Kenner and Slidell wasted no time getting election season rolling. Kenner Mayor Michael Glaser Sr. and Slidell Mayor Randy Fandal both filed to run for full terms yesterday, the first day of a three-day qualifying window for the May 16 municipal primary. Their paperwork opens what is shaping up to be a crowded local season, with police chief races and a stack of council contests joining the mayoral battles. Qualifying runs until tomorrow, so the roster of candidates is still very much in play.
The qualifying period runs from yesterday until tomorrow, with the municipal primary set for May 16 and any municipal runoffs scheduled for June 27. The elections calendar from the Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court lists the Yenni Building on the Eastbank and the Gretna General Government Building on the Westbank as qualifying locations, and includes Kenner’s mayor, police chief and council seats among the offices on the May ballot.
Who Filed In Kenner
On the Kenner side of the parish line, Mayor Michael Glaser Sr. officially signed up to seek a full term, while Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley filed to hold onto his top cop role. The qualifying lists also show a busy field for the council: Brian Brennan and Joe Stagni for Council At-Large Division A, George L. Branigan for At-Large Division B, Kristy Katsanis McKinney in District 4, Joey Lahatte III in District 3, Danny Riehm in District 5, and a District 2 showdown shaping up between Mike Sigur and Tom Wilmott, among others, according to NOLA.com.
Slidell's Field
Across the lake in Slidell, Mayor Randy Fandal, who won a special election last October to finish out the previous term, stepped back into the ring by filing for a full four-year term as qualifying opened. The race for police chief has drawn Thomas “Tommy” Williams and Brian Nicaud. Several council seats are also on the line: Dominick “Nick” Spadoni III and Shawn Jones in District E, Fabian L. Hartley and Sean Fadely in District B, and Megan Haggerty in District C. The at-large field includes Tom Abney, Kenny Tamborella, Jeff Burgoyne and David Dunham, according to The Slidell Independent Newspaper.
What To Watch
By the end of yesterday’s qualifying, both Glaser in Kenner and Fandal in Slidell had filed their paperwork but had not yet drawn any opponents, leaving a little suspense over whether challengers will step in before Friday’s cutoff, as reported by NOLA.com. The police chief races and several council contests are expected to be the main hotspots this spring. Any race that does not produce a clear majority winner on May 16 will roll into a June 27 runoff.
How To Track Candidates And Vote
Jefferson Parish voters can find qualifying lists, polling times and ballot details for Kenner contests on the elections page of the Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court, which also posts early voting schedules and contact information for mail-in ballot requests.
Voters in Slidell can get their local qualifying lists, precinct information and voting resources through the St. Tammany Parish Registrar of Voters, where early voting dates and mail ballot instructions are also available.
