By LEONARD GRAY

HAHNVILLE – In the recently held elections, long-term incumbent St. Charles School Board member Ronald St. Pierre was defeated by his Norco neighbor, Jay Robichaux, by 61 votes. Meanwhile, incumbent Judge Kirk Granier won re-election over the challenge of Luling attorney Randy Lewis and a runoff election is set Nov. 5 for the District Three School Board seat, between Henry LeBoyd Jr. and Cindy Brasher.

A normally low-turnout election was made even more light by the recent storms, however, voter turnout was as expected, according to Clerk of Court Charles Oubre Jr., who said most voters either forgot about the election or had not returned from wherever the hurricane had sent them.

Oubre predicted a 30 percent turnout and got just a hair under that. Election workers came on time, Oubre said, and no voting machine locations had to be moved because of Hurricane Lili.

“We were lucky all around,” Oubre said.

In St. James Parish, a host of electoral contests were held. School board, justice of the peace and constable races were joined by municipal races in Gramercy and Lutcher, including for mayor and chief of police in both towns, as well as several alderman races.

ST. CHARLES PARISH

Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Edward A. Dufresne Jr. of Luling won re-election without opposition.

In the 29th Judicial District, Division D, Granier retained his seat with 74 percent of the vote, 6,611 to 2,327, over challenger Randy O. Lewis.

Division C Judges Emile R. St. Pierre and Robert A. Chaisson, both of Destrehan, each won re-election without opposition.

District Attorney Harry J. Morel Jr. of Luling won re-election without opposition.

In the School Board, District Six race, Robichaux defeated St. Pierre by a margin of 586 to 527 votes. Robichaux, 34, a paid athletic trainer for Destrehan High School and employee of the same insurance firm operated by board member Wayne Roussell, said he will give up the DHS job when he takes office in January.

“I don’t know how I did it, but I did it,” Robichaux exclaimed. “It’s a great relief off my shoulders.”

He expects a smooth transition from the six-term incumbent and said, “We’re really good friends and I don’t think there will be a problem.” St. Pierre was out of town and unavailable for comment.

In District Three, LeBoyd had a narrow lead over Brasher, with 363 to 358 votes, each with 38 percent of the total votes cast. Contender Ray A. Davezac received 230 votes.

District One’s Alfred Green defeated Terrill D. “T-Bone” Wilson, by a margin of 749 to 525 votes. Both are from Hahnville.

District Seven’s Steve Crovetto defeated challenger Robin Triche Fields by a margin of 948 to 342 votes.

District Two’s Mary S. Bergeron of Luling, District Four’s Clarence H. “Sonny” Savioe of Paradis, District Five’s John L. Smith and District Eight’s Wayne T. Roussel were re-elected without opposition.

In the Justice of the Peace races, John J. Marino Jr. enjoyed a first-primary win over challengers James T. Barreca and Glen D. Camp for the open District Six seat in Norco. Marino received 683 votes, Barreca received 358 votes and Camp got 177 votes.

In District Two, Earl “Pie” Tastet defeated challenger Tracy Young Chiasson by a margin of 1,131 to 445 votes. Both are from Luling.

District Three’s Henry R. Miller Jr. defeated challenger Kenneth “Dr. Ken” Pace by a margin of 687 to 556 votes.

District Four’s Lloyd “L.J.” Frickey of Paradis defeated challenger Joe McWilliams of Des Allemands by a margin of 700 to 277 votes.

District One’s Aleshia J. Smith of Hahnville, District Five’s Julie P. Carmouche of St. Rose and District Seven’s Craig M. Ricca of Luling were re-elected without opposition.

In the Constable races, Stephen Black won re-election in the only challenged constable race, with 807 votes to Paul Hymel’s 449 votes.

District One Constable Rose Pierre LeGaux of Hahnville, District Two Constable Craig Petit of Luling, District Three Constable “Gil” Schmidt of Destrehan, District Four Constable P.J. Rogers Jr. of Des Allemands, District Six Constable Milton L. Cambre of Norco and District Seven Constable Gary L. Cazenave of Luling all won re-election with out opposition.

ST. JAMES PARISH

The 23rd Judicial District, Division B, race resulted in “Tom” Kliebert of Paulina and “Joe” Wiley of Gonzales headed for the Nov. 5 runoff, with Kliebert picking up 10,944 votes to Wiley’s 8,643 votes.

Kliebert led in St. James Parish with 69 percent of the votes cast, and 57 percent of the vote in Assumption Parish. The other contender, Leroy Laiche of Prairieville, picked up 18 percent of the total votes cast, with 4,341 votes.

Division E Incumbent Alvin Turner Jr. of Gonzales beat challenger Phyllis A. Southall of Gonzales by a margin of 3,671 to 1,241 votes.

Division A Judge Ralph Tureau of St. Amant, Division C Judge Guy Holdridge of Gonzales and Division D Judge Pegram J. Mire Jr. of Donaldsonville were elected without opposition.

District Attorney Anthony G. “Tony” Falterman of Napoleonville also won without opposition.

In the St. James Parish School Board races, District One incumbent Lloyd J. LeBlanc Jr. retained his seat with a margin of 648 to 581 over challenger Diana B. Cantillo. Both are from Gramercy.

District Three incumbent Carol Lambert retained her seat by a margin of 798 to 475 votes over challenger Sally LeBlanc Zimmer. Both are from Paulina.

District Five incumbent Willis A. Octave retained his seat by a margin of 621 to 435 votes over challenger Patrician “Ducy” Heary Schexnaydre. Both are from St. James.

District Six incumbent Charlies T. “Charlie” Nailor retained his seat by a margin of 596 to 431 votes. Both are from Vacherie.

District Seven’s Richard “Ricky” Reulet Jr. beat incumbent Kathleen “Kitty” Becnel by a margin of 615 to 495 votes. Both are from Vacherie.

District Two’s Kenneth “Wop” Foret of Lutcher and District Four’s George Nassar Jr. of Convent were elected without opposition.

In the St. James Parish Justice of the Peace races, in District Six, Eileen “Candy” Jasmin and Stanley C. “Lollypop” Bazile will face off in the Nov. 5 runoff election. Jasmin led with 425 votes, while Bazile had 278 votes. The other contender was Erica Harrison Johnson, who picked up 249 votes. All three are from Vacherie.

District One incumbent Elton Rodrigue Sr. held onto his position with 757 to 510 votes over challenger Garland Rome. Both are from Gramercy.

District Three’s Stephen “Lukey” Loque won with 713 votes over Janelle L. Poche with 713 to 542 votes. Both are from Paulina.

District Five challenger Anatole “Nat” Monconduit of St. James beat incumbent Lena T. Ketchens of Vacherie by a margin of 677 to 375 votes.

District Two’s Yvonne O. Cunningham of Lutcher, District Four’s Lionel Felton Sr. of Convent and District Seven’s Marie Maddy Laurent Lewis of Vacherie, each won without opposition.

In the St. James Parish Constable races, District One incumbent Ronald “Shine” Boudreaux was re-elected in the first primary, besting two challengers.

Boudreaux, with 730 votes, had more than 50 percent of the votes cast. Challengers Stephen McClung had 413 and J. Wayne “Teco” Louque had 202 votes. All three are from Gramercy.

District Two incumbent Shelby “Rock” Oubre of Lutcher won, with a margin of 713 to 542 votes over Donna Albert Wells. Both are from Lutcher.

District Three’s Timothy Bourgeois of Paulina, District Four’s Johnnie Shorty Sr. of Convent, District Five’s Exodus Mitchell Sr. of St. James, District Six’s Vanessa James and District Seven’s Brad Steib of Vacherie each won re-election.

GRAMERCY

In the Mayor’s race, Terry Borne and Eugene “Gene” Louque will face off in the Nov. 5 runoff election. The pair edged incumbent Ronald St. Pierre, Borne receiving 466 votes, Louque with 440 and St. Pierre with 355 votes.

In the Chief of Police race, David P. Dufrene beat incumbent Kenny Poche by 403 votes, Dufrene earning 856 to Poche’s 463 votes.

For Alderman-at-Large, the top two vote-getters, both of whom are now elected to the Gramercy Board of Aldermen, are “Kat” Bocz with 726 votes and Rubenstein Mitchell Clark with 616 votes.

The other contenders were Carl Dornier, who had withdrawn, Barry R. LeBlanc with 557 votes, Claude “Clyde” Wiggins with 246 and Shelly “Warren” Morris with 117 votes.

For Alderman, District Two, Gary “Body-Shop” Bourgeois and John Doucet will face off in the Nov. 5 runoff election, Bourgeois having received 228 votes and Doucet with 207 votes.

The other contenders were Dale A. Louque with 115 votes and Joe Samrow Jr. with 71 votes.

Alderman, District Three incumbent Alvin “Shark” St. Pierre was re-elected with a hefty 176-90 margin over challenger Lynn “Whistle” Detillier Jr.

Alderman, District One incumbent Betty Coleman was re-elected without opposition.

LUTCHER

In the Mayor’s race, incumbent Troas A. Poche easily put away challenger Jason P. Amato with a hefty 1,139-698 vote margin.

For Chief of Police, Kerry D. Melancon and Corey Pittman will face off in the Nov. 5 runoff election, Melancon having picked up 878 votes and Pittman with 744 votes. The other contenders were Jerome Franklin with 158 and Roy Zeringue with 85 votes.

For Alderman-at-Large, Seat One, Rowdy Kennard Scott edged incumbent Thomas D. George with 930 to 818 votes.

For Alderman, District One, Division A, incumbent Floyd A. Marshall Sr. edged challenger Morris Bowser Jr. by a margin of 461 to 345 votes.

For Alderman, District One, Division B, Kendricks “Ken” Brass won this race over Danny B. Manuel by a margin of 529 to 313 votes.

For Alderman, District Two, Division B, Rebecca “Becky” Foret beat Carl “Carl-Lee” Vicknair by a margin of 453 to 380 votes.

Alderman, District Two, Division A, Patrick St. Pierre won his seat without opposition.