Hundreds in West Feliciana reassigned after voting in wrong district for 4 years
WEST FELICIANA — A candidate for the West Feliciana Parish School Board says a voter district error moved him out of the district he is running to represent.
Lifelong West Feliciana resident Elijah Lewis was running for the District 7 school board race in August and spent weeks campaigning door to door. Earlier this month, he says he learned his voter assignment had changed to District 1.
"4 years later, it has wreaked havoc upon my campaign," Elijah Lewis said. "I've been moved from District 7 to where I can no longer even vote for myself," he said.
According to the West Feliciana Registrar of Voters' office, Lewis was not the only person moved to a different district. The office says the problem goes back to redistricting in 2022 when the map was not properly entered into the system.
Officials say around 800 voters were assigned to the wrong districts or precincts. The registrar says the issue was noticed when a voter raised the problem on Oct. 5 this year.
Some replacement mail ballots have been sent, and parish officials are waiting for guidance from the Secretary of State's office. The matter has also been turned over to the Attorney General's office as officials work toward a resolution before Election Day.
Secretary of State's office sent this statement to WBRZ: