For a public education union, electing the right school board candidates for our members is extremely important. In Caddo, the stakes are even higher to elect the right people because we have voted as a body to petition the board for a union contract. We focus on policies and practices rather than political parties. Our question is and will always remain: What have you done or what are you willing to do for the teachers, school employees, and students of Caddo Parish?
Here was our process for endorsing candidates:
•First, the Committee on Political Education (COPE), made up of Red River United members and led by Bernard Friday, were charged to put together a questionnaire centered around the candidates position on a Collective Bargaining Contract as well as several other key issues impacting public school employees (pay, benefits, working conditions, job protections, etc.)
• Next, we sent the questionnaire to every single candidate for the Caddo Parish School Board in challenged races. This included districts 1, 2, 7, 8, 10, 11, & 12
.In order to be considered eligible for endorsement by Red River United, the candidate MUST RETURN the questionnaire. The following candidates returned the questionnaire:
1. John Albritton
2. Dottie Bell
3. Darrin Dixon
4. Jon Glover
5. Barbara Iverson
6. Rodney Jiles
7. Orlisa Nash Johnson
8. Mike Morales
9. Kisha Newsom
10. Linda Rasberry Smith
11. Sheila Wimberly
12. Jessica Yeates
• Upon receipt of the questionnaires, the COPE committee scheduled interviews to clarify remarks on the questionnaire as well as to speak to the candidate in a live setting. The following candidates followed through with an interview:
1. John Albritton
2. Dottie Bell
3. Darrin Dixon
4. Jon Glover
5. Rodney Jiles
6. Orlisa Nash Johnson
7. Mike Morales
8. Kisha Newsom
9. Linda Rasberry Smith
10. Sheila Wimberly
11. Jessica Yeates
• Once the interviews were completed, the committee met and ranked their choices based on the following guidelines:
1. Incumbency – If an incumbent voted with the organization in a significant way, the committee endorsed that candidate. 2. If the incumbent does not meet that threshold or there was no incumbent, the committee then evaluated the responses on the questionnaire and the interview.
3. The committee evaluated the ability of the candidate to be successful and our ability to help them in their district to be successful.
• The COPE committee then selected their candidates for full endorsement or favorable candidates, if more than one person was selected in a district. They then made their recommendations to the Red River United Executive Board to secure endorsement.
• Finally, the Red River United Executive Board voted to endorse the candidates based on the recommendations of the COPE committee.
The following candidates were endorsed or found favorable:
District 1: Kisha Gayle Newsom-Endorsed
District 2: Orlisa Nash Johnson*– Endorsed
District 3: Terence Vinson (unopposed)- Favorable
District 4: Don Little (unopposed)- Favorable
District 5: Bonita Douzart (unopposed)- Favorable
District 6: Mary Trammel (unopposed)- Favorable
District 7: Darrin Dixon- Favorable Linda Rasberry Smith*– Favorable
District 8: Mike Morales*– Endorsed
District 9: Barry Rachal (unopposed)- Favorable
District 10: Jon Shaffer Glover*– Favorable Rodney Jiles- Favorable
District 11: Jessica Yeates-Endorsed
District 12: Dottie Bell-Endorsed
*RRU member
As an organization of No Party, Independents, Green Party, Republicans and Democrats, we pride ourselves on staying strictly to the issues impacting our members in public education. Our endorsements for the 2022 November Election reflect just this. Well done, Bernard Friday and the RRU COPE Committee!
Remember:
• The deadline to register to vote in person, by mail, or at the OMV Office is Oct. 11.
• The deadline to register to vote through the GeauxVote Online Registration System is Oct. 18.
• Early voting is Oct. 25 through Nov. 1 (excluding Sunday, Oct. 30) from 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
• The deadline to request an absentee ballot is Nov. 4 by 4:30 p.m. (other than military and overseas voters). You can request an absentee ballot online through our Voter Portal or in writing through your Registrar of Voters Office.
• The deadline for a registrar of voters to receive a voter absentee ballot is Nov. 7 by 4:30 p.m. (other than military and overseas voters).
• On election day, the polls are open from 6 a.m.-8 p.m.
• Visit Voter Portal (la.gov) to view voter specific information such as early voting location, election day voting location, and to view sample your sample ballot.