Polls open today in Vidalia

Published 12:02 am Saturday, April 2, 2011

Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. today.

VIDALIA — Vidalia voters have until 8 tonight to cast their vote for one of the three candidates running for police chief.

Vidalians will hit the polls to choose between criminal defense attorney Stuart Boykin, Ferriday Police Department patrolman Sam King or interim police chief Arthur Lewis for the position.

Polls open at 6 a.m. at three locations in Vidalia.

Email newsletter signup

The current courthouse, the old courthouse and the school board annex building will all serve as voting locations.

Registered voters have to vote at their precinct, and voters who do not know where to vote can check their voter ID cards for the location.

Voters need to identify themselves when they arrive with either a photo ID or a signature on a voter affidavit.

According to the Concordia Parish Registrar of Voters, there are 3,354 voters eligible for the election in the city.

Early voting, which ran from March 19 through March 26, saw 157 votes cast, 131 in person and 26 by mail.

The election is to fill the unexpired term of former Vidalia police chief Ronnie “Tapper” Hendricks.

Hendricks resigned from his position Nov. 1 after being charged with lying to federal law enforcement agents by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Hendricks later pleaded guilty to the charge in federal court on Nov. 18 in Alexandria.

Hendricks was sentenced to six months in prison Feb. 25 by U.S. District Judge Dee Drell in Alexandria.

Lewis, who was previously serving as assistant chief, has been serving as interim chief since Hendricks’ resignation in November.