Posted on 12/03/2005 7:18:32 AM PST by Klatuu
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, the entire City Council and a host of other local elected officials likely will remain in office beyond the four-year terms scheduled to end May 1, after Gov. Kathleen Blanco agreed Friday to postpone the city's Feb. 4 municipal elections.
Fulfilling a pledge she made weeks ago, Blanco accepted a recommendation to delay the elections handed down earlier in the day by Secretary of State Al Ater, the first time a mayoral election has been deferred in the city's modern history. Ater did not recommend a make-up date but said logistical challenges presented by Hurricane Katrina could push back the balloting to Sept. 30.
(Excerpt) Read more at nola.com ...
IOW ... how are we going to steal this one?
Wow, now that boggles the mind as far as corruption goes.
My guess is they'll just roll these elections into the Nov national elections.
I guess this makes Louisiana officially a 3rd-world country... elections postponed at the whim of those in power.
I guess the state legislature has no say on this? Geez . . .
Sure, Congress should send this bunch $250 billion
They can have Mardi Gras in February, but not an election?
Should we laugh or cry?
The main question is, can Nagin run again since he's not resided in NO since Katrina...
Louisiana has always been a 3rd world country. It's easier to do business in Nigeria than it is here.
Congress needs to grow some balls and make aid contingent on basic criteria, such as holding elections on time.
Is Al Ater still a Democrat? I know that he succeeded the late Secretary of State Fox McKeithen in 2005. I think he is running in a special election himself sometimes in 2006 for the secretary of state's position. He is from Ferriday, I believe.
Ater is a Democrat, but said he would not seek this office in 2006.
It could also be that the New Orleans charter requires municipal elections separate from any other set of elections. Having primary elections in February (with general elections in March or April) of even years was already unusual.
Oh, I thought that Ater was running. Who are now the likely candidates? It could be that the loss of possibly 30,000 liberal votes out of Orleans Parish would give a Republican something of an outside chance in the fall of 2006. But it would be for only a 1.5-year term, and 2006 is shaping up as a likely Democrat rout nationally, with so many Republicans angry at their own party.
Also, the passage of time can only help dim the memory of the shameful performance by those in charge when Katrina hit.
These people are the kofi annans of contemporary America. Incompetent, corrupt but no one will ever call them to account.
"My guess is they'll just roll these elections into the Nov national elections."
That's got to be a tough decision... the longer they wait, the longer they can keep looting the relief funds - they are probably wondering how long they can get away with it.
SECRETARY OF STATE:
I found the list of candidates thus far for secretary of state. Conservatives can support Mike Michot, son of a former Democrat LA education superintendent.
** SPECIAL ELECTION - SEPTEMBER 2006 **
[ Al Ater (D)* - Not Running in 2006. ]
Francis Heitmeier (D) - State Sen. & Ex-State Rep.
Keith Hightower (D) - Shreveport Mayor & Ex-Shreveport City Commissioner
Marjorie McKeithen (D) - Attorney, '98 Congressional Nominee & Daughter of Ex-Sec.of State Fox McKeithen
Mike Michot (R) - State Sen., Ex-State Rep. & Businessman
. .. with so many Republicans angry at their own party.
Oh yeah . . . very angry./s
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