Besides the gubernatorial election, Louisiana residents will vote Saturday for five other statewide and a number of
local offices.
Voters will have the opportunity to choose a lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, commissioner
of agriculture and commissioner of insurance.
Barry Erwin, president of the Council for a Better Louisiana, said each statewide elected office has an important and
specific function that has a large effect in certain areas of the state.
“People don’t really stop and think about the importance of these individual offices because the governor kind of
overshadows everything,” Erwin said.
Erwin said many people may not understand what the people in these offices do and how important their jobs are to the
state, but voters should be informed to make an intelligent decision at the polls.
The Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana said the lieutenant governor serves as commissioner of the
Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism and is a member of each committee, board and commission on which the governor
serves.
The lieutenant governor also takes control of the state in the governor’s absence.
Candidates for lieutenant governor are Republicans J.F. “Rick” Ankesheiln, Kirt Bennett, Clyde Holloway, Karl Schorr,
Melinda Schwegmann, “Silky” Sullivan and Democrat Mitch Landrieu.
The secretary of state is the state’s chief election officer who is responsible for preparing and certifying the
ballots for all elections, disseminating all election returns and administering the election laws.
The secretary of state also administers the state corporation and trademark laws.
Candidates for secretary of state are Democrat Albert Donovan, Independent Scott Lewis and Republican W. Fox
McKeithen.
The attorney general serves as the state’s chief legal officer and heads the state’s Department of Justice.
The attorney general also advises state agencies and renders written advisory opinions on questions of law to public
officials.
Candidates for attorney general are Democrat Charles Foti and Republican Suzanne Terrell.
The commissioner of agriculture is responsible for the state’s efforts to promote, protect and advance agriculture.
Candidates for commissioner of agriculture are Democrat Bob Odom and Republican Don Johnson.
The commissioner of insurance regulates insurance companies and agents and all other phases of the insurance
process.
Candidates for commissioner of insurance are Democrats Edward Fletcher, James Wooley and William “Coach” Johnson;
Republicans John “T-T” Fontenot and Dan Kyle; and Independent Jim Bell.
Current State Treasurer John Kennedy, a Democrat from Madisonville, is running unopposed and has automatically won a
second term.
At the local level, voters also will choose candidates Saturday for a variety of offices including sheriffs,
assessors, coroners, clerks of court, senators, state representatives and police jurors to represent their parishes or
districts.