JMC Analytics pollster John Couvillon says polls are closing in North Carolina and Florida in less than an hour and we’ll start getting an early indication of who will win the Presidential race as results from those two states start pouring in…

Cut 13 (11) “…counting them”

Nine candidates are facing off in the northeast and central Louisiana based 5^th Congressional District Race, a race spurred by the retirement of Congressman Ralph Abraham. ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley says Abraham’s former Chief of Staff Luke Letlow has Abraham’s endorsement and is running a strong race so the biggest question is whether he ends up in a run-off. Stockley says state representative Lance Harris, a Republican from Alexandria could get enough support to force a runoff…

Cut 4 (07)   ” from Alexandria  

Polls close at 8 PM tonight but if you get in line by 8 you’ll be allowed to vote, so if you are hesitant about going because you fear for your safety listen to this reassurance from Assistant State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter…

Cut 8 (10) “..distance”

A new law to allow Louisiana election officials to count absentee ballots four days in advance anticipates delivering results sooner than later.

cut 2 (30) “I’m Brooke Thorington”  

Polls in Georgia and most of Florida will close in less than three hours giving us our first taste of just how the night may be going for President Donald Trump and his challenger former VP Joe Biden. JMC Analytics publisher John Couvillon says Biden is favored to win because the President has the tougher task in that he’s unlikely to expand his 2016 electoral map and is playing defense across a wide range of states.

Cut 14 (11) “Georgia” 

The final polls of the cycle show the President facing substantial deficits in the “Blue Wall” northern Midwest states.

You have until 8 PM to get in line to vote in Louisiana. Before you vote Assistant State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter advises you to download the GeauxVote Mobile app and pre fill out your ballot so you can limit your time at the polling station…

Cut 7 (11) “…should”

Counting mail-in ballots is the most time-consuming process of an election and with COVID, there are a record-breaking number of absentee ballots in Louisiana, but new law changes that. Slidell Senator Sharon Hewitt authored Senate Bill 22 which allowed election officials to prep mail-in ballots four days ago to be counted. Hewitt received input from election officials to change absentee ballot procedures.

Cut 11 (10) “…the election.”

Election officials anticipate earlier results due to the change

Voters in northeast and central Louisiana and the Florida parishes will select a new Congressman for the 5th district today. There are nine candidates seeking to replace Republican Ralph Abraham, who did not seek re-election. ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley says Abraham’s former chief of staff Luke Letlow has run a strong campaign.

Cut 3 (07)  “…radio print”  

We’re inching closer to some of the first results of the Presidential election as in just about three hours polls will be closing in North Carolina and most of Florida. Those two states are key to the President’s reelection effort. Locally polls close at 8 PM but as long as you are in line by 8 PM you will still be allowed to vote.

Voters could elect a new member to the U-S House of Representatives today. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (30) “  I’m Jeff Palermo”  

Anecdotal reports indicate waits haven’t been too long across most of the state today after a deluge of early voting. For those still on the fence about heading out to cast a ballot over COVID Assistant State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter assures you it is COVID safe, or at least just as minimally risky as going to the grocery store. He had this message though for those who would get in line and refuse to mask up…

Cut 6 (12) “…sick”

Mail ballots are up an estimated 165-percent for this election in Louisiana, compared to the last Presidential election in 2016. But state officials are hoping this will not lead to a delay in getting complete results thanks to a law passed in the most recent special session, authored by Slidell Senator Sharon Hewitt who says election workers got a four-day head start on the lengthy process.

Cut 10 (13) “…actual ballot”

Nine candidates are facing off in the northeast and central Louisiana based 5^th Congressional District Race, a race spurred by the retirement of Congressman Ralph Abraham. ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley says Abraham’s former Chief of Staff Luke Letlow has Abraham’s endorsement and is running a strong race so the biggest question is whether he ends up in a run-off against another Republican or a Democrat. Stockley says state representative Lance Harris, a Republican from Alexandria could get enough support to force a runoff…

Cut 4 (07)   ” from Alexandria  

JMC Analytics pollster John Couvillon says in just a few hours we’ll start getting comprehensive returns from North Carolina and Florida, two swing states he says could give us an early indication who will win the Presidential Race.

Cut 13 (11) “…counting them”

A new law to allow Louisiana election officials to count absentee ballots four days in advance anticipates delivering results sooner than later. Brooke Thorington explains.

cut 2 (30) “I’m Brooke Thorington”  

Assistant State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter personally vouches for the safety of voting in Louisiana citing the moves taken to ensure each location follows COVID-mitigation measures.

Cut 8 (10) “..distance”

It’s Election Day and the roughly half of voters nationwide who haven’t already cast a ballot are flocking to the polls for the Trump vs. Biden Presidential election. JMC Analytics pollster John Couvillon says we may know a winner tonight but if it’s close there are a few swing states that could really drag this out.

Cut 12 (06) “ .called” 

Those states adopted heavy vote by mail programs for this election, and most of them have little to no experience processing that volume of mail-in ballots.

Mail ballots are up an estimated 165-percent in Louisiana compared to 2016 but state officials are hoping this will not lead to a delay in getting complete results thanks to a law passed in the most recent special session, authored by Slidell Senator Sharon Hewitt.

Cut 9 (09) “election day”

Nine candidates are facing off in the northeast and central Louisiana based 5^th Congressional District Race, a race spurred by the retirement of Congressman Ralph Abraham. ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley says Abraham’s former Chief of Staff Luke Letlow has Abraham’s endorsement and is running a strong race so the biggest question is whether he ends up in a run-off against another Republican or a Democrat. Stockley says state representative Lance Harris, a Republican from Alexandria could get enough support to force a runoff…

Cut 4 (07)   ” from Alexandria   

Southwest Louisiana sees the only potentially other competitive Congressional race in the state as Congressman Clay Higgins is up for reelection. UL Lafayette Poli Sci Professor Pearson Cross says Higgins is probably a safe bet to win outright and avoid a December run-off…

Cut 6 (09) “Louisianans”

Power outages across Louisiana are down to the tens of thousands as opposed to the hundreds of thousands we saw just after Zeta made landfall near Cocodrie last week. Entergy CEO Phillip May says they expect most customers should be back online by Wednesday but the lower portions of Plaquemines, St. Bernard, Jefferson, and Lafourche Parishes could be out until Saturday.

Cut 12 (07) “ .damage” 

Overall, crews have found damage to 2,747 poles, 573 transformers and 1,794 spans of wire.

A UNO poll shows Governor Edwards sitting pretty with a 56 percent job approval rating, a pandemic boost for the Governor that was in the low 50s post-reelection. UNO Research Center Director, Professor Ed Chervenak says 67-percent of respondents feel COVID is a serious problem…

Cut 10 (11) “overwhelmingly disapprove”

Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Chief of Engineering Rudy Simoneaux says they’re working on fixing the Burrito Levee in Grand Isle that breached during Zeta. He says it will need some repairs.

Cut 3 (10)  “…levee”  

Despite the breach, most Grand Isle homes are reportedly ok due to being highly elevated on stilts.

Amendment 7 on the statewide ballot would protect unclaimed property money in a new trust fund. Public Affairs Research Council President Robert Travis Scott says each year if new collections entrusted to the Treasurer exceed what’s collected by rightful owners, the difference goes into the state’s general fund. Scott explains some of what makes up unclaimed property…

Cut 8 (12) “..to the state”

The breaching of the Burrito Levee in Grand Isle appears to be the only significant damage the state’s flood protection systems sustained as a result of a record five named storms that made landfall in Louisiana this season. But Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Chief of Engineering Rudy Simoneaux says their surveys aren’t complete yet and they’re aiming to get down into lower Terrebonne Parish near Cocodrie where the storm made landfall for further inspections.

Cut 4 (09)   “storm”   

Governor Edwards scores a 56 percent approval rating in a new poll from UNO. UNO Research Center Director, pollster, and Professor Ed Chervenak…

Cut 9 (11) “job approval”

The survey was conducted October 22^nd and polled 755 Louisianans.

The Saints come back from a frigid Soldier Field with their fourth straight W after taking down the Bears 26-23 in overtime. Each of those four wins has been by six points or less and Safety Malcolm Jenkins says they knew they would have to grind this victory out…

Cut 15 (14) “.each other”

The defense sacked Bears QB Nick Foles five times and intercepted him once. Quarterback Drew Brees threw for 280 yards and two touchdowns on a windy night. Alvin Kamara had 163 total yards. The Saints are 5-2 and tied with Tampa Bay for first place in the NFC South.

A large area of southeast Louisiana is still without power as Entergy is reporting that over 235,000 customers remain in the dark due to Hurricane Zeta, with over 30,000 people still out in the New Orleans metro area.  With limited power in the southeast part of the state, this could pose a problem for those trying to cast their vote on election day.  Governor John Bel Edwards says that with election coming up on Tuesday, it appears likely some polling stations in the southeast will be without power…

Cut 14 (09) “Tuesday”

Louisiana’s congressional delegation request for a 100-percent Federal Cost Share of debris removal from Hurricane Laura receives approval from President Trump.  The 100 percent of federal cost-share will last for a continuous period of 30 days. Before the request was amended by Congressional members, cities and parishes were required to pay 25-percent of debris removal.  Senator Bill Cassidy says this isn’t the first time Trump has approved a 100-percent cost share, it was approved in 2018 for Hurricane Michael and it prompted their request for the same for Louisiana.

Cut 11 (05) “… taxpayer.”

McNeese State plans on students returning to campus for the 2021 spring semester despite being hit by two hurricanes and sustaining over 200 million dollars in damage.  McNeese has hired multiple contractors so at least 30-percent of classes will be face-to-face instruction in January. University President Daryl Burckel says the speed in recovery is vital because their budget is based on student tuition. McNeese’s enrollment is around seven-thousand and Burckel says despite two hurricanes the school’s enrollment is only down 225 students from the Fall of 2019. He says as they rebuild the campus, student housing is a top priority.

Cut 4 (06) “for them to live”

When residents are picking up the pieces after a hurricane, “storm chasers” as they are known as frequently visit affected areas to take advantage of homeowners with promises of contract work to repair storm damage.  Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says before you sign a contract, make sure they are a licensed contractor with the state licensing board for contractors and check with the Better Business Bureau.

Cut 8 (11) “your business”