BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - The Latest on Louisiana’s sign-up period for the November election (all times local):
5:15 p.m.
Louisiana’s three-day registration period for the Nov. 6 election has ended, with some unexpected moments.
A congressional candidate was led out in handcuffs in the final hours of the sign-up period. And the interim secretary of state, who has repeatedly said he won’t run in the special election for the job, changed his mind only 10 minutes before qualifying wrapped up Friday.
After Billy Burkette, an independent candidate, filled out his paperwork for the 5th District congressional race, East Baton Rouge Parish sheriff’s deputies held him onsite, arrested him and led him out of the secretary of state’s office in handcuffs for an outstanding warrant.
Moments later, Republican interim Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin announced he registered to run to hold onto the seat.
All of Louisiana’s six U.S. House incumbents drew opponents for the ballot.
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4:55 p.m.
In a last-minute surprise in the final moments of the candidate registration period, Louisiana’s interim secretary of state signed up to run for the job on the November ballot.
Republican Kyle Ardoin of Baton Rouge had previously said he didn’t intend to seek to hold onto the position he’s had since May.
But Ardoin says he changed his mind 10 minutes before the qualifying period ended and registered. He says he’s passionate about the work and believes he’s been doing the job well.
He joins eight other candidates vying for the position in the Nov. 6 election.
Ardoin had been the chief assistant to Republican Tom Schedler and took over as interim secretary of state when Schedler resigned in May amid sexual harassment allegations.
The three-day qualifying period ended Friday.
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12:20 p.m.
All of Louisiana’s incumbent congressmen face challengers seeking to oust them in the November election, though few opponents are well-financed.
As the three-day candidate sign-up period drew to a close Friday, contenders had registered to oppose each of the state’s six U.S. House members: Republicans Steve Scalise, Clay Higgins, Mike Johnson, Ralph Abraham and Garret Graves and Democrat Cedric Richmond.
Abraham’s challenger, farmer and Democrat Jessee Fleenor, entered the 5th Congressional District race Friday saying he didn’t want Abraham to win without opposition. Fleenor says he wanted to “give the people an actual choice.”
Only Higgins has drawn opposition from within his own party.
Top of the ballot is a special election for secretary of state. Five candidates have signed up, most of them current or former state lawmakers.
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