Vote Early for Dec. 8 Election

Polls to Open Saturday for Eight Days of Early Voting

CENTRAL — The dust has hardly settled on the Nov. 6 election, but voters in the Baton Rouge area will go to the polls once again on Saturday, Dec. 8 for a runoff election that could decide the direction of the Louisiana Supreme Court for a decade to come.

Early voting will begin this Saturday, Nov. 24 and end Dec. 1.

With the recent elevation of a liberal Democrat to chief justice of the Supreme Court, the runoff between Democrat John Michael Guidry of Baton Rouge and Republican Jeff Hughes of Livingston will have special meaning.

The election of Hughes would give conservative Republicans a 4-3 majority on the court.  The election of Guidry would give the Democrats a 4-3 majority and could take the court in a more liberal direction.

Early voting will be held at

• Baker Registrar of Voters

• Municipal Building downtown

• Clerk of Court on Coursey

• Secretary of State on Essen

Voters should bring a photo I.D. issued by a government agency.

One interesting twist in the election campaign has been the involvement of some oil industry lobbyists who have come out in favor of the Democrat, Judge Guidry.  They say Judge Hughes favors the interests of landowners over oil companies.

In an interview Monday, Hughes told the Central City News that he has not made any rulings that have dealt with the issue directly.

He said that on all issues he will apply the law as written to the facts of the case and make a reasoned judgment without regard to who may be the parties to the case.

The Republican Party is backing Hughes, and the Democrats are backing Guidry.

Both Hughes and Guidry currently served on the 1st Circuit Court of Appeal.  Guidry is elected from an inner city district in Baton Rouge, while Hughes is elected from Livingston Parish.

The Supreme Court district includes East Baton Rouge Parish and all of the parishes surrounding it.

Another important race on the ballot is for the seat on the Court of Appeal now held by Judge Mike McDonald, a Republican.  He is in a runoff with attorney Gideon Carter, a Democrat.

Candidates Biographical Data

• Court of Appeal Judge Jeff Hughes. Conservative Republican with 12 years as practicing attorney, 14 years as District Judge, and eight years on the Court of Appeal.  Resides in Livingston Parish.

• Court of Appeal Judge John Michael Guidry. Moderate Democrat.  He served in Louisiana House and Louisiana Senate, practiced law for 10 years, and has served for 15 years on Court of Appeal.  He resides in Baton Rouge.

Why the Election Matters. The Louisiana Supreme Court has three conservative justices, three liberal justices, and one who can tilt either way, depending on the issue.  The election of a Republican to this seat would move the court in a more conservative direction.

• Attorney Gideon Carter III,

a Democrat who has been endorsed by the Democratic Party of East Baton Rouge Parish. Carter has practiced law for 25 years, including Civil Rights, civil litigation, state and federal criminal law, commercial law, succession and estate representation, financial/estate/retirement planning, insurance and personal injury litigation, family law, property law and worker’s compensation.  He has also been involved in a number of high profile school desegregation cases, including those in East Baton Rouge Parish, Jefferson Parish, St. John the Baptist, St. Martin, Tangipahoa, and Pointe Coupee parishes.

• Circuit Court of Appeal Judge Mike McDonald who is the incumbent in the race. A veteran of the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War, McDonald retired as a Captain.  He served as an Assistant District Attorney before being elected District Judge for East Baton Rouge Parish, a position he held for 16 years, before being elected to the Court of Appeal in 2003.  He has served on the bench for nearly 26 years.  He earned B.S. and law degrees from LSU.  McDonald said, “I have been honored to serve as a judge for the past 26 years. The law and our Constitution have guided my rulings and will continue to do so as long as the voters allow me to serve them on the Court of Appeal.”