Fruge is elected constable in Ward 3; Cortez wins Basile alderman race

The voters of Ward 3 elected Michael “Gorilla” Fruge as their next constable in an open election over Joseph “Joe” Brady.
Fruge received 64% of the vote (1,622 votes) to Brady’s 36% (905 votes). He also carried all of the 19 precincts and received 65% of the early votes.
Over in Basile, Carmen Cortez, who was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Councilman Bron Dubroc, won election over Herbert “Ripp” Rippeon. The Republican received 198 votes (56%) against the Democrat’s 154 votes (44%).
In other ballot items, five constitutional amendments were ratified by state voters. Amendment 1 declaring no right to and no funding of abortion in the Louisiana Constitution received 62% of the votes (1,274,112 votes) in the state and 79% (11,250 votes) here in Evangeline Parish. Amendment 7 creating the Louisiana Unclaimed Property Permanent Trust Fund received 64% of the vote (1,267,362 votes) in the state and 57% of the vote (7,601 votes) here in the parish.
The two amendments not receiving final passage were Amendment 4 limiting expenditure limit for state general fund and Amendment 5 authorizing cooperative endeavor tax exemptions. Both amendments failed in Evangeline Parish.
Comparatively, Amendments 2 through 5 were defeated in the parish. Amendment 2 amending the determination of fair market value of oil or gas well was narrowly defeated by a margin of 123 votes.
Residents here in the Parish of Evangeline will now be able to legally place wages on sports activities after the resolution authorizing such activity received 8,197 votes in favor for 62%.