By David Vitrano

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – Both St. James and St. Charles parishes have only one parish election on the ballot Saturday.

In St. James Parish, Council member Jimmy Brazan will face challenger Donald Nash in a Saturday runoff. The primary was extremely close, with Nash edging out the incumbent by a total of seven votes.

District 7, which Brazan currently represents, covers the South Vacherie area of St. James Parish. Drainage issues continue to be a major priority for voters there, and their opinion on whether Brazan has done a good job tackling that issue will likely be a major influence on who they cast their votes for.

Brazan has been a member of the council for 16 years and said besides drainage improvements, other victories of his tenure have included the reopening of the West Bank Health Unit and securing a traffic light on Louisiana Highway 20. He said he is also looking to make a west bank expressway a reality.

While the election in St. James Parish affects only those residents in District 7, the Clerk of Court runoff in St. Charles will be put to voters parishwide. The election pits incumbent Charles Oubre against challenger Lance Marino.

The battle seems a clash between old and new, as Oubre, who has held the position since Jan. 1, 1979, said, “I think we’re doing fine, and I have a good system.”

Marino, on the other hand, said he wishes to make “some basic, affordable changes” that will help the everyday citizen utilize the office more easily.

In the primary Marino edged out Oubre by only 56 votes.