Richland voters elect judge, pass amendments

Richland Parish voters supported Jimbo Stephens for judge, Neil Riser for treasurer and passed all three constitutional amendments this weekend.
Richland Parish voters supported Stephens by 77 percent on Saturday, giving him 1,655 votes while opponent Sharon Marchman got 496 votes.
Overall, Stephens was elected as the new judge for the Second Circuit First District Court of Appeals by 52 percent, defeating Marchmann by 9,438 votes to 8,870.
In the race for state treasurer, Riser took first place in Richland Parish with with 1,309 votes for 61 percent. He was followed by Angelle Davis with 342 votes for 16 percent, Derrick Edawrds with 287 votes for 13 percent, John Schroder with 149 votes for seven percent, Terry Hugues with 43 votes for two percent and Joseph D. Little with 20 votes for one percent.
On the state level, Edwards took the top position with 125,503 votes for 31 percent and will be in a run off with Schroder who got 96,440 votes for 24 percent.
Davis got86, 880 votes for 22 percent while Riser got 72.702 votes for 18 percent, Hughes got 11,117 votes for three percent and Little got 8,767 for two percent.
Constitutional Amendment #1 regarding the exemption of property taxes for construction sites passed by 66 percent statewide with 266,133 votes for it and 129,549 against.
In Richland Parish it passed by 67 percent with 1,427 votes in favor of it and 700 votes against it.
Constitutional Amendment #2 regarding homestead exemption for unmarried surviving spouse passed by 67 percent with 272,042 people voting for it and 131,704 against it.
In Richland Parish it passed by 70 percent with 1,473 votes in favor and 633 against.
Constitutional Amendment #3 to dedicate any new taxes (gas) into the Construction Subfund passed by 513 percent with 213,433 people in favor of it and 188,263 against.
In Richland Parish it passed by 51 percent with 1,067 votes in favor and 1,045 votes against it.