Elections

The Elections Department qualifies candidates for office in any local election while the Secretary of State in Baton Rouge qualifies candidates on a state level.

The department is responsible for conducting all Commissioner Training Schools for Commissioners and Commissioners-in-Charge, sending all notices to the election Commissioners, Commissioners-in-Charge, voting machine key custodian, and building custodians where the precincts are located.  These notices inform everybody associated with an election of the election date, hours, voting machine delivery and pickup, and other vital information concerning the election.  The department also deals with any problems that may arise on election day.  When the polls close and during the next few days after an election, the department is busy tabulating totals, checking voting machines counters against the election night print-outs and preparing payroll for the election.

The Parish Board of Election Supervisors, of which the Clerk of Court chairs, meets before, during, and after an election.  Before an election, the Board selects, at random, qualified Commissioners to staff each precinct.  During an election, the Board convenes to count absentee ballots, and after an election, the Board meets once again to officially certify the election results before they are sent to the Secretary of State's Office.  The Board also meets once each year to select Commissioners-in-Charge for each precinct in the parish.  The Commissioners-in-Charge serve for the entire year.