Mayor Ronnie Williams attempts to bribe students (1) to register to vote or (2) change their voting address to Natchitoches. Informs the public that there is a “list” they will draw from and to contact Bailey Willis on how to register and get on the list for a $500.00 scholarship.
Video Transcription:
Mayor Ronnie Williams Speaking to a group and LIVE streamed on Social Media…
…..Ok look what we doing, and we haven’t gotten it finalized, but we are offering a scholarship to the students who register to vote, you know, you all! We are offering a scholarship, so we are working on the details of the amount that it’s going to be especially gonna be you know uh if you’re a student were keeping a list, you know uh, if you’re a student who has registered to vote or updated your registration in Natchitoches, either one, we will put in the drawing to win that $500.00 scholarship whoever you are, you can be, doesn’t matter nationality, gender, whatever, uh you update your registration to vote we will put you in a basket to win a scholarship to help toward your tuition. Ok so that’s how we going to Bailey Willis is our contact person I think a lot of people know Bailey uh so yea but again we trying to come up with all kind of things it should be that we just go vote cause we you know we just wanna make sure we continue good representation of all of the city but you know you gotta kinda do these little things…..
THE ELECTION LAW
CHAPTER 10. ELECTION OFFENSES
§1461. Bribery of voters; penalties
A.(1) Bribery of voters is the giving or offering to give, directly or indirectly, any money, or anything of apparent present or prospective value to any voter at any general, primary, or special election, or at any convention of a recognized political party, with the intent to influence the voter in the casting of his ballot. The acceptance of, or the offer to accept, directly or indirectly, any money, or anything of apparent present or prospective value, by any such voters under such circumstances shall also constitute bribery of voters.
(2) Bribery of voters is also the giving or offering to give, directly or indirectly, any money or anything of apparent present or prospective value to secure or influence registration of a person or to secure or influence a person to sign or not sign a recall or other election petition. B. Whoever violates any provision of this Section shall be fined not more than four thousand dollars or be imprisoned, with or without hard labor, for not more than two years, or both, for the first offense. On a second offense, or any subsequent offense, the penalty shall be a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars or imprisonment at hard labor for not more than five years, or both.
C. In the trial of persons charged with bribery of voters either the bribe-giver or the bribe-taker may give evidence, or make affidavit against the other, and may receive immunity from prosecution in favor of the first informer, except for perjury in giving such testimony.
D. In addition to any other penalty imposed pursuant to this Section, the court may order restitution as a part of the sentence. Restitution may include payment for any costs incurred, including reasonable attorney fees, by a candidate who brought an action contesting an election wherein the court found that one or more of the votes cast in the contested election were illegal based on the actions of the defendant and the court changed the result of the election or ordered a new election to be held.