(The Center Square) — Bossier and Caddo Parish residents hit the polls this weekend as decisions are made for ongoing debates throughout the area concerning council term limits, council member elections, constitutional amendments, and millages.
Four constitutional amendments will be decided on Saturday, as well as local issues. The Shreveport-based People’s Promise urged voters to vote no in a recent Shreveport City Council meeting on the upcoming Amendment No. 2.
Cassie Rogers and David Crockett, members of the Bossier Term Limits Coalition, have spent many council meetings addressing the upcoming term limits measure on the ballot this weekend. Jon Glover, a longtime resident of Shreveport, questioned the Caddo Parish School Board on three millage renewals on the ballot also.
The Caddo Parish ballot and Bossier Parish ballot show the four constitutional amendments that legislature is seeking revisions for Amendment 1, Amendment 2, Amendment 3 and Amendment 4.
Voters in Caddo will also see Propositions 1, 2 and 3 detailing three millage renewals for the Caddo Parish School Board. Caddo residents are not voting on new millages, but to renew existing millages already in place.
Jerry Bowman, Jr. and Mariam Tamica Harley are running for the District 7 seat on the Caddo Parish School Board as Democratic candidates. The chief of Police for the village of Mooringsport is also holding an election with Shawn Fertenbaugh and John C. McCaherty running as Republicans.
The Bossier Parish ballot looks the same when it concerns constitutional amendments but it also has council elections for Bossier City Council that could significantly change the city’s leadership depending on how the election goes and term limits.
Craton Cochran, Lee A. “Gunny” Jeter, and Chris Smith are running for Councilman at Large for Bossier City. Jeff Darby and Debra Ross are running for the District 2 seat on the Bossier City Council. The District 3 seat is up for vote with Donzell Hughes and Cliff Smith on the ballot. Ruth Pope-Johnston and Vince Maggio are running for the District 5 seat on the council.
Unopposed on the Bossier ballot are Tommy Chandler (Mayor of Bossier City), Shavonda Gay (Alderman District 1), Brian Hammons (District 1 council member for Bossier City Council), and Joel Girouard (District 4 council member for Bossier City Council).
Prop No. 1 proposes a distinction between the at-large council seats as A and B, and candidates must specify which they are running for. Prop No. 2 and No. 3 concern term limits.
No. 2 proposes council members can run for reelection unless they’ve served two and a half terms in three consecutive years since Jan. 1, 2025. No. 3 addresses mayoral term limits proposing the mayor is elected and serves a four-year term starting July 1 of the election year, however, a person cannot be elected mayor if they’ve already served two and a half or more consecutive terms.
The first term would have to have started on or after Jan. 1, 2025
Apart from the term limit propositions, residents will vote on a millage renewal for the town of Benton for road maintenance.
There is also a Fire Protection Proposition for District No. 5 in the Northeast Louisiana Parish proposing a millage of 27.5 mills, used for the overall upkeep, acquiring, and construction of fire protection and emergency medical service facilities. This also includes vehicles and equipment.
