Changes

| term_start=January 1996

| term_start=January 1996

| term_end=January 2008

| term_end=January 2008

| preceded=Noble Edward Ellington, II

| preceded=[[Noble Ellington

| succeeded=Noble Ellington

| succeeded=Noble Ellington

| birth_date=March 25, 1935

| birth_date=March 25, 1935

| religion=[[Southern Baptist]]

| religion=[[Southern Baptist]]

}}

}}

'''Lelon Luther Kenney''' (March 25, 1935<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/lelon-kenney/e439624631262|title=Lelon Kenney|publisher=Mylife.com|accessdate=June 24, 2018}}</ref> &ndash; June 18, 2018),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thenewsstar/obituary.aspx?n=lelon-kenney&pid=189366501&fhid=38115|title=Lelon Kenney|publisher=''The Monroe News-Star''|date=June 23, 2018|accessdate=June 24, 2018}}</ref> was a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] farmer and civic figure from Caldwell Parish in northeastern [[Louisiana]], who represented District 20 in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1996 to 2008, during the administrations of [[Governor]]s [[Mike Foster]] and [[Kathleen Blanco]]. He was preceded and succeeded in his House seat by Democrat (later [[Republican Party|Republican]]) Noble Edward Ellington, II, from Winnsboro in Franklin Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf|title=Historial Membership of Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2020|publisher=House.louisiana.gov|accessdate=June 24, 2018}}</ref>

'''Lelon Luther Kenney''' (March 25, 1935<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/lelon-kenney/e439624631262|title=Lelon Kenney|publisher=Mylife.com|accessdate=June 24, 2018}}</ref> &ndash; June 18, 2018),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thenewsstar/obituary.aspx?n=lelon-kenney&pid=189366501&fhid=38115|title=Lelon Kenney|publisher=''The Monroe News-Star''|date=June 23, 2018|accessdate=June 24, 2018}}</ref> was a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] farmer and civic figure from Caldwell Parish in northeastern [[Louisiana]], who represented District 20 in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1996 to 2008, during the administrations of [[Governor]]s [[Mike Foster]] and [[Kathleen Blanco]]. He was preceded and succeeded in his House seat by Democrat (later [[Republican Party|Republican]]) [[Noble Ellington]] from Winnsboro in Franklin Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf|title=Historial Membership of Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2020|publisher=House.louisiana.gov|accessdate=June 24, 2018}}</ref>

Kenney was a long-time member of the Louisiana Farm Bureau, the Caldwell Parish Industrial Board, and the Bayou De Chene Reservoir Commission, of which he was the chairman at the time of his death. He was also chairman of the Homeland Bank Board of Directors. Prior to his legislative tenure, he was an elected member of the Caldwell Parish School Board and the Caldwell Parish Police Jury, the parish governing body. In the legislature, he served on the Education, Environmental Quality Committee, Agriculture, and Forestry committees.<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=https://riserfuneralhomes.com/tribute/details/1576/Lelon-Kenney/obituary.html#tribute-start|title=Obituary of Lelon Kenney|publisher=Riser Funeral Home|location=Columbia, Louisiana|date=June 22, 2018|accessdate=June 26, 2018}}</ref>

Kenney was a long-time member of the Louisiana Farm Bureau, the Caldwell Parish Industrial Board, and the Bayou De Chene Reservoir Commission, of which he was the chairman at the time of his death. He was also chairman of the Homeland Bank Board of Directors. Prior to his legislative tenure, he was an elected member of the Caldwell Parish School Board and the Caldwell Parish Police Jury, the parish governing body. In the legislature, he served on the Education, Environmental Quality Committee, Agriculture, and Forestry committees.<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=https://riserfuneralhomes.com/tribute/details/1576/Lelon-Kenney/obituary.html#tribute-start|title=Obituary of Lelon Kenney|publisher=Riser Funeral Home|location=Columbia, Louisiana|date=June 22, 2018|accessdate=June 26, 2018}}</ref>

Kenney first ran for House District 20 in the 1987 primary but finished with only 3.45 percent of the vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/static/1987-10-24/resultsRace/21|title=Election Returns|date=October 24, 1987|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=November 5, 2018}}</ref> The district includes all or portions of Caldwell, Franklin, Catahoula, LaSalle, and Tensas parishes in the northeastern section of Louisiana. In the nonpartisan blanket primary in October 1995, in which five Democratic candidates sought the position, Kenney finished second to fellow Democrat, Billy Wayne Cobb (born November 23, 1946) of Winnsboro, 4,194 (23 percent) to 5,632 (32 percent). In the ensuing runoff election in November, Kenney defeated Cobb, 9,150 (53 percent) to 8,217 (47 percent). Kenney won election in 1999 over fellow Democrat Roger Edward Beall (born July 11, 1939) of Winnsboro, 9,315 (69 percent) to 4,269 (31 percent). In 2003, after finishing with 46 percent of the ballots cast in the first round of voting, Kenney won a lopsided runoff contest with former opponent Roger Beall, 8,686 (63 percent) to 5,064 (37 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Graphical|title=Election Returns|date=November 15, 2003|accessdate=June 24, 2018|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State}}</ref>

Kenney first ran for House District 20 in the 1987 primary but finished with only 3.45 percent of the vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/static/1987-10-24/resultsRace/21|title=Election Returns|date=October 24, 1987|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=November 5, 2018}}</ref> The district includes all or portions of Caldwell, Franklin, Catahoula, LaSalle, and Tensas parishes in the northeastern section of Louisiana. In the nonpartisan blanket primary in October 1995, in which five Democratic candidates sought the position, Kenney finished second to fellow Democrat, Billy Wayne Cobb (born November 23, 1946) of Winnsboro, 4,194 (23 percent) to 5,632 (32 percent). In the ensuing runoff election in November, Kenney defeated Cobb, 9,150 (53 percent) to 8,217 (47 percent). Kenney won election in 1999 over fellow Democrat Roger Edward Beall (born July 11, 1939) of Winnsboro, 9,315 (69 percent) to 4,269 (31 percent). In 2003, after finishing with 46 percent of the ballots cast in the first round of voting, Kenney won a lopsided runoff contest with former opponent Roger Beall, 8,686 (63 percent) to 5,064 (37 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Graphical|title=Election Returns|date=November 15, 2003|accessdate=June 24, 2018|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State}}</ref>

Kenney was term-limited in the legislative primary held on October 20, 2007. The seat is currently held by the Republican [[Steve Pylant]], a former sheriff of Franklin Parish.

Kenney was term-limited in the legislative primary held on October 20, 2007. The seat is currently held by the Republican [[Steve Pylant]], a former sheriff of Franklin Parish, who is not a candidate for a third term in the 2019 state election.

The son of Bud and Lucille Kenney, Lelon Kenney and his wife, Loretta, had two daughters, Pamela Kay Kenney (1959-2000) and Sherry Kenney, who survives her father. He died at the age of eighty-three. A [[Southern Baptist]], he is interred at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Caldwell Parish.<ref name=obit/>

The son of Bud and Lucille Kenney, Lelon Kenney and his wife, Loretta, had two daughters, Pamela Kay Kenney (1959-2000) and Sherry Kenney, who survives her father. He died at the age of eighty-three. A [[Southern Baptist]], he is interred at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Caldwell Parish.<ref name=obit/>