What does a YES vote on St. Mary Parish mean?

The St. Mary Parish charter would be restated: the council would go from 11 members (8 district, 3 at-large) to 8 district seats, pay would update with cost-of-living adjustments every four years, term limits would be set, and the Parish President would be chief executive, replacing the chief administrative officer.

What does a NO vote on St. Mary Parish mean?

The St. Mary Parish charter would not be amended and restated, and the 11-member council and other current provisions would stay.

How many votes does St. Mary Parish need to pass?

A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.

Should I vote yes or no on St. Mary Parish?

SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Read what a YES and a NO vote each do, and the official text, then decide based on what you want to happen.

The general election was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Counts are unofficial until each state certifies its results over the following weeks; your state or county election office has the official results.

St. Mary Parish — Parishwide Home Rule Charter Amendment Proposition

Last updated Sat, Nov 7, 4:33 PM ET

Ballot measure · November 3, 2026

What it does: Shall the St. Mary Parish Home Rule Charter be amended and restated to modernize parish governance by reducing the Parish Council from eleven members (eight district and three at-large) to eight single-member districts, eliminating at-large seats; updating council and parish-president compensation to reflect current duties, with cost-of-living adjustments every four years; establishing term limits of one-and-one-half consecutive terms for both the council and the parish president; designating the Parish President as chief executive and administrative officer, eliminating the separate chief administrative officer position; clarifying procedures for vacancies, meetings, and publication of ordinances; and removing obsolete or redundant sections, including outdated ballot and district provisions, all as provided in the revised St. Mary Parish Home Rule Charter adopted by the Charter Commission?
A YES vote means: The St. Mary Parish charter would be restated: the council would go from 11 members (8 district, 3 at-large) to 8 district seats, pay would update with cost-of-living adjustments every four years, term limits would be set, and the Parish President would be chief executive, replacing the chief administrative officer.
A NO vote means: The St. Mary Parish charter would not be amended and restated, and the 11-member council and other current provisions would stay.
Needed to pass: A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.
Left–right lean: Not a left–right issue: a procedural or local question that liberals and conservatives don't typically split on (AI read of the official ballot summary).

The YES and NO lines are SpectrumVote's plain-language reading of the official text above; the official text is what you vote on.

Official text: source

Background

The St. Mary Parish Council sought Louisiana State Bond Commission approval to hold this election; it was item L26-184 on the Commission's June 18, 2026 agenda, listed as a proposal to amend and restate the existing Home Rule Charter.

According to the proposition text filed with the Secretary of State, the restated charter would cut the Parish Council from eleven members (eight district and three at-large) to eight single-member districts.

Put on the ballot by The St. Mary Parish Council, 2026 (resolution date and vote not found online); State Bond Commission agenda June 18, 2026 (L26-184).

From official source 1, official source 2.

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Quick answers

What does a YES vote on St. Mary Parish mean?: The St. Mary Parish charter would be restated: the council would go from 11 members (8 district, 3 at-large) to 8 district seats, pay would update with cost-of-living adjustments every four years, term limits would be set, and the Parish President would be chief executive, replacing the chief administrative officer.
What does a NO vote on St. Mary Parish mean?: The St. Mary Parish charter would not be amended and restated, and the 11-member council and other current provisions would stay.
How many votes does St. Mary Parish need to pass?: A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.
Should I vote yes or no on St. Mary Parish?: SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Read what a YES and a NO vote each do, and the official text, then decide based on what you want to happen.
When is the vote?: The general election was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Counts are unofficial until each state certifies its results over the following weeks; your state or county election office has the official results.

Not sure how to decide? Read our nonpartisan guide to the St. Mary Parish ballot.

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