Pressured by a Federal judge, Governor Kathleen Blanco has finally set April 22 for New Orleans elections, which were postponed since Katrina, broken levees and the U.S. Army helped to disperse thousands of residents out of the city and even out of the state.
The offices of mayor, city councilman, mayor, sheriff and tax assessors are up for grabs.
Unfortunately many of its far-flung residents still may not be able to vote.
Critics of the plan to hold April elections say that there will not be enough time to reach out to citizens and that some would-be candidates will be locked out because they will not have enough time to campaign.
The Louisiana legislature and the Justice Department still have to sign off on the emergency election plan, promulgated by Secretary of State Al Ater, “which includes beefed-up absentee balloting and the creation of “mega-polling” sites to replace those damaged by the hurricane.” But from all indications, it’s a foregone conclusion that they will.
This looks bad for Mayor Ray Nagin, still reeling from his “chocolate city” remarks on MLK Day. Every vote is going to count both in and outside of New Orleans. Don’t think that there won’t be any real effort to include every registered New Orleans resident who is part of the Katrina diaspora, especially those who are not in or near major American cities.
