St. James Parish, LA elected officials: parish government, sheriff, school board and cities
Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in St. James Parish: 33 seats on 12 elected bodies. 21 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.
Parish government
St. James Parish Council
| Office | Who holds it now |
|---|---|
| Parish President | Peter "Pete" Dufresne Democratic source |
| Councilman, District 1 | Todd A. Poche Democratic source |
| Councilman, District 2 | Courtney Long Democratic source |
| Councilman, District 3 | Ryan Louque No party source |
| Councilman, District 4 | Neal T. Poche, II Republican source |
| Councilman, District 5 | Anthony "A.J." Jasmin, Sr. Democratic source |
| Councilman, District 6 | Vondra Dee Etienne-Steib Democratic source |
| Councilman, District 7 | Donald Nash Democratic source |
County officers
| Office | Who holds it now |
|---|---|
| Assessor | Glenn M. Waguespack Democratic source |
| Clerk of Court | Shane M. LeBlanc Democratic source |
| Coroner | Randall C. Poche Independent source |
| Sheriff | Claude J. Louis, Jr. Democratic source |
School Board
St. James Parish School Board
| Office | Who holds it now | Next term |
|---|---|---|
| School Board Member, District 1 | Diana "Granny" Cantillo Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| School Board Member, District 2 | Tim Detillier Democratic source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| School Board Member, District 3 | Sue Bienvenu Beier Democratic source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| School Board Member, District 4 | Marty J. Poche Democratic source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| School Board Member, District 5 | Angela Washington Democratic source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| School Board Member, District 6 | Nicole Florent Democratic source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| School Board Member, District 7 | Raymond Gros, Jr. Democratic source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
Cities and towns
How many local governments St. James Parish has
The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 4 local governments in St. James Parish. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.
| Kind of government | Census count (2022) | Listed on this page |
|---|---|---|
| County government | 1 | 1 |
| Cities, towns, villages and townships | 2 | 2 |
| School districts (school boards) | 1 | 1 |
| Special districts (elected boards) | 0 | 0 |
About these counts
The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments, though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.
Who lives in St. James Parish
Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 2% · White 49.3% · Black 47.4% · Asian 0% · Other or more than one race 1.3% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)
About these figures
The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.
Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.
Jobs in St. James Parish
Every month, last two years
| Month | Rate | Unemployed | Employed | Labor force |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026 (preliminary) | 4.3% | 381 | 8,540 | 8,921 |
| August 2026 | 4.3% | 389 | 8,567 | 8,956 |
| July 2026 | 5.1% | 461 | 8,494 | 8,955 |
| June 2026 | 5.6% | 508 | 8,508 | 9,016 |
| May 2026 | 5.0% | 452 | 8,540 | 8,992 |
| April 2026 | 4.6% | 420 | 8,671 | 9,091 |
| March 2026 | 4.9% | 437 | 8,542 | 8,979 |
| February 2026 | 5.2% | 469 | 8,533 | 9,002 |
| January 2026 | 5.4% | 478 | 8,439 | 8,917 |
| December 2025 | 4.7% | 424 | 8,644 | 9,068 |
| November 2025 | 4.8% | 436 | 8,713 | 9,149 |
| October 2025 | not collected (2025 federal shutdown) | |||
| September 2025 | 4.9% | 435 | 8,508 | 8,943 |
| August 2025 | 5.1% | 455 | 8,469 | 8,924 |
| July 2025 | 5.7% | 511 | 8,523 | 9,034 |
| June 2025 | 5.7% | 510 | 8,493 | 9,003 |
| May 2025 | 4.9% | 438 | 8,470 | 8,908 |
| April 2025 | 4.5% | 407 | 8,587 | 8,994 |
| March 2025 | 4.6% | 411 | 8,559 | 8,970 |
| February 2025 | 4.7% | 418 | 8,528 | 8,946 |
| January 2025 | 5.2% | 467 | 8,434 | 8,901 |
| December 2024 | 4.7% | 421 | 8,529 | 8,950 |
| November 2024 | 5.0% | 453 | 8,558 | 9,011 |
| October 2024 | 5.2% | 466 | 8,550 | 9,016 |
Yearly averages
| Year | Rate | Unemployed | Employed | Labor force |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 (11 months) | 5.0% | 447 | 8,539 | 8,986 |
| 2024 | 5.0% | 451 | 8,508 | 8,959 |
| 2023 | 4.3% | 387 | 8,602 | 8,989 |
| 2022 | 4.4% | 397 | 8,626 | 9,023 |
| 2021 | 7.2% | 646 | 8,332 | 8,978 |
| 2020 | 10.0% | 898 | 8,114 | 9,012 |
| 2019 | 5.5% | 523 | 9,054 | 9,577 |
| 2018 | 5.8% | 560 | 9,057 | 9,617 |
| 2017 | 6.3% | 617 | 9,174 | 9,791 |
| 2016 | 7.1% | 707 | 9,241 | 9,948 |
Crime reported in St. James Parish
Earlier years
| Year | Violent | Rate | Property | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 123 | 601.4 | 375 | 1,833.5 |
| 2020 | 77 | 368.1 | 366 | 1,749.7 |
| 2019 | 92 | 442.5 | 510 | 2,452.9 |
| 2018 | 64 | 303.9 | 435 | 2,065.2 |
| 2017 | 59 | 275.9 | 518 | 2,422.4 |
By police agency (3)
| Agency | Year | Violent | Property | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. James Parish Sheriff's Office | 2025 | 34 | 157 | 13,503 |
| Lutcher Police Department | 2021 | 4 | 22 | 3,088 |
| Gramercy Police Department | 2025 | 1 | 37 | 2,672 |
Police staffing
Agencies counted (3), 2025
| Agency | Officers | Civilians | People served |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. James Parish Sheriff's Office | 127 | 0 | 13,503 |
| Gramercy Police Department | 6 | 0 | 2,672 |
| Lutcher Police Department | 1 | 1 | 2,826 |
Earlier years
| Year | Officers | Per 1,000 | Civilians | Agencies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 134 | 7.05 | 1 | 3 |
| 2024 | 75 | 3.93 | 57 | 3 |
| 2023 | 33 | 1.72 | 82 | 3 |
| 2019 | 69 | 3.32 | 44 | 3 |
| 2017 | 70 | 3.27 | 41 | 3 |
| 2016 | 72 | 3.36 | 40 | 3 |
Quick answers
- Who is the St. James Parish Assessor?
- Glenn M. Waguespack (Democratic) is the Assessor of St. James Parish, Louisiana.
- Who is the St. James Parish Clerk of Court?
- Shane M. LeBlanc (Democratic) is the Clerk of Court of St. James Parish, Louisiana.
- Who is the St. James Parish Coroner?
- Randall C. Poche (Independent) is the Coroner of St. James Parish, Louisiana.
- Who is the St. James Parish Sheriff?
- Claude J. Louis, Jr. (Democratic) is the Sheriff of St. James Parish, Louisiana.
- Who are the St. James Parish commissioners?
- Peter "Pete" Dufresne (Parish President); Todd A. Poche (Councilman, District 1); Courtney Long (Councilman, District 2); Ryan Louque (Councilman, District 3); Neal T. Poche, II (Councilman, District 4); Anthony "A.J." Jasmin, Sr. (Councilman, District 5); Vondra Dee Etienne-Steib (Councilman, District 6); Donald Nash (Councilman, District 7).
- Who is on the St. James Parish School Board?
- Diana "Granny" Cantillo (District 1); Tim Detillier (District 2); Sue Bienvenu Beier (District 3); Marty J. Poche (District 4); Angela Washington (District 5); Nicole Florent (District 6); Raymond Gros, Jr. (District 7).
- What is the population of St. James Parish?
- About 19,528 people, with a median age of 40.8; the median household income is $65,531 and 11.1% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
- What is the unemployment rate in St. James Parish?
- 4.3% in September 2026 (preliminary): 381 people unemployed in a labor force of 8,921, against 4.9% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
- How many local governments are there in St. James Parish?
- 4 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 2 municipal and 1 school district governments.
- What cities and towns are in St. James Parish?
- 6: Gramercy, Gramercy, Gramercy, Lutcher, Lutcher, Lutcher. Each has its own page with its mayor and council.
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