Dates and deadlines

• • Election Day: June 14

Introduction

The Democratic Socialists of America are fighting to win a world organized and governed by and for the vast majority – the working class. We are socialist because we share a vision of a humane society based on popular control of resources and production, economic planning, equitable distribution, feminism, racial equality and non-oppressive relationships. We are democratic because we know that this transformation cannot be won from the top down, by a small group of elites who claim to have all the answers, or by even well-meaning politicians. This transformation can only come from the bottom up, when millions of working-class people stand together. DSA organizes to realize our working-class collective power, which stems from the reliance of the capitalist economy on our labor. Democracy is necessary to win a socialist society. 

Socialism is the complete realization of democracy against the rising fascist movement.

Join New Orleans DSA in building a future for the people and not for profit. Read our national platform and our national political program Workers Deserve More!

Our chapter democratically debates and votes on any endorsements and recommendations that members propose. We explain the difference between endorsements and recommendations in the appendix at the end of this guide.

Crescent Soil and Water Conservation District

Paper ballots, polling stations with pet food, and no early or absentee voting. Welcome to the obscure Soil and Water Conservation Districts. Like the sheriff’s mileage, every single vote will be important. You won’t find any of this on the Secretary of State website. This election may be run like a joke, but it’s quite real.

What is a Soil and Water Conservation District? A Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) is a local entity designed to help communities care for their land and water, usually in the form of technical assistance to landowners. These districts work with farmers, landowners, and residents to promote the responsible use and protection of natural resources like soil, water, forests, and wildlife. SWCDs were established during the 1930s Dust Bowl, when poor land management led to widespread environmental disaster, but trust in the government was low. In response, states created these locally governed citizen-led districts to ensure better stewardship of the land.  Today, thousands of SWCDs operate across the United States, each tailored to meet the needs of their specific region. Each SWCD is formed through state law and governed by a local board, typically composed of elected and appointed supervisors. The Crescent Soil and Water Conservation District oversees a broad and diverse district that includes:

• Jefferson Parish
• Orleans Parish
• Saint Bernard Parish
• Saint Charles Parish
• St. John the Baptist Parish

Polling locations are listed in the Appendix.

Why have I never voted for this before? It sounds obscure, but it’s kind of a big deal. These boards exist all over the country, and they’re either elected or appointed — but most of the time, nobody runs. Like, literally only seven elections have ever happened across all of Louisiana since the 1930s. Seven. Total.

How do I vote? To be eligible to vote in the Soil & Water Conservation District election, you must be 18 years old with a state ID, and reside in Jefferson, Orleans, St. Bernard, St. Charles, or St. John the Baptist parishes.

Why isn’t it my usual polling place? And why can’t I find information about this election on the Secretary of State website?  Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) elections are rarely held, because members are generally appointed and then go unopposed until they choose to leave the board. This will be the first-ever Crescent SWCD election, and only the seventh SWCD election in Louisiana history. While all residents of voting age within the district are eligible voters, this is an election that is administered by the Soil & Water Conservation District itself, not the Secretary of State’s office. There are eight voting locations total in this multi-parish region – two in Jefferson, three in Orleans, and three in St. Charles. If you live in Jefferson, Orleans, or St. Charles Parish, you must vote in your parish. There are no voting sites in St. Bernard or St. John the Baptist, those voters must travel to a voting site in a neighboring parish.  With only three locations available for Orleans and St. Bernard combined (~ 397,000 population) and two for Jefferson Parish (~ 413,000 population), there’s a per capita discrepancy while St. John the Baptist and St. Charles Parish (~ 89,000 population) has three locations.

How do people get on the board? There are three seats that are elected positions, and two seats appointed by the remainder of the board. Unsurprisingly, the board has never appointed a woman until 2022, when Erica Johnson was appointed to serve the remaining term for one of the elected seats. The nominating period for the June 14 election was held in April 2025. Interested candidates were required to get at least 25 signatures to support their nomination. In order to run, the candidate is required to be a landowner and be a qualified voter in the district they wish to represent. If a district board has more than 1 qualified candidate for the vacant position, the board must hold an election.

Lloyd Landry IV is the owner-operator of Outcast Fishing Charters and a registered member of Family Traditions Charters, which are fishing boat tour companies. He is a St. Charles Parish resident and graduated from Hahnville High School. His Instagram is mostly fishing and hunting pictures along with a campaign announcement and brief biography. He has made campaign donations to registered Republican official Tab Troxler (St. Charles Parish Assessor) via his business Outcast Charters and as an individual. In a Louisiana Sportsman interview, Landry described his experience working at a chemical plant and as a part-time guide for a fishing boat tour company, but was fishing more than working and quit his job and started a fishing boat tour company.  

Erica Johnson  is the incumbent candidate. She is an urban farmer in New Orleans. She runs a small sustainable plot of land in Central City where she grows, harvests, and produces naturally grown vegetables, fruit, and shelf-stable products. She believes in a collective bettering of her community and often engages neighborhood members and children on the land. Her farm’s website highlights “finding strength, joy, and potential in providing limited but efficient nutrition options to a city that holds such high food insecurity.” You may have seen her at the New Orleans Flower Collective Mother’s Day Flower Market, and you can find her at the Crescent City Farmers Market on Sundays.  In a district encompassing Orleans Parish, which is majority Black, the board has never had a single Black member. That finally changed when Erica Johnson, a Black woman, became the first Black board member – and only the second woman – when she joined Crescent SWCD in 2022.  In Erica’s first term, she led the effort to improve public visibility and accessibility of the board via social media and increased support for local urban farmers. She became treasurer and introduced new programming like low-cost tool rental for small-scale and urban farmers. She is the obvious choice for making sure the board doesn’t sit on resources that could help all farmers, and especially our urban farmers here in New Orleans, which is why New Orleans DSA recommends Erica Johnson. Her challenger has no experience or history with the SWCD and doesn’t represent the diverse community he would serve.

A bit of lagniappe background  On July 29, 2024, the Louisiana Soil and Water Conservation Commission (LSWCC) approved the resignation of an appointed position from the Crescent SWDC effective April 9, 2025. On February 25, 2025 the LSWCC announced that June 14, 2025 would be the election date for any contested SWCD seats. It was states that qualifying for the elected positions would be April 1 – April 30.  At the April 22, 2025 board meeting the LSWCC approved an appointment to fill the resignation of the board member who gave notice in July 2024.  It is unknown as to why Landry IV did not attempt to secure an appointment to a vacant seat between the announcement of the seat opening (July 29, 2024) and qualifying for the elected seat (April 1, 2025). What is known, is that Landry IV declared to run for the elected seat, held by the only Black woman on the board, when there was a much easier path to board membership available.

Why is this election important? We believe that the Soil and Water Conservation Districts of Louisiana should be representative of the diverse communities stewarding the land of Louisiana—including small farmers, sustainable agriculture, urban agriculture, and farmers of color. The outcome of this election could determine whether this long-underrepresented region continues to see inclusive, community-driven conservation, or whether it returns to the status quo. 

How will I know my vote is counted? The election will be conducted using paper ballots, and we are continuing to learn more about how such a strangely administered election is upheld fairly. Erica Johnson’s campaign is looking for volunteers willing to serve as poll watchers – sign-up with Erica’s team to learn more.

Appendix

Recommendations vs. Endorsements

An endorsement represents a direct material investment from our membership for a candidate, including volunteers and securing the support of the National DSA when applicable. Our endorsement requires the candidate to be a member of our chapter, and the process is initiated with a resolution signed on by at least 1% of our membership in good standing at a general membership meeting. The candidate will attend a Q&A interview curated by members, and requires a majority vote from our membership after chapter-wide debate. Our chapter has endorsed candidates under this endorsement process for US Congress, School Board, State House, Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, and Democratic State Central Committee.  National DSA endorsements are initiated by the chapter and require a local endorsement, a review from the DSA National Electoral Commission, and is approved by the National Political Committee, DSA’s national leadership body. Devin Davis and Margee Green have received national endorsements in the past.  In contrast, a recommendation can be initiated by any member by presenting a recommendation resolution at one of our monthly general meetings. These recommendations require the consent of a majority of members in a quorate meeting with at least 10% of membership in good standing. Recommendations will be made explicit in voter guides, but do not devote member time and resources to a given campaign as a chapter priority like endorsements do. A lack of recommendation in a given race should not be interpreted as condemnation or praise of any particular candidate(s), but that there is, if anything, no majority opinion on that candidate among chapter membership. The recommendation process has been employed multiple times since it was established by our members in February 2021. We hope to connect issues in the races to larger discussions in our city and world, and give a better understanding of the positions and processes of our city and electoral system. This guide is written and researched by members working with the Voter Guide Working Group of the New Orleans DSA and is approved by elected chapter leadership. If you’ve made it this far, join our chapter if you haven’t already and help us write our next voter guide.

Polling Locations

Orleans Parish

Mid-City: New Harmony High School 3368 Esplanade Ave N.O. East Crown of Life Lutheran Church 11721 Morrison Rd Marigny/Bywater Press St Gallery 5 Homer Plessy Way

Jefferson Parish

Jefferson: Jefferson Feed Store 4421 Jefferson Hwy Metairie Jefferson Feed Store 2949 Veterans Blvd

St. Charles Parish

Luling Veterans of Foreign Wars – Post 3750 140 Angus Dr Norco Knights of Columbus 375 Spruce St New Sarpy Alan Arterbury Building 14564 River Rd