ST. HELENA PARISH, La. (BRPROUD) — In the Nov. 18 election, St. Helena Parish residents can vote on their clerk of court, two police jury seats and several community and parish tax propositions.

Across Louisiana, voters will cast ballots for the attorney general, secretary of state and treasurer and decide on four proposed constitutional amendments.

The general election will be Nov. 18. Early voting will be 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Nov. 5-11, excluding Sunday, Nov. 5 and when Veterans Day is observed Friday, Nov. 10.

Races decided Oct. 14

The following candidates won their respective races on Oct. 14 from complete but unofficial results from the Louisiana Secretary of State’s website:

  • Sheriff: “Clay” Chutz, Democrat
  • Assessor: Wesley Blades, Democrat
  • Police Juror District 1: Jule Charles Wascom, Democrat
  • Police Juror District 4: Warren Mccray, Democrat
  • Police Juror District 5: Ryan Byrd Democrat

Races decided at qualifying

Qualifying for state and local races was Aug. 8-10. If a race had only one candidate at the end of qualifying, that person will take office at the start of the next term.

The following seats were filled in unopposed races:

  • Coroner: Jimmie Varnado, Republican
  • Police Juror, District 6: “Doug” Watson, Republican

Meet the candidates for St. Helena Parish

Clerk of Court

  • Toni Holland, Independent
  • Jeremy M. Williams, Democrat

Police Juror District 2

  • Byron “Chad” Hurst, Democrat
  • Quanika Muse, Democrat

Police Juror District 3

  • Paxton Gordon, Democrat
  • Willie J. Morgan, Democrat

Propositions

Fifth Ward Fire Protection District No. 1 Proposition (Millage Continuation)

Can Fifth Ward Fire Protection District No. 1 collect a 15.33-mill property tax from 2025 to 2034? About $99,800 is expected to be collected annually. Funds will be used for “acquiring, constructing, improving, maintaining and/or operating fire protection facilities, vehicles and/or equipment, including both movable and immoveable property, to be used, directly or indirectly, by the District to provide fire protection service.” This is a .33-mill increase over the last time the tax was passed, due to property reappraisals.

Fire Protection District Number Three Proposition (Tax Continuation)

Can Fire Protection District No. 3 collect a 5.53-mill property tax from 2025 to 2034? About $92,700 is expected to be collected annually. Funds will be used “acquiring, constructing, improving, maintaining and operating fire protection facilities and equipment for the District, and paying the cost of obtaining water for fire protection.” This is a .53-mill increase over the last time the tax was passed, due to property reappraisals.

Parishwide Proposition (Tax Renewal)

Can the Parish of St. Helena collect a 5-mill property tax from 2025 to 2034? About $277,300 is expected to be collected annually. Funds will be used for “improving, maintaining, repairing or resurfacing public roads.”

Parishwide School Board Proposition (Sales Tax)

Can the St. Helena Parish School Board collect a 1% sales and use tax in perpetuity, commencing Jan. 1, 2024. About $900,000 is expected to be collected annually. Funds will be used for “paying salaries and benefits of employees of the School Board and acquiring, constructing, improving and maintaining public schools and school related facilities in the Parish, including furnishings and equipment.”

Parishwide School District Proposition (Millage)

Can the St. Helena Parish School Board collect a 16.02-mill property tax from 2024 to 2033? About $888,400 is expected to be collected annually. Funds will be used to give “additional support for the current operations of the public elementary and secondary schools in the District, including paying salaries and benefits of employees of the School Board.”

South Second Ward Fire Protection District Proposition (Millage Continuation)

Can the South Second Ward Fire Protection District collect a 10.16-mill property tax from 2025 to 2034? About $33,200 is expected to be collected annually. Funds will be used for “acquiring, constructing, improving, maintaining and/or operating fire protection facilities, vehicles and/or equipment, including both movable and immovable property, to be used, directly or indirectly, by the District to provide fire protection service. This is a .16-mill increase over the last time the tax was passed, due to property reappraisals.

Sub-Road District Number Two of Road District Number Two Proposition (Millage Renewal)

Can Sub-Road District No. 2 collect a 10-mill property tax from 2025 to 2034? About $60,000 is expected to be collected annually. Funds will be used for “building, rebuilding, resurfacing, maintaining and keeping in repair the public roads, highways and bridges.”