2 candidates are tracked for District Judge, 31st Judicial District Court, headed to a November 3, 2026 runoff: Karen Daniel Ancelet and Steve Gunnell. Candidate information follows official Jefferson Davis Parish election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
Karen Daniel Ancelet and Steve Gunnell are on the November 3, 2026 open primary ballot for this seat on the 31st Judicial District Court. Every voter in Jefferson Davis Parish elects this seat, since Louisiana district judges are elected district-wide across the 31st Judicial District (La. R.S. 13:477). Louisiana's open primary elects a candidate outright with a majority of the vote; otherwise the top two finishers meet in a December 12, 2026 runoff. Listed from the Louisiana Secretary of State's official candidate list.
Trial court judge. A trial judge presides over criminal and civil cases at the first level: bail and pleas, motions, trials, sentencing and civil judgments. Judges are bound by state law and appellate precedent and are barred by judicial conduct rules from campaigning on how they would rule. Most states elect trial judges on a nonpartisan ballot; the term and the courts a judge may sit on vary by state.
This race. The sitting officeholder, Steve Gunnell, is on the ballot.
Louisiana › Jefferson Davis Parish › District Judge, 31st Judicial District Court
Republican
Karen Daniel Ancelet is on the November 3, 2026 open primary ballot for a seat on the 31st Judicial District Court, per the Louisiana Secretary of State's official candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 25, 2026.
Republican Incumbent
Steve Gunnell currently serves as the sole district judge of the 31st Judicial District Court, covering Jefferson Davis Parish, per the court's own website. No campaign website was found as of September 25, 2026.
Who is running for District Judge, 31st Judicial District Court in 2026?
2 candidates are tracked for District Judge, 31st Judicial District Court, headed to a November 3, 2026 runoff: Karen Daniel Ancelet and Steve Gunnell. Candidate information follows official Jefferson Davis Parish election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
When is the District Judge, 31st Judicial District Court election in Louisiana?
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Louisiana are on the Louisiana election hub at theballotbrief.com.
How do I see my exact Jefferson Davis Parish ballot?
Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.
Candidate roster from official Jefferson Davis Parish and state election office filings. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.
Cross-check with the official Louisiana election office, or see the full Jefferson Davis Parish sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.
2 tracked races in Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.