom, a former speech-language pathologist and executive administrator in parish government, will start her second full-term in office next year, beginning her sixth year at the helm of St. John Parish.

With a turnout support of 55.33 percent Saturday, Robottom is free to focus on hurricane levee protection, which she said would remain a top priority.

“Hurricane Isaac exposed the parish’s vulnerability to flooding, and I was instrumental in securing a recommendation for construction of a levee after 42 years of inactivity,” she said before the election. “With the Chief’s Report completed, President Obama and our Congressional delegation have committed to constructing the West Shore Levee Protection System. Having a Parish President with intimate knowledge of the project is critical to expediting this much-needed protection.”

Robottom long pointed to her experience and proven leadership as making her the best candidate for representing the parish’s 45,000 residents.

“St. John the Baptist Parish is home for me and my family,” she said. “Ideally located between Baton Rouge and New Orleans along the I-10 corridor, it is a great place to live and work. The community is diverse and culturally rich and uniquely positioned for development within the Super Region. Working with our regional partners and utilizing a progressive approach to development, St. John is poised for managed growth while maintaining a small town feeling.”