In what is a historical event for Shreveport, Governor John Bel Edwards will now appoint an interim council member to represent District E on the Shreveport City Council.
Former two-term council member James Flurry resigned his seat last month after moving out of the district.
The Shreveport City Council deadlocked with a 3-3 vote on naming a replacement for Flurry at a special Dec. 6 meeting.
The net effect of the resignation and the council vote is a punt to the governor for the appointment of the person to represent District E through Dec. 31, 2022.
The only limitations on Gov. Edwards' selection is that the individual must be a registered voter and resident of District E. His selection is not limited to those who applied for the vacancy.
Flurry was a registered Republican, and he ran twice successfully for that council seat as a Republican.
Before Flurry's resignation the council's composition was four African-American Democrats and three white Republicans. Whether or not the racial and party composition will change depends on Edwards' choice.
District E was a solid white majority district on the basis of the 2010 census.
The 2020 census reveals it is now a black majority district, and this population shift will be a factor in the redistricting that the council will decide in upcoming months.
Edwards is a Democrat, and his party affiliation could be the overriding factor in his decision-making process in naming Flurry's replacement.
There is growing sentiment that a Republican should be selected to honor what the citizen vote for in the fall of 2018, when Flurry was re-elected.
The council's vote next year on redistricting will be a bellwether decision affecting the city for the next 10 years. Additionally, the 2022 votes on the selection of permanent Shreveport police and fire chiefs will also be critical for District E and the entire city.
The council's selection deadline was on or before Dec. 13. Edwards does not have a deadline, although it should be made before the Christmas holidays because the district is no longer represented on the council.