Erick Knezek
Erick Knezek (Republican Party) was a member of the Lafayette Parish School Board in Louisiana, representing District 8. He assumed office in 2015. He left office in 2019.
Knezek (Republican Party) ran for election to the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to represent District 7. He lost in the general election on November 18, 2023.
Knezek was a 2016 Republican candidate who sought election to the U.S. House to represent the 3rd Congressional District of Louisiana. He suspended his campaign on July 7, 2016.[1][2]
Biography
Erick Knezek lives in Lafayette, Louisiana. Knezek graduated from Lafayette High School. He served in the U.S. Navy. Knezek earned a bachelor’s degree in ocean engineering from the United States Naval Academy, a master’s degree in ocean engineering from Texas A&M University, and a doctorate in systems engineering from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.[3] His career experience includes founding and owning Oceanetics, Inc.[3][4]
Elections
2023
See also: Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education election, 2023
Louisiana elections use the majority-vote system. All candidates compete in the same primary, and a candidate can win the election outright by receiving more than 50 percent of the vote. If no candidate does, the top two vote recipients from the primary advance to the general election, regardless of their partisan affiliation.
General election
General election for Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education District 7
Kevin Berken defeated Erick Knezek in the general election for Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education District 7 on November 18, 2023.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Kevin Berken (R) | 53.1 | 49,776 |
 | Erick Knezek (R) | 46.9 | 44,047 | |
| Total votes: 93,823 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education District 7
Kevin Berken and Erick Knezek defeated Cathy S. Banks in the primary for Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education District 7 on October 14, 2023.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Kevin Berken (R) | 36.8 | 47,861 |
| ✔ | | Erick Knezek (R) | 34.2 | 44,534 |
 | Cathy S. Banks (R) | 29.0 | 37,654 | |
| Total votes: 130,049 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Knezek in this election.
2016
Knezek ran in the 2016 election for the U.S. House to represent Louisiana's 3rd District.[1] He dropped out of the race on July 7, 2016.[2]
2014
All nine seats on the Lafayette Parish School board were up for election on November 4, 2014. The District 1 contest advanced to a general election on December 6, 2014, as no candidate received 50 percent plus one of the primary election votes in that race.
Incumbents did not seek re-election in three districts. "Coach Don" Gagnard (I), Redell Comeaux "Mama" Miller (D) and Mary Morrison (D) ran to fill the District 1 seat which was vacated by incumbent Mark Allen Babineaux (D). Gagnard and Morrison advanced to a general election.
District 6 incumbent Greg Awbrey (R) did not file to run for re-election. Justin Centanni (R) and Kathleen Schott Espinoza (I) vied for the open seat. Rae Trahan (D), the District 9 incumbent, did not run for re-election. Jeremy Hidalgo (R) and Brian West (R) faced one another in the election to fill her seat on the board.[5]
Incumbents faced challengers in the other six districts. Tommy Angelle (D), the District 2 incumbent, ran for re-election against James A. Chavis (D) and Simon Mahan (I). Elroy Broussard (D) challenged incumbent Shelton J. Cobb (D) in District 3. District 4 incumbent Tehmi Chassion (D) faced Erica Williams (D). Britt Latiolais (R) vied to unseat District 5 incumbent Kermit J. Bouillion (R). District 7 saw Dawn Morris (R) challenge incumbent Mark Cockerham (R). Hunter Beasley (I) ran for re-election against challenger Erick Knezek (R) in District 8.[5]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |  Erick Knezek |
75.3% | 8,012 | |
| Independent | Hunter Beasley Incumbent | 24.7% | 2,635 | |
| Total Votes | 10,647 | |||
| Source: Louisiana Secretary of State, "Official Results," accessed November 6, 2014 | ||||
Campaign themes
2023
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Erick Knezek did not complete Ballotpedia's 2023 Candidate Connection survey.
See also
2023 Elections
External links
|
Candidate Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education District 7 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Town Talk, "Candidates scramble for House seats," December 21, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Erick Knezek for Congress, "I will continue to work to better Southwest Louisiana," July 7, 2016
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Dr. Erick Knezek for BESE District 7, "Home," accessed September 12, 2023
- ↑ Louisiana Illuminator, "Election 2023: Final day for candidates to qualify for Louisiana’s fall ballot," August 10, 2023
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Louisiana Secretary of State, "Candidate Inquiry," accessed September 3, 2014
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