Clayton Voisin Jr. upsets Gerald Michel for Terrebonne Council District 3
A two-term Terrebonne Parish council member was bested in Saturday’s primary election by the son of a late long-term member of that body, who took more than 57% of the vote.
Clayton Voisin Jr. beat the veteran, Gerald Michel, in a vote of 1,198 to 885, according to the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office, or 57.51% to 42.49%.
A runoff is not required in November because there were only two candidates in the race for the District 3 seat.
District 3 includes the Broadmoor area, Oakshire, parts of Bayou Cane -- from Coteau Road to Stadium Drive -- the Burkwall subdivision and the Bayou Gardens subdivision.
Voisin said he believes one of the most important messages to resonate with voters involve his concerns about how neighborhoods in the parish are scored for flood potential by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Terrebonne officials have long complained that FEMA has not taken into account massive flood protection work that has been done, resulting in high insurance premiums and in some cases inability to get insurance at all.
“We know from a council standpoint, one councilman has zero power, but I do have ideas to give to the council,” Voisin said. “There is power in numbers. We are not the only parish suffering with this. If we can all come together as council members and parish presidents from many parishes, we can go to the state legislators and say we need action and we need it now. And y’all need to come together and bombard them with numbers. And let’s make it public. Alert the media. Let them know so we can come at it from a local and state level.”
Incumbent Gerald Michel – a former educator – expressed disappointment in his defeat.
“I am at peace with it. But you work so hard to do the right thing and to operate based on morality and honesty, and there are not enough people paying attention,” said Michel, explaining that too many people can see the problem with overgrowth on a lot in their neighborhood or a pothole in front of their house but, in his words, “not see the big picture.”
Michel earned a reputation for being a gadfly, outspoken about issues he saw as being important not only for constituents but the parish as a whole.
“I appreciate the honor of being able to serve them for the past eight years and if they need anything they can continue to reach out to me.”
Voisin credited his late father, Clayton Voisin Sr., who served on the council for a dozen years, with inspiring him to run his campaign in the manner he did.
“I know that he is very proud of the hard work we all put in, myself, our family and friends,” said Voisin, like his father a native of Dulac but for many years a resident of Houma. “I ran a race just like I witnessed him run a race, I learned from him and was able to take the tools he gave me and use them.”
Voisin will take office the first week in January.
Incumbents Danny Babin of District 7 and Steve Trosclair of District 9 were victorious and will return to their seats. Run-offs will be held between Brian Pledger and Ralph Singleton in District 1, Clyde Hamner and “Mike Cuz” Prosperie in District 6, and between "Kim" Chauvin and Barry Soudelier in District 8.
Council Member -- District 1
Lionel "Tony" Lewis, Jr. (DEM) 26.07% 317
Brien K. Pledger (DEM) 41.45% 504
Ralph Singleton, Jr. (IND) 32.48% 395
Council Member -- District 3
Gerald Michel (REP) 42.49%. 885
Clayton "C.J." Voisin (REP) 57.51% 1,198
Council Member -- District 6
Clyde F. Hamner (REP) 41.70% 1,788
Russell "Red" Hornsby (REP) 10.91% 468
"Mike Cuz" Prosperie (REP) 29.71%. 1,274
"L.A. Tony" Robichaux (REP) 17.68%. 758
Council Member -- District 7
Daniel "Danny" Babin (REP) 58.23% 1,606
Willie Daisy, Sr. (IND) 26.69% 736
Brian Naquin (REP) 15.08% 416
Council Member -- District 8
"Kim" Chauvin (REP) 38.82% 870
Elrin "Peanut" Fanguy (REP) 21.64% 485
Chucky Farkas (REP) 5.58% 125
Barry "Soudie" Soudelier (REP) 33.96%. 761
Council Member -- District 9
Natalie Trahan Bergeron (REP) 38.70% 904
Andrew J. Blanchard (REP) 6.59% 154
Perry J. Naquin (IND) 3.90% 91
Steve Trosclair (REP) 50.81% 1,187
This article originally appeared on Gonzales Weekly Citizen: Voisin upsets Michel for Terrebonne Council District 3
