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LCG demographer says revote on deconsolidation isn’t necessary

Posted at 10:36 PM, Feb 21, 2019
and last updated 2019-02-22 01:48:59-05

December’s deconsolidation vote could be invalid because of what the Registrar of Voters is calling several errors in the ordinance that would create split city and parish council districts.

Mayor-President Joel Robideaux is waiting for final word from the Secretary of State about the possible revote.

Meanwhile, the demographer who drew the districts, Mike Hefner, says a revote isn’t necessary.

“This morning, the Secretary of State reached out to me and said that there are fixes and corrections that need to be made, and in all likelihood, that meant that there was going to be a new vote that was going to need to be taken,” Robideaux said.

Robideaux made that announcement Thursday morning, two days after LCG officials discussed the errors with Hefner. Hefner says the errors are minor.

“The errors that were initially highlighted in an email, I found out at a meeting we had earlier this week that they were actually taking the written descriptions for Plan 2D, and they were comparing it with an old map.,” Hefner said.

Hefner says the plan includes only a few technical errors. He says the council can fix them without the need for a new election.

“There is no reason to go before the voters and revote on this. This is just supporting documentation for the ballot initiative. The initiative created Lafayette City Council and Lafayette Parish Council. The ordinance just had all the details and supporting documentation. All of that can be created by an ordinance, and all of that can be corrected by an ordinance,” Hefner said.

According to Robideaux, the Secretary of State disagrees.

“I asked him specifically about an ordinance fix being a possibility. He stated he did not think so,” Robideaux said.