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Kenyetta Nelson-Smith
Kenyetta Nelson-Smith (Democratic Party) was a member of the East Baton Rouge Parish School System in Louisiana, representing District 3. Nelson-Smith assumed office in 2010. Nelson-Smith left office in 2018.
Nelson-Smith (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the East Baton Rouge Parish School System to represent District 3 in Louisiana. Nelson-Smith lost in the primary on November 6, 2018.
Nelson-Smith was first elected to the board in 2010. She was scheduled to run for re-election in the general election on November 4, 2014. However, her opponent, Eugene Weatherspoon (D), withdrew from the race rather than continuing to fight challenges to his residency status. Nelson-Smith was automatically re-elected on September 5, 2014.
Elections
2018
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.
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for East Baton Rouge Parish School System, District 3
Tramelle Howard won election outright against incumbent Kenyetta Nelson-Smith in the primary for East Baton Rouge Parish School System, District 3 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Tramelle Howard (D) | 52.3 | 5,036 |
 | Kenyetta Nelson-Smith (D) | 47.7 | 4,584 | |
| Total votes: 9,620 | |||
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2014
Nine seats on the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board were up for election in 2014. Three of the seats advanced to a general election on December 6, 2014, as no candidate earned 50 percent plus one of the primary election votes in Districts 1, 5 and 8.
Prior to this election, the school board was comprised of 11 members. However, in July 2014, the board voted to accept a redistricting plan that reduced the number of board members to nine. The 2014 election was the first election for the new district boundaries. Due to the redrawing of district boundaries, some incumbents ran in new districts and against one another. District 1 incumbent David Tatman (R) was the only incumbent to have no challengers file against him, and he was automatically elected to the District 9 seat.[1]
Mary Lynch (I), incumbent for the former District 11, ran for re-election to the District 1 seat against newcomers Mark Bellue (R) and Jennifer Andrews (D). Andrews and Bellue advanced to a general election. District 5 incumbent Evelyn Ware-Jackson (D) faced District 9 incumbent Jerry Arbour (R), as well as Patty Merrick (D) and W.T. Winfield (D). Ware-Jackson and Arbour advanced to a general election.[2]
The remaining races did not include redistricted incumbents. District 2 incumbent Vereta Lee (D) ran to retain the same seat against challenger Daniel Banguel (D). Rachel Allmon (D) also filed to run in District 2, but later withdrew from the race. Tarvald Smith (D), the District 4 incumbent, sought re-election against Robert Maxie Sr. (D). Anthony Nelson (D) challenged District 7 incumbent Barbara Freiberg (R). District 8 incumbent Connie Bernard (R) faced multiple challengers as Christopher Bailey (R), Charles "Obie" O'Brien (R) and Joan Wallyn (R) all ran to unseat her. Bernard and Bailey advanced to a general election.[2]
Eugene Weatherspoon (D) withdrew from the race in District 3 against incumbent Kenyetta Nelson-Smith (D), allowing her to be automatically re-elected. Tiffany Perkins (R) and District 10 incumbent Jill Dyason (R) both filed to run for the District 6 seat. However, a court ruling found that Perkins did not legally reside within the boundaries of District 6 and could not run for the seat. This left Dyason unopposed and automatically elected to her new seat.[2][3]
Results
Due to Eugene Weatherspoon (D) withdrawing from the race, Nelson-Smith was automatically re-elected without opposition on September 5, 2014.
2010
| East Baton Rouge Parish School System, District 3 Primary Election, 4-year term, 2010 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Kenyetta Nelson-Smith |
51.7% | 1,828 | |
| Democratic | Darryl L. Robertson Incumbent | 48.3% | 1,709 | |
| Total Votes | 3,537 | |||
| Source: Louisiana Secretary of State, "Official Election Results," accessed September 3, 2014 | ||||
See also
- East Baton Rouge Parish School System, Louisiana
- East Baton Rouge Parish School System elections (2014)
- East Baton Rouge Parish School System elections (2018)
External links
Footnotes
