By Bonnie Culverhouse
Early voting starts this weekend on a short ballot but a very important election.
Webster Parish Clerk of Court Holli Vining and Registrar of Voters Angela Hall released a schedule that puts voters at the courthouse in Minden Saturday, March 11 through March 18 (excluding Sunday) to cast their ballots early.
Springhill Civic Center is the site for North Webster Parish voters beginning Tuesday, March 14 through Saturday, March 18. Early polls are open from 8:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. each day.
March 25 is election day. Polls are open from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. On the ballot are Webster Parish School Board District 9 seat and (parish wide) renewal of a 12.39 millage rate for Webster Parish Libraries.
The millage makes up 97 percent of the library’s total revenue. From that 97 percent, money is spent on library services, human capital, fixed costs which include communication software/services, and maintenance for all seven locations. One location needing attention in particular that the library system has strategically been preparing to address is the Doyline library location.
The current millage expires in 2024. A renewal covers 10 years.
With the January 30 withdrawal of LaTanya “Tan” Grigsby, there are two candidates who qualified to run for Webster Parish School Board District 9 seat, which was vacated by long-time member Frankie Mitchell. Mitchell did not run for re-election last fall, and no one qualified to run for her seat.
Jerri Lee and Jo Ann McWoodson hope to get the voters’ nod in the March 25 election.
Deadlines to register to vote have passed. Deadline to request an absentee ballot is March 21 by 4:30 p.m. (other than military and overseas voters). Voters can request an absentee ballot online through aVoter Portal or in writing from the Registrar of Voters office.
