Police jury election results: Durrett falls in landslide

Story updated with final vote counts and interviews with winners — Oct. 14 at 11:45 p.m.

As the dust settled in Saturday’s primary election for seven seats on the Lincoln Parish Police Jury, two incumbents lost their seats at the polls, two won reelection, and two will head to runoffs next month.

In perhaps the most seismic shift for the next jury term, complete but unofficial returns show that current jury President Richard Durrett lost his seat in a landslide to newcomer Dan Lord, picking up just 26% of the vote in District 3 to Lord’s 74%.

In a district that led the way in turnout with 40.5% of the electorate casting votes, Lord received 901 votes to Durrett’s 311.

“I am very grateful for the support from voters in Lincoln Parish District 3, and I look forward to representing them and doing the right thing for our district and Lincoln Parish as a member of the police jury,” Lord said. “We all know that it is time for a change in the police jury, to restore integrity and accountability, and I am proud to be part of the process.”

Lord ran on a platform of increasing transparency in how the jury makes decisions, and he said that’s what led to his big win Saturday.

“I was very consistent, honest and fair, and people are ready for transparency and someone to do the right thing for Lincoln Parish,” he said.

District 11’s Sharyon Mayfield was also ousted by voters, as her challengers Diane Heard Richards and Patsy Candler will head to a November runoff.

Mayfield received just 26% of the vote, or 93 votes. Richards led the way with 152 votes but could not win outright, getting 43% of the total. Candler received 111 votes, good for 31%.

Only 18.6% of registered voters turned out in District 11.

In District 6, Glenn Scriber comfortably won a second term on the jury with 73% of the vote — 493 ballots. Challenger John Cole garnered 187 votes, or only 28%. Turnout was an even 30%.

“I’m humbled by the margin I won by,” Scriber said. “John Cole did a real good job — he was professional, and I want to congratulate him on how he ran his race. I will continue to work for District 6, as well as Lincoln Parish, and represent them in the manner in which they deserve to be represented.”

Scriber said that based on what he heard from constituents, he believes he won reelection because District 6 residents were satisfied with his votes for inking a new ambulance contract with the Ruston Fire Department last year and against terminating Doug Postel as parish administrator this January.

“I’ve had many people tell me they felt like I voted on all major issues the way they would have voted,” Scriber said. “That’s why they stuck with me on the election.”

District 9’s Joe Henderson also retained his seat he’s held for some 30 years, defeating challenger Nakisha Evans by 75 votes in the lowest-turnout jury race that has finished reporting.

Henderson claimed 63% of the total with 180 votes. Evans earned 105 votes, good for 37%.

That’s a turnout of just 16.3%, a fact that didn’t escape Henderson Saturday night.

“I thank God, number one,” Henderson said. “But we had the lowest turnout in the parish. Very disappointed in the turnout. My supporters assumed I was going to win, and they didn’t go vote. I won, but I should have won by a greater margin. But if I had won by one vote, I would still be grateful.”

Henderson said he attributes his win to his many years of experience, but also to his dedicated team who went door to door throughout the campaign, including his wife Lynda.

“When I was at work, she was on the streets,” he said.

The last jury candidate to win outright Saturday night was Karen Ludley in District 2, handily defeating fellow newcomer Tommie Woods 68% to 32%.

District 2 incumbent Hazel Hunter did not seek reelection and endorsed Ludley.

“I’m very excited,” Ludley said. “The hard work we put in, going door to door, letting people know what my goals were. Very excited to get the ball rolling. It really all goes to glorify God.”

Ludley said she attributes her win in District 2, a majority Black district that includes parts of Grambling, to her honesty and being a candidate for everybody.

“I’m just an honest person for the people,” she said. “It’s not just about being in Grambling, but the entire Lincoln Parish, period. There is no color for me, and I’m just an all-around person.”

Turnout in District 2 was 18.8%.

Jury Vice President Milton Melton is slated for a runoff in District 10 with challenger Gary Wayne Baldwin. Melton led the way with 48% of votes cast — 227 of them. Baldwin got 165 votes, good for 35%.

Morris “Mo Love” Winters was a distant third with 17% of the vote — just 82 ballots.

And in District 1, challenger Greg “Big Coach” Williams just barely forced a runoff with incumbent Theresa Wyatt, as Wyatt garnered 49% of the vote to Williams’ 45%. 

The two were separated by 22 votes, while challenger Will Edwards finished in a distant third place with 6% of the vote. Turnout was 23.5% of registered voters.