Jackson Parish residents made their choices known on Election Day Tuesday with the results showing a mixed bag between wanting new leadership in the top spots in Jonesboro and North Hodge and other than a few exceptions, keeping with the status quo in all other positions that were up for grabs. Complete results were posted by the Louisiana Secretary of State website at 10:00pm on Tuesday night confirming the final tabulations.
The Town of Jonesboro and Village of North Hodge both will be run by new electees for the next four years as James |”Spike” Harris and Joanie Moffett Cannady used a large Election Day turnout to claim the Mayor’s Office for each municipality. Also taking office for the first time will be Israel Smith as Jonesboro Chief of Police, Robert Hunter as Town of Jonesboro Alderman for District D and Paulette Belton as Jackson Parish School Board Representative for District 5.
Those returning to office were: Robert “Bobby” Dillon and Terrence S. Leonard as Chief of Police in North Hodge and East Hodge, Nia-Evans Johnson and Devin Flowers as Town of Jonesboro Aldermen, Dennis Clary as School Board Representative for District 7. Martha Buchan, Willard Willis and Steve Fox won re-election as the three Village of Hodge Aldermen while the trio of Andrea Woods, Ernie Roden and Sarah Heard were elected to serve North Hodge as Aldermen.
It was believed that the Mayor’s race between incumbent Leslie Thompson and Jonesboro Chief of Police Harris would be a be a hotly contested battle that would be seperated by the thinnest of margins. It turned out to be just that! Despite trailing after early voting returns by a 356 – 299 margin, Harris benefitted from a large turnout of voters on Election Day Tuesday, that was measured at 63.1%, to overcome the deficit and win by A 685 – 665 count. The thin margin is believed to be the closest race ever for Mayor.
