Early voting starts for Dec.10 runoffs

Two hundred fifty people had cast ballots in St. Mary Parish by the end of the first day of early voting for the Dec. 10 general election, which includes senate and congressional runoffs. Early voting began Saturday and continues through Dec. 3.
Voting hours in St. Mary Parish are from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
People may vote early at the Registrar of Voters Office on the third floor of the Parish Courthouse in Franklin or at the branch office located at 301 Third St. in Morgan City. You may vote early at either office regardless of your address.
A total of 234 people cast votes in St. Mary Parish on the first day of early voting Saturday. Of the votes cast, 144 were done in Morgan City and 95 in Franklin.
Including absentee ballots received prior to Saturday, 250 people had voted by the end of the day Saturday.
By race, 229 white voters, 15 black voters and six voters of other races have cast ballots so far. By sex, 138 men and 112 women have voted. By party, 136 Republicans, 80 Democrats and 34 other-party cast their ballots.
St. Mary Parish voters will have two runoffs on their ballots, including runoffs for U.S. senate between Foster Campbell, D-Bossier City, and John Kennedy, R-Baton Rouge, and U.S. representative, 3rd Congressional District between Scott Angelle, R-Breaux Bridge, and Clay Higgins, R-Lafayette.
Campbell serves state public service commissioner for District 5, while Kennedy is the state treasurer. Angelle is state public service commissioner in District 2, and Higgins is a former captain with the St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office.
St. Mary had 69 percent voter turnout for the Nov. 8 presidential and primary election as 23,078 of 33,435 registered voters cast ballots.
A total of 10,679 Democrats, 7,264 Republicans and 5,135 other-party voters cast ballots, while 15,117 white voters, 7,147 black voters and 814 voters of other races voted in the presidential election in St. Mary Parish.