Tangipahoa Parish School System special elections (2015)
2017 →
← 2014
|
 |
Method of election Elections What was a stake? Key deadlines Additional elections External links |
Tangipahoa Parish School System Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana ballot measures Local ballot measures, Louisiana |
 |
One seat on the Tangipahoa Parish School Board was up for special election in 2015. The primary election for the District G seat was scheduled for October 24, 2015. As only two candidates filed for the seat, no runoff general election was necessary.
Louisiana elections use the Louisiana majority-vote system. All candidates compete in the same primary, and a candidate can win the election outright by receiving more than 50% 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.
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
The District G seat was vacated following incumbent Eric Dangerfield (D) being found guilty of Medicaid fraud. While he was forced to resigned from the board earlier in 2014 as part of a plea deal in the case, Dangerfield promptly filed to run for a new term in the regular board election on November 4, 2014. He garnered over 60 percent of the vote in his contest against challenger Tara Hudgins (R). Despite his win, he was forced to resign from the board for a second time due to part of his plea bargain preventing him from being employed with "any entity that receives Medicaid or Medicare funding."[1]
The vacant seat had been initially filled by Michael Wells on August 5, 2014, after Dangerfield's first resignation. On January 20, 2015, the remaining school board members appointed Jim H. “Jay” Kelly (I), a pastor and former educator, to hold the District G seat until the special election. Some community groups and members, however, had advocated for another candidate: Betty Clark Robinson (D), an educator. Robinson stated her intent to run for the seat in the special election at the time of Kelly's appointment.[2] Kelly and Robinson were the only two candidates to file for the election. Robinson, ultimately, defeated Kelly in the special election.
About the district
Tangipahoa Parish School System lies in eastern Louisiana in Tangipahoa Parish. The seat of parish government is Amite City. Tangipahoa Parish was home to approximately 125,412 residents according to 2013 estimates by the United States Census Bureau.[3] In the 2012-2013 school year, Tangipahoa Parish was the 12th-largest school district in Louisiana and served 19,834 students.[4]
Demographics
Tangipahoa Parish underperformed compared to the rest of Louisiana in terms of higher education achievement, median household income and poverty rate in 2013. The United States Census Bureau found that 19.4 percent of parish residents aged 25 years and older had attained a bachelor's degree, compared to 21.8 percent for Louisiana as a whole. The median household income for the parish was $40,654 compared to $44,874 statewide. The poverty rate in the parish was 21.2 percent, compared to 19.1 percent for the entire state.[3]
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Voter and candidate information
Dangerfield resigned on January 6, 2015, after winning another full term on the board. The board was required to fill the vacancy by appointment within 20 days of the vacancy's occurrence. If they had not done so, the governor would have appointed a replacement. Because the unexpired term was greater than one year, a special election was required to fill the seat for the remainder of the unexpired term. The term won in the special election ran until the next general election for the board in 2018.[6]
Louisiana school board elections require a majority of 50 percent plus one for a candidate to win. If a candidate garners this majority in what is called the primary election, no general election is held. If no candidate receives the majority of votes, a general election is held and functions as a runoff election.
The primary election for the District G seat was scheduled for October 24, 2015. A general election would have been held on November 21, 2015, if no candidate garnered a majority vote in the primary election. Because only two candidates filed for the race and no write-in candidates were allowed, it would have been impossible for such a case to arise. Candidates for the seat had to qualify for the race between September 8, 2015, and September 10, 2015.[7]
The Tangipahoa Parish School Board consists of nine partisan members who serve four-year terms. All of the members are elected concurrently by district. This means that regular school board elections are held every four years with all nine members being up for re-election at that time. Additionally, all members are elected by a geographic area or district which they represent. Starting with terms beginning on or after January 2015, board members are term limited. Any member who, at the end of his or her term, has served more than two and one-half terms in the last three consecutive terms cannot be re-elected in the following term. However, they can be re-elected following a one term break. The limit does not apply retroactively.
Elections
2014
Candidates
District G
 Jim H. "Jay" Kelly
|
 Betty Clark Robinson 
| ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
Election results
| Tangipahoa Parish School System, District G Special Election, 1-year unexpired term, 2015 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Independent |  Betty Clark Robinson |
55.9% | 1,191 | |
| Democratic | Jim H. "Jay" Kelly | 44.1% | 941 | |
| Total Votes | 2,132 | |||
| Source: Louisiana Secretary of State, "Unofficial Results," accessed November 21, 2015 | ||||
Past elections
Information about earlier elections can be found by clicking [show] at the right. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2014District ARunoff
District B
District CAndy Anderson (R) was re-elected without opposition on August 22, 2014. District D
District EBrett K. Duncan (R) was re-elected without opposition on August 22, 2014. District F
District G
District H
District I
2010District A
District B
District CRunoff
District D
District E
District F
District GEric Dangerfield (D) was re-elected without opposition. District HSandra Bailey-Simmons (R) was re-elected without opposition. District I
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
What was at stake?
2015
Issues in the election
Vacancy filling
Despite letters signed by representatives of the parish chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the Florida Parishes Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, the Second Saturday Breakfast and others voicing support for Betty Robinson to be appointed to the vacant seat created by Dangerfield's second resignation, the school board appointed Jim H. “Jay” Kelly to the seat instead on January 20, 2015. Board member Sandra Bailey-Simmons (R) tried to nominate Robinson at the meeting, but did not get a second for her suggestion.[2]
At that time, Robinson had state that she would be seeking the seat in the special election. Kelly also expressed interest in running for the remainder of the term.[2]
Eric Dangerfield criminal conviction and removal from board
Dangerfield and his wife, Cassandra N. Dangerfield, owned 1st Thessalonians Community Programs Inc. Investigations into the organization began in 2006. At the time of the Dangerfields' indictment, more than 17 of their former employees had been convicted for Medicaid fraud, which they had committed while working for the company.[8]
Between 2002 and 2009, the operation billed the state Medicaid program more than $18 million, according to the attorney general's office. The company filed false claims for personal care services and used the funds to pay "salaries, buy property and luxury vehicles, pay college tuition for their adult sons and fund Eric Dangerfield’s previous School Board campaign." They also submitted falsified tax returns about the profits.[9] Both Eric and Cassandra were charged with one felony count of racketeering, one felony count of criminal conspiracy to commit forgery and theft by fraud, six felony counts of theft by fraud and one felony count of money laundering. In addition, Cassandra was charged with one felony count of maintaining false public records and one felony count of Medicaid fraud.[8]
On May 9, 2014, Eric pled guilty to six counts of misdemeanor theft and two misdemeanor counts of tax evasion, while Cassandra pled guilty to one felony count of racketeering and two felony counts of state tax evasion. Eric received a four-year suspended sentence, and Cassandra received a 14-year suspended sentence and five years of active supervised probation. The couple was also required to pay $3.5 million in restitution, fines and penalties, as well as over $74,000 for back taxes. They also agreed to forfeit their interests in their home in Hammond, a shopping center they owned and four vehicles.[10][11]
|
The question of Dangerfield's board position was briefly unclear. The school district had no policy on such situations or means to remove him from the board when he was indicted. However, Dangerfield was required to resign his seat on the Tangipahoa Parish School Board as part of his sentencing agreement.[12] The state threatened to revoke Dangerfield's probation if he did not resign from the board. He resigned on July 15, 2014.[9] About a month later, Dangerfield announced his candidacy for a new term on the board.[13] |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
After winning a new term on the board in the general election on November 4, 2014, he was forced to resign from the board for a second time. This was due to his plea bargain prohibiting him from "owning or seeking employment with any entity that receives Medicaid or Medicare funding, including school systems."[14]
Dangerfield and his wife may lose their probation due to their failure to pay a sufficient amount of the restitution, as well as for having failed to forfeit property and belongings that were part of the plea deal.[15] In the hearing where Dangerfield was forced to resign from the board following his 2014 election win, the judge stated, "At some point, it would get to the point of them going to jail. It’s just a question of when.”[14]
Issues in the district
Superintendent retained
Superintendent Mark Kolwe's contract was renewed for two more years with the same terms and salary at the regular school board meeting on January 20, 2015. Only Therese P. Domiano (I) voted against the renewal of the contract. At the time of the renewal, Kolwe had served as superintendent for eight years.[2]
Kowle's contract was last renewed in 2013 following a performance review. The evaluation rated performance in several areas on a scale of one to five, with one being the highest and five being the lowest. Kolwe scored 1.38 overall and received the following scores in five areas: 1.3 on relationship with the board, 1.5 on relationship with community, 1.17 on relationship with staff and personnel, 1.46 on educational leadership, 1.12 on business and 1.63 on personal qualities.[16]
The Tangipahoa Parish chapter of the NAACP urged the school board not to renew Kolwe's contract in 2013 citing a lack of improvement in the district and Kowle's lack of background in education. The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education granted the school district a waiver for Kolwe's initial appointment as his background is in finance.[16]
Key deadlines
The following dates were key deadlines for the Tangipahoa Parish Schools election in 2015:[7]
| Deadline | Event |
|---|---|
| September 8-10, 2015 | Candidate qualifying period |
| September 23, 2015 | Voter registration deadline for primary election |
| October 10-17, 2015 | Early voting period for primary election |
| October 24, 2015 | Primary election Day |
Additional elections on the ballot
- See also: Louisiana elections, 2015
This special school board election shares the ballot with regular gubernatorial, state senate, state house of representative and judicial elections.
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Tangipahoa + Parish + School + System + Louisiana"
See also
| Tangipahoa Parish School System | Louisiana | School Boards |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ The Advocate, "Judge orders Dangerfield to not take office in Tangipahoa," December 5, 2014
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 The Advocate, "Tangipahoa School Board appoints interim board member and renews superintendent’s contract," January 21, 2015
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 United States Census Bureau, "Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, Quick Facts," accessed September 3, 2014
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "ELSI Table Generator," accessed April 15, 2015
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, "Official Results," accessed September 2, 2014
- ↑ Tangipahoa Parish School System, "Policy Manual: UNEXPIRED TERM FULFILLMENT," June 27, 2013
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Louisiana Secretary of State, "2015 Elections," December 2014
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 The Daily Star, "Eric Dangerfield indicted for fraud," February 12, 2012
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 The Advocate, "Plea deal forces official out of office in July; he qualifies for re-election in August," September 3, 2014
- ↑ Associated Press, "Hammond couple plead guilty to Medicaid fraud," May 14, 2014
- ↑ The Advocate, "AG: Tangipahoa School Board member admits to theft, tax evasion," May 28, 2014
- ↑ Tangilena.com, "WILL ERIC DANGERFIELD SERVE TANGI SCHOOL BOARD? OR RESIGN AMID LATEST CHARGES?" May 18, 2012
- ↑ AN17, "Dangerfield will run for old seat on Tangipahoa Parish School Board," August 21, 2014
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 The Advocate, "Judge orders Dangerfield to not take office in Tangipahoa," December 5, 2014
- ↑ The Advocate, "Dangerfield’s revocation hearing postponed until after election," October 29, 2014
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 The Advocate, "Tangipahoa board extends superintendent’s contract," June 13, 2014
| 2015 Tangipahoa Parish School System Special Election | |
| Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana | |
| Election date: | October 24, 2015 |
| Candidates: | District G: • Incumbent, Jim Kelly (I) • Betty Clark Robinson (D) |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Key deadlines • Additional elections on the ballot |
