Johnson and Doucet in runoff for marshal

And then there were two. The race for city marshal dwindled down to two candidates as Horace Johnson and Lisa T. Doucet advanced to the runoff election after claiming the top two vote totals in Saturday’s primary election.
Johnson led all five candidates with 1,046 votes which was 38 percent of the vote.
“I am both honored and humbled that (the voters of Ward 1) have placed their confidence and support in me to bring our area to a higher height. I feel blessed to continue to move forward in the runoff, and I assure all that I will always reflect the utmost compassion and integrity as you have trusted me to champion for the betterment of our community.”
Doucet jockeyed with Brian Keith Thomas to see which candidate would join Johnson in the runoff. After the dust settled, Doucet edged Fontenot by 35 votes. Doucet had 781 votes (28 percent) to Fontenot’s 746 (27 percent).
“I just want to thank everybody,” Doucet said, “and to God be the glory for it all. The next journey begins tonight (Saturday), and I’m ready for it. I just thank everybody for being on my team and in my corner.”
Doucet was appointed last fall to finish the term of her husband Ronald Doucet which ends next year. Both she and Johnson have to qualify in the Evangeline Parish Clerk of Court Office beginning Wednesday, July 22, for the election in November.
Meanwhile, in the race for Democratic State Central Committee Member 41st Representative District Office “A,” Cinderella Ware Haynes defeated Jean Menard 452 votes to 360. Even though Haynes won the election, she lost the five precincts here in Evangeline Parish 37 votes to 22.
Also on the ballot were the Presidential Nominee for the Democratic and Republican Parties. The presumptive nominees from their respective parties both carried the parish. Joseph Biden garnered 1,353 votes, and President Donald Trump collected 1,297.
In other election news, both millage renewals passed. The City of Ville Platte 4.0 Mills Renewal received 918 votes in the affirmative to 427, and the Prairie Mamou Gravity Drainage District No. 8 3.5 Mills Renewal passed 27 to 5.