William Boartfield Jr.

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

William Boartfield Jr.

Green Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 3, 2020

Personal

Birthplace

Harvey, La.

Profession

Marketing assistant

Contact

Campaign website

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William Boartfield Jr. (Green Party) ran for election to the Louisiana Public Service Commission to represent District 1. He lost in the primary on November 3, 2020.

Boartfield completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

William Boartfield Jr. was born in Harvey, Louisiana. As of the 2020 election, he anticipated receiving a bachelor's degree from the University of New Orleans in 2023. Boartfield's professional experience includes working as a marketing assistant. He has been affiliated with the Green Party of Louisiana, serving as the treasurer during the 2020-2022 term.

Elections

2020

See also: Louisiana Public Service Commission election, 2020

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 Public Service Commission District 1

Incumbent Eric Skrmetta defeated Allen Borne Jr. in the general election for Louisiana Public Service Commission District 1 on December 5, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Eric Skrmetta (R)	61.8	55,987
		Allen Borne Jr. (D)	38.2	34,639

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 90,626
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Louisiana Public Service Commission District 1

The following candidates ran in the primary for Louisiana Public Service Commission District 1 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Eric Skrmetta (R)	31.3	134,900
✔		Allen Borne Jr. (D)	24.9	107,174
		J. Kevin Pearson (R)	14.0	60,189
		John Mason (R)	13.4	57,652
	Submit photo	Richard Sanderson II (R)	8.2	35,502
	Submit photo	John Schwegmann (Independent)	5.5	23,707
		William Boartfield Jr. (G)	2.8	11,890

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 431,014
= 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.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

William Boartfield Jr. completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Boartfield's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

William was born in Gretna, Louisiana on October 13, 1998 and has spent the majority of his life in Gretna. A graduate of the New Orleans Military & Maritime Academy (NOMMA). While in his senior year of high school, William ran for Mayor of Gretna, Louisiana as a Green. Although unsuccessful, William had this to say about his candidacy "I ran mostly because no one was running against an administration that isn't being held accountable, I'll continue to fight for what is right." William is currently enrolled at UNO studying political science with a pre-law concentration. He is a father to two mischievous cats named Cotton and Taz that he has adopted with his fiancée Krystyn. A candidate for State Public Service Commissioner for District 1, William is ready to bring transparency and efficiency to an office that needs it most.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Derregulate Lousiana's Electric Market
• Support Solar Panels
• Protect Fair Broadband Internet Access

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Anti Corruption, Renewable Energy, Fair Market Competition, Broadband Internet Access, Criminal Justice Reform

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

The Louisiana Public Service Commssion regulates mainly utilities throughout the state. They set the rates that utility companies can charge you for the product. Since 2008, the District 1 Commissioner has been in the pocket of the monopolistic utility companies that he in part regulates through generous campaign contributions. It may not be illegal right now but that smells fishy.

With broadband internet expansion in Louisiana ramping up, it is crucial that there is someone who will work to keep corporate money out of the Public Service Commission.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I consider myself to be a student of the Longs (Huey, Earl, Russel), the Roosevelts (Theodore and FDR), Sen. Sanders, and Sen. Warren to name a few politically speaking. I like to look at each political influence in a neutral lens to learn from the positives and negatives of people. I believe that's how we best learn from our influences.

I would like to follow the example of Teddy Roosevelt by helping craft progressive policies that work well for our citizens in a free market economy.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

I would recommend that everyone read Make Change by Shaun King. I think it gives a deep analysis of our criminal justice system and what we need to do to fix it. I know that it's not related to utilities, I do think it's one of the most important issues of my generation.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Open mindedness is probably the most important to me. It shouldn't be about left or right policies economically, it should be what works and what doesn't. There are amazing ideas on both sides of the aisle that can be used to improve the quality of life of citizens, we should consider them all on an equal level. That makes an efficient elected official.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I believe that I would be able to create a connection with my constituency where respectful civil discourse leads to innovative ideas for our state and the Public Service Commission. I want to honor those who didn't vote for me in addition to those who did. Ultimately my humanity and civility are what I think I can bring to this office.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

To be transparent with their constituency and to take their opinions to heart and to be willing to vote in the best interest of the constituency and not only what their donors think.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like to be known for not having any scandals by time I leave office. I think that alone would be refreshing.

In all seriousness, I want to leave a positive legacy on the PSC that will last a long time. By working to make it illegal for utility companies to donate to candidates for PSC, I will feel satisfied that I have left a positive legacy for those following me.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I remember the struggle people were going through during the financial recession of 2008/2009. I was 10 at the time and I remember the financial toll it put on my mother. She worked 40+ hours at minimum wage supporting two kids by herself, and my sister and I considered ourselves lucky that she didn't lose her job during the onset of the recession.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I was a cashier at my local Panera Bread. I worked under an amazing GM for 3 years.

What is your favorite book? Why?

1984 was my first high school book report assignment and I love it. It always gives me a glimpse into what is possible when the government becomes too powerful and is left unchecked.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

I would be that fish that yells about loving chocolate in that one Spongebob episode. Just being able to see Bikini Bottom would be cool, and I'm sure he's got chocolate at his house. Win-win.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Last song that got stuck in my head would probably be "The Adventures of Moon Man and Slim Shady" by Kid Cudi

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I don't talk about this a lot, but I lived on my own most of my senior year of high school. I had a rocky relationship with my family and I had to do what was best for me. I found that working full time to pay my bills while going to high school was a huge struggle for me. But I wouldn't change a thing as I believe it has taught me a lot about being self-sufficient that I may not have known otherwise.

What responsibilities of this office do you personally consider the most important?

Being trusted to ensure that regulations are being followed by companies under the PSC's jurisdiction. That alone would be an immense honor that I would not take for granted. Louisiana deserves better than what we've got right now.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

The PSC regulates intrastate transit such as Greyhound buses, school buses, etc. The PSC is responsible to ensure that safety is ensured for riders, drivers, and cargo for Louisiana.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

I believe that the record can be beneficial if it's not stuffed with money from private utility companies. In the case of this race, my lack of coziness with the monopolistic private utility companies is what I consider beneficial to my candidacy. I am ready to advocate for every constituent in my district on day one.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

They must be steadfast on their believes against unethical behavior. Louisiana has a history of dirty politicians from both major parties, it's time that an ethical elected official can contribute to making government in this state more efficient.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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