A few more challengers—including a mayoral candidate—have emerged to qualify for St. George’s March municipal election on the final day of qualifying Friday.
Earlier this week, a slate of primarily incumbent officials qualified simultaneously on the first day of qualifying for the city’s first municipal election.
The group includes the city’s mayor, police chief, and four council members. Gov. Jeff Landry appointed them to their interim positions last year.
The members of that group are all Republican and have qualified.
Before Friday, only two outsiders—Shaunn Wyche and William Brigman, both running for council seats—had thrown their hats in the ring.
As of this afternoon’s publication deadline, seven additional candidates qualified across three different races.
Republican Jim Morgan qualified Friday to challenge Dustin Yates for mayor. Morgan is a member of the St. George Fire Protection District Board of Commissioners.
Three more candidates, all Republicans, joined the council members at-large race: Scott Emonet, William Johannessen and Jim Talbot. Emonet is an attorney at Balfour Emonet Law Firm. Johannessen is a local businessman who was appointed to replace Baton Rouge’s Police and Fire Civil Service Board Chair Brandon Williams last April. Johannessen vacated the seat three months later after the incorporation of St. George. Talbot is a member of the St. George Transition District. They join Shaunn Wyche, Joel Davis and David Dellucci in the race.
Three candidates qualified to run against Patty Cook in District 4: Independents David Madaffari and Shannon Powell and Republican Justin Turner.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated since original publication.