Parish voters back constitutional amendments
Lincoln Parish voters appear to have joined with the rest of Louisiana’s voters in approving four new state constitutional amendments, two of which grew out of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Complete but unofficial returns from Saturday’s primary show each of the propositions winning overwhelming approval from both local and state voters.
Some 76% of parish voters favored Amendment No. 1, which prohibits foreign governments, as well as other nongovernmental sources, from donating money to help conduct elections.
The amendment grew out of the unsubstantiated conspiracy theories accusing Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg of trying to influence local election officials during the 2020 presidential race.
Local voters also strongly favored Amendment 2, which says freedom is a fundamental right in Louisiana that deserves the highest protection. That proposal passed in Lincoln Parish with 83% of the vote.
Louisiana’s constitution already contains language that protects freedom of religion, saying it is a fundamental right. The language mimics that of First Amendment of the U. S. Constitution, though Louisiana’s now goes a step further and singles out houses of worship.
The amendment is kickback for Gov. John Bel Edwards’ enacting gathering limits and other regulations aimed at fighting the spread of COVID-19.
Backers claim the new amendment will ensure people could gather in houses of worship, and that the government would have to prove regulations such as limiting crowd size were compelling enough to do.
On Amendment 3, local voters favored upping the amount of any surplus that would have to go to debt retirement state employees, teachers and school employees, and state troopers.
That amendment garnered 60% of the Lincoln Parish vote.
Amendment 4, dealing with a property tax exemption, won 66% of the parish vote.
The new amendment gives local governments the right to revoke the existing proper tax exemption from nonprofit organizations if their properties are cited for at least three serious code violations within a 12-month period.
