Louisianans turned out in droves to vote in Tuesday's election, likely breaking turnout records. Several races were decided Tuesday, while a handful will go to runoffs locally in December.
Lafayette Parish reported full results shortly after 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, with 114,520 votes cast, a probable record turnout of 70.9% for the parish. More than 48,000 ballots were cast before Election Day through early voting and mail-in ballots, all of which were fully reported shortly after polls closed at 8 p.m.
Four maps that show how America voted in the 2020 election with results by county, number of voters Mitchell Thorson, Janie Haseman and Carlie Procell, USA TODAY Published 5:05 pm UTC Nov. Nov 10, 2020 Four maps that show how America voted in the 2020 election with results by county, number of voters Mitchell Thorson, Janie Haseman and Carlie Procell, USA TODAY Published 5:05 pm UTC Nov. Tuesday’s election results offer insights on two crucial political dynamics heading into the 2020 campaign: the depth of President Trump’s appeal with Republicans and how fully suburban voters. Nov 03, 2020 Election Day 2020: Local results are in, stay tuned for national results by end of day. Editor's note: Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has said election results in Michigan. 3 votes 3 electoral votes. R Trump Donald Trump In Incumbent.
© Leigh Guidry/The Advertiser Voters wait in line at Carencro Middle School about 10:15 a.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020.Voters in Lafayette Parish saw long lines during the day Tuesday, but issues at polling locations were limited.
More: Louisiana election results: 2020 vote for president, senate, top races statewide
Election 2020: Polls close in Louisiana; early, mail-in votes counted in Lafayette Parish
Louisiana senator
Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy won his first bid for re-election Tuesday in the only race for a statewide seat in Louisiana this fall, securing another six-year term by winning a preliminary 62% of the vote statewide.
'What a privilege I have of representing this great state,' Cassidy said in his victory speech. 'Let us leave here tonight knowing that which binds us is far more than what separates us as Americans.'
3rd congressional district
U.S. Rep Clay Higgins, R-Lafayette, also won re-election Tuesday night, securing his third term representing Louisiana's 3rd District in the U.S. House of Representatives with 69% of votes case in the 10-parish race.
'It's a very humbling, overwhelming feeling to secure the confidence of the people during a difficult time for our nation and our state,' Higgins said in an interview with the USA TODAY Network.
Lafayette races
In Lafayette, three races will go to runoffs in December while four races were decided Tuesday night.
© SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network Supporters join Don Landry on election night. Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020.Donald 'Don' Landry, a 73-year-old Republican, will serve as the next district attorney for Lafayette, Acadia and Vermilion parishes, which comprise the 15th Judicial District, after defeating current Assistant District Attorney Daniel 'Danny' Landry with 63% of the 153,200 votes cast.
'It’s such a very exciting evening. My family is here my supporters are here,' Don Landry said. “We all worked hard to get this done and I so much appreciate them. I love the fact that we’re going to work to make Acadiana safe.'
The race to replace ousted Lafayette City Marshal Brian Pope will continue until December after the four-way race found itself without a clear winner Tuesday as Republican Kip Judice, the police chief in Duson, and no party candidate Reggie Thomas, former deputy chief of Lafayette police, led the pack to finish with 44% and 26% of votes cast respectively.
© Submitted by the Kip Judice and Reggie Thomas campaigns Duson Police Chief Kip Judice and former Lafayette Police Department Deputy Chief Reggie Thomas are going to a runoff for the Louisiana City Marshal race.“I am humbled and am absolutely appreciative of every vote that was cast for me tonight,' Judice said Tuesday. “Let’s measure up and step up and see what the people of Lafayette want, but I feel very confident about it.'
“When you look at the numbers I really think I have a great chance of being the next city marshal. We worked really hard in my campaign,' Thomas said Tuesday. 'We know we have our work cut out for us and I know Kip Judice is a great opponent and I look forward to the challenge.'
Election 2020: Reggie Thomas and Kip Judice head to runoff in Lafayette city marshal race
Two of Lafayette's four races to become a judge in the 15th Judicial District Court were decided Tuesday night, with attorney Michele Billeaud, a Republican, winning 56% of the vote in the race for the district's Division K judge seat to avoid a runoff election.
Former 15th Judicial District Judge Susan Theall, a Republican, will return to the bench in Lafayette next year after also winning outright Tuesday night with 54% of the votes cast for the district's Division M seat. Theall first won election to the court in 2011 in a special election for a term that ended in 2014.
The two other district judge races in Lafayette Parish will head to run off elections on Dec. 5, after no candidate was able to garner more than 50% of votes cast.
For Division B, Travis Broussard will face Valerie Gotch Garrett in a runoff election after Garrett gathered 49% of the 14,702 votes cast in that district, which largely covers north Lafayette, Carencro and a small part of Acadia Parish. Broussard finished with 26% of the vote, while Sam Flugence finished with 23% in the race between three Democrats.
For Division D, Assistant District Attorney Royale Colbert will face off against Assistant Attorney General Amanda Martin in a runoff election after Colbert finished with 44% of the 14,646 votes cast in that race while Martin finished with 41%. Attorney Dwa Smith finished third in the Division D race with 15%. All three candidates are Democrats.
Finally, attorney Michelle Odinet will become the Lafayette's next City Court Judge after defeating Jules Edwards III, a retiring 15th Judicial District Judge, in a city-wide that Odinet won with 57% of the 56,341 votes cast.
A ballot provision to rededicate the parishwide 0.25-mill property-tax that funds the CREATE initiative for five years was approved, dividing the millage's roughly $564,000 in annual collections between $395,000 for parishwide fire protection and 169,000 for roads and infrastructure.
More: Lafayette Parish School Board: Tax renewal essential to facility improvements, eliminating 'portables'
Voters in Lafayette Parish also approved a 10-year renewal of a 5-mill property tax for the Lafayette Parish School System that is expected to generate $11.75 million a year.
Reporters Greg Hilburn of the Monroe News-Star, Ashley White and Taylor Potter contributed to this report.
Follow Andrew Capps on Twitter or send an email to acapps@theadvertiser.com.
Today's Election Poll Results
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Here are the full results from Election Day 2020 in Lafayette, Louisiana
Georgia Senate Race Results From Election Day
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Results From Election Day
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