Hi all,
Seth Levi here from New Southern Majority (NSM) — a super PAC affiliated with SPLC Action Fund working to elect people of color to local office in the South.
As you know, candidates of color have to jump through more hoops than their white counterparts to win their seat. But what’s happening in Louisiana is a new low point.
Last November, Henry Whitehorn won the sheriff of Caddo Parish race by a single vote. Not only was Mr. Whitehorn the first person of color elected sheriff in the Parish, he would also be one of only a handful of Black sheriffs in Louisiana history. A recent study by SPLC Action Fund explores the impact of racial disparity among Louisiana’s elected law enforcement officers. Although over 33% of Louisiana’s citizens are Black, 60 of its 64 sheriffs are white. Louisiana’s racialized criminal legal system, where Black people make up 57% of the jail population, is a glaring example of why diversity in law enforcement matters.
Because the election was so close, there was a recount. Mr. Whitehorn’s one-vote victory remained intact.
His opponent then filed a lawsuit, demanding a new election because of alleged irregularities in the election. Most of his argument centered on two Republican voters who said that they voted in the election twice despite never saying if they specifically voted in the sheriff's race or for whom. In an outrageous ruling, a retired judge overturned the election results and set a special election for March 23. Mr. Whitehorn’s appeals were all denied. This ruling flies in the face of a society where every vote is supposed to count. Now, NSM is trying to help Mr. Whitehorn win a third time — and we could use your support.
Mr. Whitehorn, a Black man, is the only candidate running to succeed Steve Prator as sheriff of Caddo Parish with law enforcement experience. (Prator has a history of controversial remarks evoking slavery. He claimed that, instead of decarceration reform, he’d rather extend jail time for the “good ones that we use every day to wash care, to change the oil in the cars, to cook in the kitchen, to do all that where we save money.”) Mr. Whitehorn served as a state trooper, Louisiana State Police Superintendent and Chief of Police of Shreveport prior to being nominated to serve as a United States Marshall by President Obama.
Through NSM’s campaign, voters will receive messages highlighting Whitehorn’s experience and values, as well as information on early voting dates and hours, polling locations and other important information to help local Louisianans plan to vote. We’re working to rush $15,000 in the door to put toward this texting program. If we can hit that goal by March 10th, we’ll add targeted mail to augment voter communications ahead of the special election. We’ve learned in our other races that the combination of texting and mail is stronger than one program alone in turning out voters and seeing results at the polls
Please chip in today to help us elect Henry Whitehorn on March 23. Every dime raised in this effort will go toward turning voters out on Election Day and strengthening our multiracial democracy. Thank you for your consideration.
-Seth
Contributions to New Southern Majority IE PAC are voluntary and will be used for political purposes. Federal law requires New Southern Majority IE PAC to use its best efforts to obtain the name, address, occupation and employer for any individual who contributes over $200 in a reporting period. Contributions to New Southern Majority IE PAC are not tax deductible as charitable contributions or business expenses.