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|title=Joe Lopinto fends off John Fortunato in special election for Jefferson sheriff|publisher=''The New Orleans Advocate''|author=Jim Mustian|date=March 24, 2018|accessdate=March 24, 2018}}</ref> Questions arose in the campaign regarding three unnamed Lopinto deputies who allegedly eavesdropped and obtained surveillance footage at a Jefferson Parish coffee house in the fall of 2017 to gain information on opponent Fortunato, who was meeting with two other men who once were employed by the sheriff's office. Lopinto said that the three deputies acted without his consent and would be "counseled." ''The Baton Rouge Advocate'' called upon Lopinto to release quickly the results of his department investigation into the matter: "Whether or not they flashed their badges, the deputies' employment as officers shouldn't include moonlighting as political snoops. That can only serve to confuse the difference between police power and the public good."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/opinion/our_views/article_16e41a1c-f658-11e7-b03b-dbb184330df2.html|title=Our Views: Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joe Lopinto should release investigation results immediately|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|date=January 17, 2018|accessdate=January 17, 2018}}</ref>

|title=Joe Lopinto fends off John Fortunato in special election for Jefferson sheriff|publisher=''The New Orleans Advocate''|author=Jim Mustian|date=March 24, 2018|accessdate=March 24, 2018}}</ref> Questions arose in the campaign regarding three unnamed Lopinto deputies who allegedly eavesdropped and obtained surveillance footage at a Jefferson Parish coffee house in the fall of 2017 to gain information on opponent Fortunato, who was meeting with two other men who once were employed by the sheriff's office. Lopinto said that the three deputies acted without his consent and would be "counseled." ''The Baton Rouge Advocate'' called upon Lopinto to release quickly the results of his department investigation into the matter: "Whether or not they flashed their badges, the deputies' employment as officers shouldn't include moonlighting as political snoops. That can only serve to confuse the difference between police power and the public good."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/opinion/our_views/article_16e41a1c-f658-11e7-b03b-dbb184330df2.html|title=Our Views: Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joe Lopinto should release investigation results immediately|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|date=January 17, 2018|accessdate=January 17, 2018}}</ref>

In the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 12, 2019, Lopinto won a full term as sheriff, having polled 66,540 votes (62 percent). Again, John Fortunato opposed Lopinto; he received 33,928 votes (32 percent). Anthony Bloise, the [[Libertarian Party]] nominee, polled the remaining 6,441 votes (6 percent). Lopinto ran more than 7,600 votes ahead of Democratic Governor [[John Bel Edwards]], who drew 58,916 votes (53 percent) in Jefferson Parish. Turnout among registered voters in the sheriff's race was 39.7 percent.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 12, 2019.</ref>

In the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 12, 2019, Lopinto won a full term as sheriff, having polled 66,540 votes (62 percent). Again, John Fortunato opposed Lopinto; he received 33,928 votes (32 percent). Anthony Bloise, the [[Libertarian Party]] nominee, polled the remaining 6,441 votes (6 percent). Lopinto ran more than 7,600 votes ahead of Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards, who drew 58,916 votes (53 percent) in Jefferson Parish. Turnout among registered voters in the sheriff's race was 39.7 percent.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 12, 2019.</ref>

==References==

==References==