Early voting for Nov. 18 election points to low turnout, with exceptions

(KLFY) — After a voter turnout for the Oct. 14 gubernatorial primary election that was labeled “historically bad” by Gov. John Bel Edwards, interest in the general election on Nov. 18 will likely be worse, with a couple of exceptions, if early voting numbers are any indication.

That is due in large part to the governor’s election being decided in the primary, which Jeff Landry won outright with 52% of the vote.

In Lafayette Parish, for example, 18,389 people voted early. As of Monday with final numbers in, 17,285 early votes were cast. In St. Landry Parish, 5,714 people voted early for the primary, compared to 2,830 for the general.

It’s a different story in Jeff Davis and Vermilion parishes. In Jeff Davis, 3,242 people voted early for the primary and 3,589 ballots have been cast so far in the general. Vermilion saw 4,810 early votes and 4,742 for the general.

It is probably no coincidence that both of those parishes have contested races for sheriff. Ivy Woods will face Kyle Miers in the sheriff’s runoff in Jeff Davis, while Eddie Langlinais and Lance Broussard will face off in Vermilion.

Here are the numbers of votes cast and the percentage of registered voters who have voted early for the Nov. 18 election statewide and in the nine parishes in KLFY’s viewing area:

Statewide: 253,982 early votes, 9%
Acadia: 2,453, 6%
Evangeline: 912, 4%
Iberia: 3,291, 7%
Jefferson Davis: 3,589, 17%
Lafayette: 17,285, 11%
St. Landry: 2,830, 5%
St. Martin: 4,645, 13%
St. Mary: 2,929, 9%
Vermilion: 4,742, 13%

With early voting over, Statewide numbers were down in every parish, with the exception of Jeff Davis Parish. The general election is Saturday, Nov. 18.