By james art GONZALEZ — Early voting data shows voting in Louisiana is hottest in Ascension, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana parishes, which are leading mayoral races in their largest cities. The vote in East Baton Rouge was in the middle of the pack.
In addition to the presidential election this year, voters in several communities are electing mayors, including Gonzales, Port Allen and St. Francisville. More than 32 percent of registered voters in their parishes have already turned out to vote.
Early voting began on October 18 and ends on Tuesday.
In West Baton Rouge, 33.64 percent of voters already participated, and in West Feliciana, it was 33.58 percent. Ascension is 32.05 percent.
East Baton Rouge, where incumbent Mayor and President Sharon Weston Broome is running for a third term, cast 25 percent of voters. More than 100,000 people have voted in early 2020. So far this year in East Baton Rouge, just over 73,000 people have already voted.
The lowest voter turnout, under 17 percent, was in East Carroll Parish, where there is a sales tax renewal in Lake Providence, and then in Evangeline Parish, with the Pine Prairie municipal election leading outside the presidential and congressional races.