Changes

In 2004, Ater joined the Department of Insurance under commissioner J. Robert Wooley, a Democrat. In March 2005, he returned to McKeithen's office as first assistant. Four months later, upon McKeithen's untimely death from an accidental fall earlier in the year, Ater was appointed as the interim secretary of state.<ref name=campaigns/>​

In 2004, Ater joined the Department of Insurance under commissioner J. Robert Wooley, a Democrat. In March 2005, he returned to McKeithen's office as first assistant. Four months later, upon McKeithen's untimely death from an accidental fall earlier in the year, Ater was appointed as the interim secretary of state.<ref name=campaigns/>​

===Effects of Hurricane Katrina===​

==Effects of Hurricane Katrina==​

As secretary of state, Ater was called upon to monitor the municipal elections in [[New Orleans]] held some eight months after [[Hurricane Katrina]], when the city was still struggling to recover and had many former residents living elsewhere. The primary election was to have been conducted on February 4, 2006. Newspaperman Sam Hanna, Jr. (born 1969), of the ''Ouachita Citizen'' in West Monroe, said that Ater ​

As secretary of state, Ater was called upon to monitor the municipal elections in [[New Orleans]] held some eight months after [[Hurricane Katrina]], when the city was still struggling to recover and had many former residents living elsewhere. The primary election was to have been conducted on February 4, 2006. Newspaperman Sam Hanna, Jr. (born 1969), of the ''Ouachita Citizen'' in West Monroe, said that Ater ​

<blockquote>"oversaw probably the cleanest [[mayor]]'s election in modern times in New Orleans' long, fabled history. ... He mowed down the political establishment on both sides of the aisle, which tried in vain to manipulate the election process in the Crescent City for its own selfish reasons. Yes, Ater stood out as a leader with a backbone among a host of local and state officials, who, quite frankly, have appeared spineless throughout the catastrophe caused by Katrina."<ref name=hanna>{{cite web|url=http://www.ouachitacitizen.com/news.php?id=153|title=What’s Big Al to do next?", July 20, 2006|publisher=ouachitacitizen.com|accessdate=December 23, 2009}}</ref></blockquote>  

<blockquote>"oversaw probably the cleanest [[mayor]]'s election in modern times in New Orleans' long, fabled history. ... He mowed down the political establishment on both sides of the aisle, which tried in vain to manipulate the election process in the Crescent City for its own selfish reasons. Yes, Ater stood out as a leader with a backbone among a host of local and state officials, who, quite frankly, have appeared spineless throughout the catastrophe caused by Katrina."<ref name=hanna>{{cite web|url=http://www.ouachitacitizen.com/news.php?id=153|title=What’s Big Al to do next?", July 20, 2006|publisher=ouachitacitizen.com|accessdate=December 23, 2009}}</ref></blockquote>  

Former Secretary of State [[James H. "Jim" Brown]], also a Ferriday native, said he believed the elections could have been held on February 4 and that the delays sought by Ater were unnecessary. Brown said polling locations could be moved as needed and that voting machines could be located elsewhere as required.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4200/is_20051221/ai_n15943587/|title=Former La. Secretary of State Jim Brown scoffs at Al Ater's|publisher=findarticles.com|accessdate=December 23, 2009 | year=2005}}</ref>​

Former Secretary of State [[James H. "Jim" Brown]], also a Ferriday native, said that he believed the elections could have been held on February 4 and that the delays sought by Ater were unnecessary. Brown said polling locations could be moved as needed and that voting machines could be located elsewhere as required.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4200/is_20051221/ai_n15943587/|title=Former La. Secretary of State Jim Brown scoffs at Al Ater's|publisher=findarticles.com|accessdate=December 23, 2009 | year=2005}}</ref>​

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Ater, as secretary of state, questioned a provision of Louisiana law which had required a voter who registered by mail to cast his ballot in person at least once before he could file an [[absentee ballot]]. "I could see the headlines across America right now, They'll say it's another thing that Louisiana can't handle on its own," Ater said.<ref name=katrina>{{cite web|url=http://katrinacoverage.com/2006/02/06/al-ater-courts-may-take-over-election-if-law-unchanged.html|title=Al Ater: Courts may take over election if law unchanged|publisher=Katrinacoverage.com|accessdate=December 23, 2009}}</ref> The law had been intended to protect against voter fraud, but Ater said the hurricane had temporarily changed the dynamics of voting.<ref name=katrina/>​

As secretary of state, Ater questioned a provision of Louisiana law which had required a voter who registered by mail to cast his ballot in person at least once before he could file an [[absentee ballot]]. "I could see the headlines across America right now, They'll say it's another thing that Louisiana can't handle on its own," Ater said.<ref name=katrina>{{cite web|url=http://katrinacoverage.com/2006/02/06/al-ater-courts-may-take-over-election-if-law-unchanged.html|title=Al Ater: Courts may take over election if law unchanged|publisher=Katrinacoverage.com|accessdate=December 23, 2009}}</ref> The law had been intended to protect against voter fraud, but Ater said the hurricane had temporarily changed the dynamics of voting.<ref name=katrina/>​

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Ater's handling of the election was honored by the Louisiana chapter of Common Cause. Also feted was [state Senator Walter Boasso of St. Bernard Parish,  who consolidated the actions of the affected levee boards following the hurricane.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.commoncause.org/atf/cf/%7BFB3C17E2-CDD1-4DF6-92BE-BD4429893665%7D/CCLANewsletterSept2006.pdf|title=Louisiana Common Cause Advocate|publisher=commoncause.org|accessdate=December 23, 2009}}</ref>​

Ater's handling of the election was honored by the Louisiana chapter of Common Cause. Also feted was [state Senator Walter Boasso of St. Bernard Parish,  who consolidated the actions of the affected levee boards following the hurricane.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.commoncause.org/atf/cf/%7BFB3C17E2-CDD1-4DF6-92BE-BD4429893665%7D/CCLANewsletterSept2006.pdf|title=Louisiana Common Cause Advocate|publisher=commoncause.org|accessdate=December 23, 2009}}</ref>​

Ater served until November 2006, when he was succeeded by [[Moderate Republican]] John Leigh "Jay" Dardenne, Jr., the winner of the [[special election]] to fill the vacancy left by McKeithen. Ater was not a candidate in the special election.​

Ater served until November 2006, when he was succeeded by [[Moderate Republican]] John Leigh "Jay" Dardenne, Jr., the winner of the [[special election]] to fill the vacancy left by McKeithen. Ater was not a candidate in the special election.​

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==Farming==

==Farming==

Al Ater farmed [[corn]], [[cotton]], and [[soybean]]s through his Lakeland Planting Company.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.linkedin.com/pub/al-ater/a/55b/58b|title=Al Ater|publisher=linkedin.com|accessdate=December 23, 2009}}</ref> He served on the board of the Concordia Parish Farm Bureau and Catalyst Energy in Vidalia.<ref name=campaigns/> He has also farmed near Waterproof in southern Tensas Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.city-data.com/elec2/elec-WATERPROOF-LA.html|title=Waterproof, Louisiana, Political Contributions by Individuals|publisher=city-data.com|accessdate=December 23, 2009}}</ref>​

Al Ater farmed [[corn]], [[cotton]], and [[soybean]]s through his Lakeland Planting Company.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.linkedin.com/pub/al-ater/a/55b/58b|title=Al Ater|publisher=linkedin.com|accessdate=December 23, 2009}}</ref> He served on the board of the Concordia Parish Farm Bureau and Catalyst Energy in Vidalia.<ref name=campaigns/> He has also farmed near Waterproof in southern Tensas Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.city-data.com/elec2/elec-WATERPROOF-LA.html|title=Waterproof, Louisiana, Political Contributions by Individuals|publisher=city-data.com|accessdate=December 23, 2009}}</ref>​