LAFAYETTE PARISH: Local Fall Elections

Qualifying for Lafayette Parish’s 2026 local elections has ended, and before a single ballot is cast, dozens of races are already over. While voters will head to the polls on November 3 to decide some of the parish’s most consequential offices, a review of the qualifying results shows just how much of local government will remain unchanged without voters ever having to make a choice.

By our count, 37 local offices or seats in Lafayette Parish drew only one candidate. Those who didn’t are likely substantially motivated to make some sort of change. That includes judges, mayors, police chiefs, council members, justices of the peace and constables. In several municipalities, entire portions of local government escaped electoral competition altogether.

But scattered among those uncontested races are some contests that could become among the most interesting Lafayette Parish has seen in years.

15th Judicial District Court Judge Races

The 15th Judicial District Court provides perhaps the clearest example. Judges Valerie Garrett in Division B, Royale Colbert in Division D, Michelle Breaux in Division E, Michelle Billeaud in Division K, and Cynthia Spadoni in Division L all drew no opposition. Additionally, District Judges from Acadia and Vermilion Parish: Scott Privat in Division A, Angie Wagar in Division J, David Smith in Division F, Thomas Frederick in Division C, and Laurie Hulin in Division G, were likewise unopposed.

One open judgeship was also decided at qualifying. Division H became vacant following the retirement of Judge David Blanchet. According to the qualifying information compiled for this review, Shawn Eller was the only candidate to qualify and will take the seat without opposition.

Only two of the judicial races reviewed remain contested.

The retirement of Judge Thomas Duplantier has created an open race for Division I between Will Keaty and David Way. Neither candidate is a stranger to judicial campaigns. Way recently sought the Division L seat ultimately won by Cynthia Spadoni, garnering 47% of the vote in that contest. Keaty, on the other hand, is the son of Phyllis Montgomery Keaty, who served as a Judge on the District Court and later the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals before retiring in 2020.

Meanwhile, Division M Judge Susan Theall again faces opposition, this time from Dyan Schnaars. Theall has become something of an exception among incumbent judges in Lafayette Parish: she has repeatedly attracted challengers while many of her colleagues routinely return to office unopposed. She began serving on the bench in 2011, before being unseated in 2014. Theall was re-elected to the bench again in 2020, defeating George Knox and Dona Renegar in the primary.

The 15th Judicial District Attorney Race May Overshadow Them All

Aging incumbent Don Landry is seeking a second term as 15th Judicial District Attorney and is being challenged by former district judge Kristian Earles. You can find “Boogie” or “The Don” at most political events. The photographs also often capture many of the same individuals his office is charged with prosecuting. Politics does indeed make strange bedfellows. Unlike many of the courthouse races, voters will therefore have a direct opportunity to evaluate the leadership of one of the most powerful institutions in the local criminal justice system.

Landry’s first term has hardly been uneventful, and the contest gives voters something they will not have in most courthouse elections this year: an actual choice between the incumbent administration and a challenger with his own lengthy judicial background. In 2020, Keith Stutes vacated the seat after serving one term. A term largely unmarred by controversy. Don Landry entered the race with opposition from Danny Landry and was ultimately victorious. Not long after assuming office, District Attorney Don Landry’s office would be raided by the FBI as part of “Operation Cajun Hustle.” Employees and vendors of District Attorney Landry, including Dusty Guidry and Gary Haynes, were convicted of their role in the conspiracy. It was almost like the Mike Harson administration had walked back into the office on day one, not just the occasional visits which still continue.

Mayors Mostly Get A Free Pass… Except Carencro

For all the attention normally paid to municipal elections, Lafayette Parish’s mayoral races produced remarkably little competition. Ray Bourque in Broussard, Jan-Scott Richard in Scott, Ken Ritter in Youngsville, and Johnny Thibodeaux in Duson are all unopposed.

Carencro is the exception. Mayor Charlotte Clavier faces two challengers, Don Chauvin and Eric Knight. Clavier and Chauvin both ran for the office after former mayor Glenn Brasseur announced he would not be seeking another term. Clavier narrowly defeated Chauvin, who received about 48 percent of the vote.

Clavier’s first term has been marked by endless bad audits, cronyism, allegations of misappropriation of public funds, and the notorious Pas Bon Grift Festival. She is now facing opposition from both sides of the political spectrum. That history immediately makes Carencro one of the municipal races worth watching.

Police Chiefs: Stability in Broussard and Carencro, Races in Scott and Youngsville

The municipal police chief races split almost perfectly between continuity and competition. In Broussard, Police Chief Vance Olivier drew no challenger. Carencro Police Chief David Anderson is likewise unopposed.

Scott voters, however, will choose a new chief following Chad Leger‘s retirement. Caleb Lege, who previously challenged Leger unsuccessfully, is running against Kert Thomas for the now-open position.

Then there is Youngsville.

This is where the article could detour off the tracks, but we will try to stay on point. Few municipal offices in Lafayette Parish have experienced as much political turbulence in so short a period as the Office of Chief of Police for the City of Youngsville.

Following Ricky Boudreaux’s resignation while the subject of a criminal investigation, Cody Louviere was appointed interim chief. A special election was called, in which Boudreaux qualified to run for the seat he had vacated by his resignation. A challenge was filed against Boudreaux, and a court found he was ineligible to run for the position.

Two other candidates were eyeing the office – John Trahan and Art LeBreton. Trahan didn’t appear to meet the domiciliary requirement, but proceeded forward with his efforts to run for the position anyway. Trahan faced a legal challenge, and the District Court disqualified him. LeBreton, on the other hand, declined to run after receiving an unfavorable opinion from the Attorney General, which indicated he did not meet the domiciliary requirement. That left Louviere facing two candidates – Matt Thomassee and J.P. Broussard. In 2024, Louviere ultimately lost the special election for the remainder of Boudreaux’s unexpired term to J.P. Broussard by just 15 votes.

Broussard now must defend the office. This time he will face off against Art LeBreton and John Trahan, creating a three-candidate contest for the full term. Broussard, who has virtually no administrative or management experience in law enforcement, faces two individuals uniquely qualified to move Youngsville out of the comedy section. Despite similar complaints being filed this year, neither the District Attorney nor any private citizen has filed a timely challenge against Trahan.

Council Competition Is Selective

Broussard’s council will see little competition. At-large Councilman Jeff Delahoussaye is unopposed, as are Jesse Regan in District 3, Heather Girouard in District 4, David Forbes in District 5 and Kody Allen in District 6. District 1 councilwoman Angel Racca faces opposition from Lori Landry, while incumbent David Bonin did not qualify for reelection in District 2, leaving Charles Sharma and Trey Smith to compete for the open seat.

Youngsville has only two contested council seats. Division B incumbent Lindy Bolgiano faces James “Bubba” Savell. As one resident remarked: “Bolgiano by trade puts out fires. Bubba tends to light them.” Bolgiano was first elected to the seat in 2018, when he defeated Eddie Lewis, who ran as an Independent, and received 76% of the vote. Bolgiano ran unopposed in 2022.

These may turn out to be one of the more interesting races.

While in Division D, Nick Niland again faces Todd Istre, a rematch of sorts following the special election that put Niland into the seat. Following the election of Ken Stansbury to the Lafayette Parish Council (District 3) in 2023, Jamie Creed was appointed to temporarily fill his unexpired term on the Youngsville City Council. A special election was held to permanently fill the unexpired term of the seat. The candidates included Logan Lannoo, Todd Istre, and Nick Niland.

Lannoo briefly served on the Council as an interim appointee following Kayla Reaux’s resignation. At the time, Istre and his wife, Anne, were fairly well known in political circles. Todd had previously run unsuccessfully for the Lafayette Parish Executive Committee in 2024, and Anne had run unsuccessfully for a seat on the Youngsville City Council in 2023. Niland, on the other hand, was new to the political scene but presented himself as a genuine, polished free thinker.

Istre received 46% of the vote in the November primary, eliminating Lannoo from the competition. But it was Niland who was ultimately victorious, receiving 56% of the vote in the December run-off. Niland now must defend his seat against Istre in a head-to-head competition.

Shannon Bares, Matt Romero and Simone Champagne are unopposed in Divisions A, C and E respectively.

Great Scott!!! And Carencro and Duson As Well.

Scott offers considerably more competition. Interim District 1 Councilman Jakob Goodwin faces Nahia Simon, District 2 incumbent Terry Montoucet faces Sherie Stutes Sonnier, and the District 4 seat being vacated by Blaine Roy has attracted Bob Boudreaux and Allyson Soeseno Richard. Roy himself qualified for the at-large position without opposition, while Lee Domingue is unopposed in District 3.

Carencro and Duson will also hold genuine council elections, with more candidates qualifying than there are available seats. Each of these municipalities elects members by plurality, meaning the top five vote-getters get seats.

Jordan Arceneaux and Antoine Babineaux did not seek re-election in the City of Carencro, meaning at least two of the five members elected to the Council will be new. Incumbents Danielle Capritto, Taylor James and Alfred Sinegal seek re-election, with Damian Glover, Todd Olivier, Alex Savage, Terrance St. Julien and Carlos Stout also seeking seats on the Council.

Wade Robin did not seek re-election in the Town of Duson, but incumbents Glenn Cormier, Coby Duhon, Steve Hanks, and Carolyn Richard did. Joining them in the field of candidates are Blake Credeur, Johnny Lagneaux, and Andrew Malaxonis.

Lafayette City Court Offers Another Open Seat

At Lafayette City Court, Division A Judge Roya Boustany drew no opposition. Boustany originally reached the bench through the special election following the death of Judge Jules Edwards, III, after previously losing to Edwards in a three-way race which included Toby Aguillard.

Division B is another story. The retirement of longtime Judge Doug Saloom has produced a three-way contest among Ryan Harris, James Klock and Emilia Pardo. All are new faces on the political scene.

Meanwhile, Lafayette City Marshal Reggie Thomas will return without opposition.

The Races Nobody Talks About

The ballot also includes the often-overlooked offices of justice of the peace and constable.

Most have already been decided. Justice of Peace Kelly Clause Sonnier (Ward 1), Patsy Boulanger (Ward 2), Sharon Broussard (Ward 4), Barbara Broussard (Ward 5), Don Garber (Ward 7), Bane Luquette (Ward 8) and Gabriel Lewis (Ward 9) are all unopposed.

Likewise, Constables Judy Lantier Menard (Ward 1), Perry Gary (Ward 2), Edward “Chris” Everette (Ward 4), Monique Broussard Champagne (Ward 5), Darrell Menard (Ward 7), Donna Broussard (Ward 8) and Dawn Durke (Ward 9) are all unopposed.

Only the Ward 6 Justice of the Peace race between Michael Angelle and Scott Morgan, and the Ward 6 Constable race between Jake Barousse and Kirk Magnon, drew competition among the races compiled. Ward 6 lies on the north side of the parish, politically known as the “Noisy North.” Every other listed justice of the peace and constable race has an unopposed candidate.

That may be the most revealing statistic of qualifying.

It Seems Like Election Season Never Ended.

Election season traditionally produces signs, mailers, fundraising appeals, and promises to give voters a voice. This year has, of course, been different under the new closed primary system. Just when you thought you would catch a break, get ready!

Yet across Lafayette Parish, dozens of local officials needed only to file their paperwork and survive the qualifying period to secure another term — or, in some cases, win office for the first time. There is nothing improper about winning unopposed. In many cases it may reflect public satisfaction, the difficulty of mounting a campaign, or simply the absence of another person willing to do the job. But 37 uncontested seats should nevertheless give voters something to think about.

Competitive elections force incumbents to explain their records. They force challengers to explain what they would do differently. They generate scrutiny, expose issues that might otherwise remain unnoticed and, at the most basic level, give citizens a choice.

For much of Lafayette Parish government in 2026, that process ended when qualifying closed. For the remaining candidates, it has only begun. The open primary is scheduled for Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Races in which no candidate receives the vote necessary to win outright will move to the December 12 general election. As the election dates approach, Secret Lunch will be returning. We look forward to bringing you an opportunity to meet and speak with each of the candidates.

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