Louisiana Runoff Election Set for Mid November

November 18, 2017, is the day for voters to vote for vacancy in Louisiana’s statewide office of Treasurer, and other positions in municipal offices in specific parishes.
The forerunners of this Runoff are former State Representative, John Schroder (Republican) and a New Orleans lawyer, Derrick Edwards.
In the state primary, Schroder finished second to Edwards with a 24 percent vote and Edwards with a 31 percent vote.
Edwards has only been able to raise a few hundred dollars for his campaign due to his minimal campaigning techniques. He has not been endorsed by the Louisiana Democratic Party for his campaign, partly because he neglected to meet the state legal deadlines for his finance paperwork over the past months.
According to NOLA.com, Schroder told a crowd for his campaign party in Covington, LA that, “We have a lot of work to do still because somehow we have to get people to come out and vote again.” He went on to say “Be with me for the next 40 days. It’s a big state and somehow we have to find enough people.”
The role of a treasurer consists of monitoring Louisiana’s investments, ensures that the governor has enough cash to pay bills and helps to improve state construction projects. The treasurer also serves as a chairperson or a member of state authorities, boards and commissions.
Throughout the history for African American citizens of the United States, voting was not a right granted easily due to skin color differentiation causing uproar in the community. As a result, Constitutional Amendments were created to make a more equal environment for everyone of different races, ethnicities, and genders.
In 1868, the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution granted full citizenship rights, including voting rights, to all men born or naturalized in the United States. This Amendment was created for only white men in America and didn’t allow anyone else the right to vote.
In 1870, the 15th Amendment stated that the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
This Amendment was created to end the boundary of people not being able to vote due to race or color, but this still did not make a change in the society for all.
The 19th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution gave women the right to vote nationwide in 1920. In 1924, the Indian Citizenship Act granted Native Americans citizenship and voting rights.
The Federal Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964 to ensure that all men and women age 21 and older, regardless of race, religion, or education, have the right to vote.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 signed by President Lyndon Johnson at the time, was targeted to overcome legal barriers at state and local levels that prevented African Americans from exercising their right to vote.
Amendments and acts were set in place so that people all over the world, especially men and women of color could finally vote for who they wanted as their representative for their state.
Freshman Biology major, Tahara Trimble, native of New Orleans, LA stated, “I feel very privileged to be able to vote in all elections including here at Southern, it gives me the opportunity to vote for what I believe in”. She was unaware of the upcoming election, but understood the importance of African Americans’ history of voting, and the impact it has in the world today.
Therefore, citizens of the state of Louisiana are encouraged to take advantage of their opportunity to vote John Schroder or Derrick Edwards for the Treasurer.