TURKEY CREEK MAYOR’S RACE  RESULTS BEING CONTESTED IN LAWSUIT

NOVEMBER 13, 2014

       A lawsuit has been filed in 13^th District Court on Wednesday by Turkey Creek Mayor Heather Miley Cloud, contesting the results of the November 4 election.  KVPI News obtained a copy of the lawsuit today at the Evangeline Parish Clerk of Court’s office.

     The election results showed that her opponent Bert Keith Campbell received 110 votes and incumbent Mayor Heather Cloud received 106 votes, a difference of four votes. Cloud is suing her opponent Bert Keith Campbell on fraud charges. Also named in the lawsuit was Secretary of State Tom Shedler.

     The suit included four affidavits of voters who testify that they sold their votes to vote for defendant Bert Keith Campbell in which they were given $15 per vote along with a piece of paper with Campbell’s voting number. In addition, one of the voters was promised to lead the Turkey Creek Christmas parade and another was promised a new bicycle. All four voters testified that otherwise they would have voted for Mayor Cloud

    The lawsuit is asking the court that four of the votes for Campbell were illegal and fraudulent and add those four votes to the plaintiff’s total. By adding those four votes, the court should declare the plaintiff, Heather Cloud , the winner of the election for the position of Mayor in Turkey Creek.

   The attorneys for Mayor Cloud are Anne Watson and Elbert Guillory of Opelousas. The court hearing is set for 9:00am Monday in Courtroom B before a judge from out of the parish. Both local district court judges have recuse themselves to avoid the appearance of impropriety.

    KVPI contacted Bert Campbell regarding the lawsuit. He commented "As far as I am concerned, there was no vote buying. I know nothing of this and I beat Ms. Cloud because I went out and signed up 30 new registered voters." He denies the allegations and said " I never offered anyone money for a vote. I worked hard for two months and that is how I won." Mr. Campbell has not seen the lawsuit as of this afternoon.