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Ascension Parish Council recall, Louisiana (2021-2022)
| Ascension Parish Council recall |
|---|
 |
| Officeholders |
Dempsey Lambert Aaron Lawler Teri Casso Dal Waguespack John Cagnolatti |
| Recall status |
| Signature requirement |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2022 Recalls in Louisiana Louisiana recall laws County commission recalls Recall reports |
An effort to recall six of the 11 members of the Ascension Parish Council in Louisiana did not go to a vote. Recall supporters did not file petitions by the deadlines in January and February 2022.[1]
The efforts began in July and August 2021. District 4 representative Corey Orgeron, District 5 representative Dempsey Lambert, District 7 representative Aaron Lawler, District 8 representative Teri Casso, District 9 representative Dal Waguespack, and District 10 representative John Cagnolatti were named in the recall petitions.[2][3][4][5][6][7]
The recall effort started after the council voted in June 2021 to remove Ascension Parish President Clint Cointment from his position as director of the East Ascension Drainage Board while parish residents were experiencing drainage issues after a flood on May 17, 2021. Recall supporters said Cointment was the most knowledgeable person on drainage issues in the parish.[2][5][8] The council announced on September 29, 2021, that they had come to an agreement with Cointment that would allow him to remain on the Drainage Board. The agreement included hiring an expert to help come up with a plan for the parish.[9]
Recall supporters
Recall supporters said they were frustrated with the council's actions to address flooding and infrastructure issues related to development growth. They also said some council members did not have a good relationship with the parish president's administration.[2][3] They also said the council did not vote in favor of their constituents.[7]
Recall supporters expressed frustration with the council's decision to implement a nine-month moratorium on new development in the parish rather than the one-year moratorium that was suggest by Cointment.[2]
Recall opponents
In response to the recall effort against her, Casso said she had been trying to listen to her constituents. “They all have my number, and they are welcome to call me and they do,” Casso said.[8]
Casso said she understood that residents were upset over the drainage issues and development in the area and said she was doing what she could. “It was an unfortunate act of God, and I don’t know how to fix it without a major regional fix and that is something one councilman in Ascension can’t accomplish,” Casso said.[8]
Lawler said he was focused on infrastructure, planning, and transparency. “My only concern is continuing the unprecedented road improvements via Move Ascension, completing the Floodplain Management Plan that will result in drainage improvements for District 7, finalizing a long-term plan for recreation and the completion of Open Finance, something I brought to Ascension Parish during my first term,” Lawler said.[3]
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in Louisiana
Recall supporters filed recall paperwork against Casso on July 19, 2021. The recall paperwork against Orgeron was filed on July 21, 2021, and the paperwork against Lambert was filed on July 26, 2021.[5] On August 3, 2021, recall supporters filed paperwork against Lawler.[3] On August 9, 2021, recall supporters filed paperwork against Cagnolatti.[6] On August 18, 2021, recall supporters filed paperwork against Waguespack.[7]
To get the recalls on the ballot, supporters had to collect signatures equal to one-third of voters in Districts 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, and 10 in 180 days. If the petitions had been submitted, the Ascension Parish Clerk of Court would have worked to certify them. If the petitions had been certified, the governor would have scheduled a recall election. If enough ballots had been cast in favor of the recall, the officials would have been removed from office, and special elections would have been held to replace them.[2][3]
The recalls did not go to a vote as recall supporters did not submit petitions by the deadlines.[1][10]
See also
- Ascension Parish, Louisiana
- Recall campaigns in Louisiana
- Political recall efforts, 2021
- Political recall efforts, 2022
- County commission recalls
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- Ascension Parish Council
- Louisiana Secretary of State
- Recall Teri Casso Facebook page
- Recall Corey Orgeron Facebook page
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Gonzales Weekly Citizen, "Ascension Parish Council's Corey Orgeron ordered to pay legal fees in president lawsuit," February 20, 2022
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Gonzales Weekly Citizen, "Recall petitions filed against Ascension Parish council members," July 23, 2021
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 The Advocate, "Amid Ascension Parish revolt over development, third council member faces recall effort," August 4, 2021
- ↑ Parish of Ascension, Louisiana, "Ascension Parish Council Members," accessed August 3, 2021
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Unfiltered with Kiran, "Ascension Six: Historic recall efforts are underway," July 29, 2021
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Gonzales Weekly Citizen, "Fifth recall petition filed for an Ascension Parish Council member," August 10, 2021
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 The Advocate, "Recall filed against sixth Ascension Parish Council member," August 18, 2021
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 WAFB 9, "Ascension Parish residents file petitions to recall parish council members," July 21, 2021
- ↑ WBRZ 2, "Ascension president will continue to oversee drainage after reaching compromise with council members," September 29, 2021
- ↑ The Advocate, "Anger at flooding, traffic, spurred Ascension council recalls. But they've 'fizzed out' so far." January 25, 2022
