The New Orleans City Council is currently interviewing candidates who applied to become the city’s next Registrar of Voters after the retirement of somewhat controversial long-time registrar Dr. Sandra Wilson. Wilson announced her retirement in late January 2025 and had been on the job since 2006.
The office of the registrar “safeguards each citizen’s basic right to vote.” The office is responsible for the maintenance and accuracy of the voting rolls and processes all updates due to changes in residency, death of a voter, incarceration status or party affiliation. It also oversees voter registration along with early and absentee voting. Wilson will be best remembered for her stellar work locating hard-to-find voters after Hurricane Katrina and her strict review of signatures on the recall petitions submitted to oust Mayor LaToya Cantrell.
The candidates vying to replace Wilson include a group of current and former government employees as well as lawyers and other seasoned professionals. Their LinkedIn profiles provided biographical information on most contenders. Candidate Elizabeth Bridges is senior director project management at the Camacho Bridges law firm and is a graduate of Loyola University. Lisa Manning Bridges, a former aide to then Congressman Cedric Richmond, is currently Chief Deputy Clerk at First City Court, as well as a member of the Democratic State Central Committee and parish executive committee. Danielle Duplessis-Hammond is currently Acting Registrar, having previously served under Wilson as Chief Deputy Registrar.
Mason Foret is a proprietor, marine biologist, researcher and environmental consultant who works with oil and gas companies, government agencies and academic institutions. A former candidate for Louisiana House of Representatives, Durrell Laurent is currently a constituency services liaison for District D Councilmember Eugene Green. He also owns a small insurance company which specializes in finding coverage for seniors. Matthew Fraser is an attorney at Porteous, Hainkel & Johnson who practices insurance law and is a former City Council staff member.
Rory Maxwell is an outdoorsman, world traveler and soccer enthusiast who currently works in sales management but spent a brief portion of his career in Jefferson Parish government. A former president of the Touro Bouligny Association and Mensa member, attorney Summer McKnight is the manager at Primary Imperative which works in early literacy and is also the master actuator for Vitruvius Restoration, LLC.
Previously the director of litigation for the ACLU of Louisiana, attorney Candice Sirmon served as a contract attorney with the New Orleans’ Independent Police Monitor and specialized in investigations of claims of excessive use of force. She currently works with Stephenson, Chavarri & Dawson LLC. Betsy Stoner has been Executive Director of the Orleans Parish Board of Election Supervisors for 25 years and is election coordinator in the Elections Division of the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court. She is an active Republican and former party official. A graduate of Loyola’s Institute of Politics, Stoner is a board member of the Girls Scouts Louisiana East.
Mother, lawyer, advocate and activist, Tracie Washington is a faculty member at Southern University Law Center. She is principal consultant with Higher Ground Consultants, President & CEO of the Louisiana Justice Institute, and former chief legal officer for the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Councilmembers have begun holding brief personal interviews in executive session with candidates and could narrow their selection in the coming weeks. A final decision is possible in March.
