This voter education guide is published primarily as a resource and does not constitute an endorsement of any candidate or proposition by ANTIGRAVITY Magazine.
Welcome once again to your ANTIGRAVITY voter education guide for the December 7 election. On this ballot, you will be voting on four state constitutional amendments and, in some areas, a runoff for Orleans Parish School Board.
We have published these guides since 2014—previously in collaboration with the New Orleans Harm Reduction Network and now under the ANTIGRAVITY banner. We utilized national media, local media, and social media. Our research included but was not limited to public records, campaign finance reports, court filings, and real estate records.
Despite lacking faith in politicians or the political order, we create this document as a way to dissect and map power. We do not offer endorsements, but we do provide summaries, as this is a resource designed to aid and alleviate the work for you, the reader. News relevant to this ballot will continue to break. We are but one resource, and we hope that you consult as many as possible before heading to the polls.
We suggest you bring a photo ID to the polls, but if you do not have one you can still cast a ballot by signing a voter affidavit which vouches for your identity. The secretary of state audits all voter affidavits after the election to ensure that you are who you say you are.
If you have a disability, you are entitled to receive assistance to cast your vote. If your assigned polling place is not accessible, report the issue to the ADA compliance officer at ada@sos.la.gov or 225-362-5113.
The makeup of the ballot, including names of candidates and texts of propositions, as well as information about how, where, and when to register and vote is based on information provided by the Louisiana secretary of state and the City of New Orleans website. For info on what your ballot looks like, as well as information about disability and voting, go to the SoS website, voterportal.sos.la.gov.
If you find that you cannot in good conscience cast a vote for any of the candidates for a particular race or a specific ballot measure, you are allowed to skip that ballot item. According to the secretary of state’s office, “A voter cannot cast a blank ballot; otherwise, they are free to vote for as many or as few races/questions as are on their ballot—from all of them to just one of them.”
This voter guide is offered without cost as a service to our beloved readers, but donations are accepted to help cover research fees and labor. A suggested donation of whatever your lifestyle considers $5 is appreciated. Payments can be made via Venmo or PayPal to @antigravitymag (all one word, no dashes). Please include “Voter Guide” or “VG” in the comment or memo.
Welcome back to your voter education guide for the final election of 2024 because in Louisiana, elections never end. On December 7, you will be voting on four ballot measures and possibly a school board runoff. Two of the ballot measures concern administering budgeting legislation, one proposes additional members of our judicial oversight system, and another offers recourse for homeowners who have fallen behind on property tax payments. Follow along as we go over the fine print.
School Board
District 2
Gabriela Biro (Democrat)
Eric J. Jones (Democrat)
While most races in the November 5 election were decided outright, this school board race is headed to a runoff, with Gabriela Biro receiving 30% of the vote and Eric J. Jones receiving 44%.
The recipient of endorsements from New Orleans DSA, Greater New Orleans AFL-CIO, Forum for Equality, and the United Teachers of New Orleans (UTNO) labor union, Gabriela Biro is, in her own words, “a working mom, a hairstylist with a finger on the pulse of the community” whose “commitment to education is driven solely by a desire to support our students and improve our schools.” In both her work and community activism, Biro has taken the time to speak with hundreds of parents in New Orleans to learn about their concerns with education in the city. Biro’s priorities, as listed on her campaign website, include fair pay, comprehensive benefits, and strong union support for teachers and staff; promotion of inclusive policies; combating corruption and protecting the integrity of public schools; and advocating for a safe and supportive learning environment for students. Her answers to the 2024 Orleans Parish School Board Member Candidate Survey conducted by Voters Organized to Educate (VOTE) are detailed and thoughtful, underlining Biro’s commitment to students, teachers, and the community writ large in New Orleans. In addition to the priorities outlined in her official campaign materials, in the VOTE survey Biro also emphasizes the need for the Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB) to have more authority over New Orleans public schools, provides evidence for charter schools benefiting only a privileged few, and advocates for the implementation of mental health and social services in New Orleans schools. Biro is opposed to the new state requirement to display the Ten Commandments in schools as well as Gov. Jeff Landry’s GATOR school voucher system, stating that “it undermines public education by diverting funds intended for public schools. Allowing taxpayer money to flow to private religious schools directly challenges the First Amendment’s principle of separation of church and state. This tactic has been promoted by those seeking to dismantle public education in the U.S., and we must be vigilant in protecting our public school system.” Among Biro’s many other priorities are to provide a safe environment for transgender students in New Orleans schools, simplify the OneApp process, and to address the “School-to-Prison Pipeline.” According to Biro, “While our school system may not be able to change the material conditions of these children’s lives, we can provide support with a whole-child approach. I envision wraparound services through community schools as a way to address the issues faced by students vulnerable to the ‘School-to-Prison Pipeline.’ Additionally, I advocate for restorative justice practices over traditional disciplinary measures, fostering understanding and growth instead of punishment.”
Eric J. Jones previously ran for this position unsuccessfully in 2020, when we noted his ties to Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education member and former Teach for America exec Kira Orange Jones and long ties to New Orleans education, including as a teacher. We also pointed out the somewhat bizarre end to his role on the board of Mary D. Coghill Charter School, when he was accused of improperly telling teachers not to give out “F” grades and receiving about $600 in expense reimbursements without proper documentation.
Jones says he’s running to address issues “including teacher shortage and retention, low performing charter schools” and the erosion of neighborhood schools. He told VOTE he wants to see more schools under direct district control, as opposed to charter schools, and more students going to school in their own neighborhoods. He also advocates for social workers and more mental health resources in schools.
SUMMARY: Eric J. Jones is an educator who left a charter school board amid controversy. Gabriela Biro, through her own research and advocacy and from talking with hundreds of parents across New Orleans, has developed a comprehensive, progressive platform outlining how to improve New Orleans schools for the benefit of both students and teachers. Biro also has the endorsements of New Orleans DSA, Greater New Orleans AFL-CIO, Forum for Equality, and the United Teachers of New Orleans (UTNO) labor union.
Constitutional Amendments
CA No. 1 (ACT No. 405, 2024 – SB 177)
Provides relative to the investigative authority and membership of the judiciary commission
Do you support an amendment to allow the supreme court to sanction a judge upon an investigation by the judiciary commission, and provide that the recommended sanction shall be instituted by the judiciary commission or by a majority of the supreme court, and to provide for the appointment of five members of the judiciary commission?
This amendment proposes to expand the Louisiana Judiciary Commission, which investigates sitting judges for misconduct, by five members. This judiciary oversight body was created in the late 1960s to introduce an accountability system to check the power of Louisiana’s judges by investigating claims of misconduct and recommending disciplinary action that can then be carried out by the Supreme Court. Currently it consists of nine members—three judges (two district court and one court of appeal), three practicing attorneys, and three citizens who work in neither law nor politics. It has been suggested that the commission lacks transparency and moves too slowly to be effective, a product of its inside-baseball style membership.
This amendment would add another five members, including two appointed by the Louisiana House speaker, two by the state Senate president and one by the governor, for which no specific qualifications would be required, meaning they could theoretically bring more professional diversity to the oversight body. The amendment would also allow the Supreme Court to direct the commission to begin an investigation, as well as suspend a judge with pay without the commission’s recommendation. It would also expand the list of behavior eligible for disciplinary action to include malfeasance.
The question is whether more commissioners would make a meaningful difference—the actual investigators doing the work on the ground would remain as shorthanded as before. And while bringing in some new blood sounds appealing, unlike with the other nine commissioners there’s no language in the amendment to prevent the appointees from working in politics—a slippery slope, especially given the Republicans’ current political monopoly.
Ultimately, this amendment is more of a gesture towards improving transparency and bureaucratic obstruction of justice than a strategy for meaningful change.
SUMMARY: Hold out for better, vote no.
CA No. 2 (ACT No. 406, 2024 – HB 48)
Provides relative to the timing of consideration and required information of appropriations bills
Do you support an amendment to require that the legislature wait for at least forty-eight hours prior to concurring in a conference committee report or amendments to a bill appropriating money? (Adds Article III, Section 16(F))
This bill would ensure that there must be a 48-hour waiting period before appropriations bills can be voted on after being introduced. This guarantees that any bill related to allocating money is given time for everyone voting on it to be able to properly review the text of the bill, as well as any potential amendments. This amendment passed unanimously in both the House and the Senate.
According to the Public Affairs Research Council (PAR), “In June 2023, lawmakers passed more than $52 billion worth of budget bills in the last half-hour of their two-month regular session, in a frenzied series of votes.” Lawmakers claimed that they weren’t confident about what was included in the bills they were voting on. This proposal would also ensure that lawmakers are provided with a summary document at the start of the 48 hours explaining what’s in the bill.
New Disabled South argues that this bill would slow down the process for allocating disaster relief funds, which “could affect disabled people who rely on publicly funded services.” Council for a Better Louisiana (CABL) noted that while passing this is not necessarily a bad thing, the rigidity of it, and the inability to waive the 48-hour waiting period for, say, a natural disaster, makes this amendment not the most ideal solution for this particular issue. We are far too familiar with natural disasters and the need for quick aid when they strike. Amendment 3 allows for more time to be allocated on spending bills without mandating a waiting period.
SUMMARY: Vote “No.”
CA No. 3 (ACT No. 407, 2024 – HB 49)
Allows the legislature to extend a regular session for a limited time period for a specific purpose
Do you support an amendment to allow the legislature to extend a regular session in increments of two days up to a maximum of six days if necessary to pass a bill appropriating money? (Amends Const. Art. III, §2(A)(3)(a) and (4)(a); Adds Const. Art. III, §2(A)(5))
This amendment would allow the state legislature to extend its regular sessions—with a two-thirds vote from members of the House and Senate— up to six days in two-day increments when deliberating over passing any bill appropriating money. This amendment was sponsored by State Representative Tony Bacala (R-59), who also sponsored Amendment 2, the amendment to ensure that there is a 48-hour waiting period before appropriation bills can be voted on after being introduced. These amendments complement each other, though they do not require that the other one be passed. As with Amendment 2, this amendment ensures that legislators have enough time to properly review and pass a budget, instead of requiring legislators to restart the budget debate process in a special session. This amendment is supported by New Disabled South.
Arguments against the amendment are centered around cost: It is estimated that the six-day extension could increase costs of legislators’ per diem to $155,000, along with other costs associated with keeping the session extended.
This amendment passed with bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate. While arguments can be made about the costs and the fact that legislators should be more efficient with their time, like Amendment 2 it appears as though lawmakers want to have the option to have enough time to review how they are voting on how to allocate money.
SUMMARY: Vote “Yes.”
CA No. 4 (ACT No. 409, 2024 – SB 119)
Provides relative to the administration of tax sales of immovable property
Do you support an amendment to eliminate mandatory tax sales for nonpayment of property taxes and require the legislature to provide for such procedures by law; to limit the amount of penalty and interest on delinquent property taxes; and to provide for the postponement of property tax payments under certain circumstances?
The Louisiana Property Tax Sales Administration Amendment aims to do three things: remove tax sale procedures from the State Constitution to become statutory law, give homeowners more time to pay back delinquent taxes, and allow the State Legislature to defer payment deadlines during emergency declarations. The amendment was authored by Republican State Senator Gregory Miller, who garnered bipartisan support in both legislative chambers with all “Yes” votes except one Republican senator.
Currently, when homeowners can’t pay their property taxes by the end of the year, their property is seized by the sheriff and then auctioned through a tax sale to recuperate the loss of tax revenue. During a tax sale, real estate investors will bid for a tax sale certificate to own the property itself, which starts at the amount of the owed property taxes, any accrued interest (1% per month, 5% flat penalty), and other fees. The homeowner has a redemption period of three years, starting at the time the tax sale certificate was sold, to pay this amount to the certificate holder. If they pay it back before the three years are over, they can redeem their home. If not, the certificate holder can apply for a tax deed or title to own the property. Hope you’re still with us thus far!
For the homeowner, they’re essentially trying to pay off a “loan” with interest to the investor. For the investor, they’ve paid the homeowner’s tax bill, either hoping to own the property if the homeowner can’t redeem it or gain interest on the certificate if the property is redeemed. Tax sales have been an effective way for investors to acquire low-cost properties, often far below fair market value.
If this amendment passes, the State will execute accompanying legislation (SB 505 of 24RS) to facilitate a type of tax sale through a tax lien auction, where the highest bidder only gets the right to collect taxes from the homeowner and not outright own the property. The homeowner still has a three-year redemption period to pay back the amount of the tax lien certificate, which won’t be calculated any differently from earlier. For tax liens, if the homeowner can’t pay back the owed taxes, the certificate holder can foreclose on the property for a clean deed and move to own the property title.
The amendment will also remove the procedural language from the Constitution and replace it with language that says the legislature will enact the administration of tax sales by law with some additional stipulations. According to the Public Affairs Research Council (PAR), accompanying legislation attached to the amendment will require that certificate holders cannot collect repayment for the first three years (the equivalent of the existing redemption period), that a process is created for the state to claim excess gains from property sales above the lien amount, that the legislature can authorize penalty fee waivers, and that the legislature can delay lien payment deadlines due to emergency declarations. Amending state statutes is easier than amending the state constitution and doesn’t require a ballot measure to make changes.
Tax lien auctions are legal in 23 states, each with varying interest caps and collection limitations. The accompanying bill specifies that liens cannot be enforced after seven years. The amendment also allows the legislature to take out loans or levy taxes in the amount of the unpaid tax if there’s a pause of repayment, but the amendment’s legislative fiscal note doesn’t indicate that any evaluation of financial impact was done. However, the Council for a Better Louisiana makes a point that the amendment aims to make it easier to comply with court rulings, like one providing for family land, and may continue to change as housing has become increasingly unstable. Property tax increases have always been a concern for homeowners and renters who are being priced out due to increasing rents. Homeowners are already facing challenges in affording insurance premiums, further burdening residents with surmounting costs that may threaten loss of their home. Considering that poorer residents would be highly impacted by these rising costs, they may be more at risk of losing their home. With the law formerly geared toward protecting buyers’ risk, this amendment may limit hungry property investors from harvesting these tax-delinquent homes and turning them into investment properties.
SUMMARY: Vote “Yes.”
Election Info
The deadline to request a mail ballot is December 3 by 4:30 p.m. (other than military and overseas voters).
The deadline for the registrar of voters to receive a mail ballot is December 6 by 4:30 p.m. (other than military and overseas voters).
Early Voting
Early voting for this election begins on November 22 and ends on November 30, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. (excluding Sunday, November 24, Thursday, November 28, and Friday, November 29).
Saturday election day voting hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
City Hall
1300 Perdido St. #1W24 70112
Algiers Courthouse
225 Morgan St. RM#105 70114
Voting Machine Warehouse
8870 Chef Menteur Highway 70127
Lake Vista Community Center
6500 Spanish Fort Blvd. 70124
This voter guide is offered without cost as a service to our beloved readers, but donations are accepted to help cover research fees and labor. A suggested donation of whatever your lifestyle considers $5 is appreciated. Payments can be made via Venmo or PayPal to @antigravitymag (all one word, no dashes). Please include “Voter Guide” or “VG” in the comment or memo.
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This voter education guide is published primarily as a resource and does not constitute an endorsement of any candidate or proposition by ANTIGRAVITY Magazine.
