Parish Board Elections: Harris and Frizell Secure Reelection

Cecil Harris and Jeff Frizell won reelection to the Livingston Parish School Board on Tuesday, defeating challengers who sought changes to the district's financial and administrative approach. The two victories give the incumbents control of the only contested seats on the nine-member board, according to complete but unofficial returns.

The school board oversees the state's ninth-ranked district, which serves nearly 24,800 students and employs more than 3,800 people. District data indicate the system operates on an annual budget exceeding $397 million.

Harris, the board president and a Denham Springs native, won the District 5 race with 58% of the vote. He ran for a third term as a Republican, promoting his support for recent expansions at Denham Springs High School. Harris, who founded an educational publishing company, stated he remained open to using a new one-cent sales tax to finance teacher pay raises.

His opponent, Chris Taylor, the chief operating officer of Shamrock Marine, advocated for fiscal restraint and reduced athletic upgrades at the high school. Taylor opposed the sales tax measure, arguing instead that the district should find funding for teacher increases within the existing budget.

In District 3, incumbent Republican Jeff Frizell secured 78% of the vote for a second term. Frizell, a former longtime teacher and administrator, identified providing teacher raises as a priority for the next four years. He defeated Philana Webb, a Denham Springs resident who ran without listing a party. Webb campaigned on improving student evaluations and increasing support for students with disabilities and other exceptionalities.