Louisiana judicial elections, 2012

Judicial Elections
Elections, 2012
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The Louisiana judicial elections consisted of elections on March 24th and November 6th, as well as a runoff on December 8th.

The races on this page occurred on November 6, 2012. Please visit Louisiana judicial elections, 2012 - March 24th election for information on municipal elections.

Louisiana judicial elections summary, 2012

Supreme Appellate Trial Total candidates 9 29 22 Unopposed candidates 1 17 1 Judges re-elected 1 12 2 Judges not re-elected 0 1 0 New judges elected 1 12 9 Partisan or Nonpartisan   Partisan   Democratic winners 1 12 6 Republican winners 1 12 5

Supreme Court

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Candidate	Incumbency	Party	Place	Primary Vote	Election Vote
HughesJefferson Hughes   A	No	Republican	5th District	21.2%A	52.8%   A
SanfordJeffry L. Sanford	No	Libertarian	5th District	1.0%
WelchJewel Welch	No	Republican	5th District	11.1%
GuidryJohn Guidry	No	Democratic	5th District	27.5%A	47.2%   D
WeimerJohn L. Weimer   A	Yes	Democratic	6th District		A
PiersonMary Olive Pierson	No	Democratic	5th District	14.8%
KellyTim Kelley	No	Republican	5th District	3.1%
HigginbothamToni M. Higginbotham	No	Republican	5th District	10.8%
MorvantWilliam Morvant	No	Republican	5th District	10.7%

Circuit Courts of Appeal

First Circuit Court of Appeal

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Candidate	Incumbency	Party	Place	Primary Vote	Election Vote
Carter IIIGideon T. Carter III	No	Democratic	2nd Dist, Div. B	31.09%A	38.5%   D
ErnyJ. Christopher Erny	No	Republican	1st Dist, Div. B	19.56%
McDonaldJ. Michael McDonald   A	No	Republican	2nd Dist, Div. B	48.76%A	61.5%   A
PlaisanceMark Plaisance	No	Republican	1st Dist, Div. B	8.26%
TheriotMitch Theriot   A	No	Republican	1st Dist, Div. B	33.66%A	53.1%   A
McClendonPage McClendon	No	Republican	3rd Dist, Div. B	100%A
WhiteTrudy White	No	Republican	2nd Dist, Div. B	20.15%
Guidry-WhippleVanessa Guidry-Whipple	Yes	Republican	1st Dist, Div. D	100%A
DupontWilliam Dupont	No	Democratic	1st Dist, Div. B	38.51%A	46.9%   D
CrainWilliam J. Crain	No	Republican	3rd Dist, Div D	100%A

Second Circuit Court of Appeal

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Candidate	Incumbency	Party	Place	Primary Vote	Election Vote
MatlockDavid Matlock	No	Republican	3rd Dist, Sec. 2B	46.26%
WilliamsFelicia Toney Williams	Yes	Democratic	1st Dist, Sec. C	100%A
PitmanFrances Pitman	No	Republican	3rd Dist, Sec. 2B	53.74%A
Moore IIIMilton Moore	Yes	Democratic	1st Dist, Sec. 2B	100%A

Third Circuit Court of Appeal

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Candidate	Incumbency	Party	Place	Primary Vote	Election Vote
EzellBilly Ezell	Yes	Republican	2nd Dist, Sec. 2B	100%A
PickettElizabeth Pickett	Yes	Democratic	1st Dist, Div. A	100%A
ConeryJohn Conery	No	Republican	3rd Dist, Sec. 3E	100%A
SaundersJohn Saunders	Yes	Democratic	3rd Dist, Sec. 1C	100%A
CooksSylvia Cooks	Yes	Democratic	3rd Dist, Sec. 2D	100%A

Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal

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Candidate	Incumbency	Party	Place	Primary Vote	Election Vote
JonesCharles Jones	Yes	Democratic	1st Dist, Div. H	42.36%
LombardEdwin Lombard	Yes	Democratic	1st Dist, Div. A	100%A
McKay IIIJames McKay	Yes	Democratic	At large	100%A
BoninPaul Bonin	Yes	Democratic	1st Dist, Div. B	100%A
JenkinsSandra Cabrina Jenkins	No	Democratic	1st Dist, Div. H	57.64%A

Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal

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Candidate	Incumbency	Party	Place	Primary Vote	Election Vote
LiljebergHans J. Liljeberg   A	No	Republican	Division F		100%   A
ChaissonRobert A. Chaisson	Yes	Democratic	3rd Dist, Div. A	100%A
MurphyRobert M. Murphy	No	Republican	1st Dist, Div. G	100%A
ChehardySusan Chehardy	Yes	Republican	1st Dist, Div. D	100%A

District Courts

24th Judicial District

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Candidate	Incumbency	Party	Place	Primary Vote	Election Vote
MentzMichael P. Mentz   A	No	Republican	Division F	100%A	A

26th Judicial District

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Candidate	Incumbency	Party	Place	Primary Vote	Election Vote
Slattery, Jr.John B. Slattery, Jr.	No	Republican	Division E	29.01%
NerrenMike Nerren   A	No	Republican	Division E	39.8%A	53.5%   A
GravesWhit Graves	No	Republican	Division E	31.18%A	46.5%   D

Criminal District Court

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Candidate	Incumbency	Party	Place	Primary Vote	Election Vote
WoodsGlen A. Woods	No	Democratic	Section B	27.74%
Flemings-DavillierTracey Flemings-Davillier   A	No	Democratic		72.26%A	A

In the News

Louisiana general election races heading to runoff

Written on November 14, 2012.

The election on November 6th was the second round of judicial elections in the Pelican State this year, the first occurring on March 24th. Last week, voters in Louisiana re-elected a Supreme Court justice, judges of the Circuit Courts of Appeal, and two trial court judges. They also allowed four races to go to a runoff election to be held on December 8th.

The most high profile race in the runoff is that for the Fifth District on the Louisiana Supreme Court. With eight candidates competing in the general election, a runoff was almost guaranteed. Now, two judges of the Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeal, Republican Jefferson Hughes and Democrat John Guidry, will compete in December.

Two intermediate appellate races will also head to the runoff, both for the First Circuit Court of Appeals. Republican Mitch Theriot and Democrat William Dupont are running for the open 1st District, Division B seat, while Republican J. Michael McDonald and Democrat Gideon T. Carter III are competing for the open 2nd District, Division B seat.

The last judicial race to be held on December 8th is that for the 26th Judicial District between Mike Nerren and Whit Graves. They are both Republicans and competing for the open Division E seat.

Louisiana Supreme Court race

As featured in JP Election Brief: The Supreme Court Special on October 18, 2012.

There is one contested race for the Louisiana Supreme Court this year. Eight candidates are competing to succeed Kitty Kimball in representing the Fifth District. Chief Justice Kimball is the fourth Democratic justice on the seven-member court. That means that if a Republican wins election, the balance of the court will shift conservative.

Candidate's views

“

I am a former enlisted Air Force veteran who fought to defend freedom. I am a family man of strong faith and values. I am a former prosecutor who fought to protect families and property. I am a proven conservative District and Court of Appeal Judge of 18 years who fights for what is right and fair. And, as a Louisiana Supreme Court Justice, I will protect the integrity of the constitutions of our state and nation. -Jewel "Duke" Welch

”

“

My experience as the most Senior Appellate Court Judge in this race is important because experience matters on the highest court in the state. -John Guidry

”

Louisiana Supreme Court race set

As featured in JP Election Brief: High court races setting the tone on August 23, 2012.

Friday at 5pm marked the end of a three-day qualifying period for Louisiana's November 6 general election. On the ballot are two Supreme Court races, twenty-two races for the five circuits of the Circuit Courts of Appeal and three District Court races. The race with the most candidates is that of the Fifth District Supreme Court seat that Chief Justice Kitty Kimball will leave vacant when she retires at year's end.

That race drew eight challengers, almost ensuring a runoff election on December 1. Four out of eight candidates are colleagues on the Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeal: Toni M. Higginbotham, John Guidry, Jefferson Hughes, and Jewel Welch. William Morvant has served as a judge on the 19th Judicial District since 1997. The remaining three candidates are attorneys: Jeffry L. Sanford, Timothy E. Kelly and Mary Olive Pierson.

When her motivation for running was questioned, Pierson explained the financial aspect. She determined it was cheaper to pay the $675 in fees to enter the race than to pay to support each candidate. She stated, "The worst thing you could do is support the winner, because then you got five other judges mad at you."

In the race, Pierson and Guidry are running on Democratic tickets, while Higginbotham, Hughes, Kelley, Morvant and Welch are Republicans. Sanford did not declare a party at filing.

In the Sixth District Supreme Court race, Justice John L. Weimer is running unopposed for re-election.

See also

• Louisiana judicial elections
• News: Qualifying opens for general election in Louisiana, August 14, 2012
• News: JP Election Brief: Heading south with news from Louisiana, Alabama, Florida and Texas, March 15, 2012

References