Jessie Bellard easily won the race for St.Landry Parish president in Saturday’s election with 59% of the vote, according to the Louisiana Secretary of State’s website.
The official returns report Bellard with 7,351 votes to Dwain Buller’s 5,067 votes with all precincts tallied along with early and absentee votes.
Bellard has been serving as parish president after being appointed by the St. Landry Parish Council in August 2020 following the resignation of Bill Fontenot from the position.
Turnout in the parshwide president’s race was 20.6%.
In other St. Landry Parish voting:
A 6.43-mill property tax renewal passed in Fire District 3 with 74% of the 4,537 votes cast.
Gravity Drainage District 1 of the 3rd Ward passed a 9.34-mill property tax renewal.
Both taxes are for 10 years.
Other races in Saturday’s election included:
There is apparent runoff in the 2nd Congressional District. Troy Carter received 36% of the vote followed by Karen Carter Peterson with 23% of the vote. The election is fill the seat left vacant by Cedric Richmond, who took a job in the Biden administration.
In the 5th Congressional District, Julia Letlow won with 65% of the vote. Her husband, Luke, died of COVID-19 three weeks after winning election in December.