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'''John Thomas Schedler''', known as '''Tom Schedler''' (born January 24, 1950), is the former secretary of state of his native [[Louisiana]]. A [[Republican Party|Republican]], Schedler announced his resignation in the wake of a [[sexual harassment]] scandal. He vacated his office on May 8, 2018; a special election will be held on November 6, to choose Schedler's successor for the term ending in January 2020.<ref name=resignation>{{cite web|url=https://www.thetowntalk.com/story/news/local/louisiana/2018/05/01/louisiana-elections-chief-tom-schedler-quits-amid-sexual-misconduct-claim/565583002/|title=Louisiana Secretary of State quits amid sexual misconduct claims|publisher=''The Alexandria Town Talk'', copied from the ''Lafayette Daily Advertiser'' in [[Lafayette]], Louisiana|date=May 1, 2018}}</ref> Meanwhile, [[Kyle Ardoin]], the first assistant secretary of state, assumed the duties of the office for the interim period.<ref name=ghilburn/> Ardoin then won a special election to finish Schedler's term.

'''John Thomas Schedler''', known as '''Tom Schedler''' (born January 24, 1950), is the former secretary of state of his native [[Louisiana]]. A [[Republican Party|Republican]], Schedler announced his resignation in the wake of a [[sexual harassment]] scandal. He vacated his office on May 8, 2018; a special election will be held on November 6, to choose Schedler's successor for the term ending in January 2020.<ref name=resignation>{{cite web|url=https://www.thetowntalk.com/story/news/local/louisiana/2018/05/01/louisiana-elections-chief-tom-schedler-quits-amid-sexual-misconduct-claim/565583002/|title=Louisiana Secretary of State quits amid sexual misconduct claims|publisher=''The Alexandria Town Talk'', copied from the ''Lafayette Daily Advertiser'' in [[Lafayette]], Louisiana|date=May 1, 2018}}</ref> Meanwhile, [[Kyle Ardoin]], the first assistant secretary of state, assumed the duties of the office for the interim period.<ref name=ghilburn/> Ardoin then won a special election to finish Schedler's term as secretary of state..

From 1996 to 2008, Schedler was the District 11 state senator for St. Tammany and Tangipahoa parishes in southeastern Louisiana. Term-limited affer twelve years in the Senate, he was named chief deputy to the Secretary of State Jay Dardenne, a former Senate colleague from [[Baton Rouge]].<ref>''New Orleans Times-Picayune'', December 6, 2007.</ref> When Dardenne won a special election for lieutenant governor in 2010, Schedler became the secretary of state. On October 22, 2011, Schedler won a full term as secretary by narrowly defeating the outgoing state House Speaker James Wilton "Jim" Tucker of [[New Orleans]], 449,370 (50.5 percent) to 440,872 (49.5 percent). He won only twenty-six of the sixty-four parishes in the race against Tucker, and his margin of victory was attributed to his own St. Tammany Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Graphical|title=Louisiana election returns|date=October 22, 2011|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=March 16, 2018}}</ref>

From 1996 to 2008, Schedler was the District 11 state senator for St. Tammany and Tangipahoa parishes in southeastern Louisiana. Term-limited affer twelve years in the Senate, he was named chief deputy to the Secretary of State Jay Dardenne, a former Senate colleague from [[Baton Rouge]].<ref>''New Orleans Times-Picayune'', December 6, 2007.</ref> When Dardenne won a special election for lieutenant governor in 2010, Schedler became the secretary of state. On October 22, 2011, Schedler won a full term as secretary by narrowly defeating the outgoing state House [[Speaker]] [[Jim Tucker (Louisiana politician)|James Wilton "Jim" Tucker]] of [[New Orleans]], 449,370 votes (50.5 percent) to 440,872 (49.5 percent). He won only twenty-six of the sixty-four parishes in the race against Tucker, and his margin of victory was attributed to his own St. Tammany Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Graphical|title=Louisiana election returns|date=October 22, 2011|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=March 16, 2018}}</ref>

   

   

==Background==

==Background==

==Legislative service==

==Legislative service==

In addition to St. Tammany Parish, Schedler's district included neighboring Tangipahoa Parish. Schedler served on the Health and Welfare, Judiciary C, Retirement, and Local and municipal Affairs committees. He is a former chairman of the Legislative Audit Advisory Council and the Louisiana Commission on Mental Health. He was also among the members of the select committee which handled  legislative oversight of the Greater New Orleans Expressway Commission.<ref name=bio>{{cite web|url=http://senate.legis.state.la.us/senators/Archives/2006/Schedler/LinkShell.asp?type=biography|title=Biography of Senator John T. "Tom" Schedler"|publisher=senate.legis.state.la.us|accessdate=November 4, 2009}}</ref>

In addition to St. Tammany Parish, Schedler's senatorial district included neighboring Tangipahoa Parish. Schedler served on the Health and Welfare, Judiciary C, Retirement, and Local and municipal Affairs committees. He is a former chairman of the Legislative Audit Advisory Council and the Louisiana Commission on Mental Health. He was also among the members of the select committee which handled  legislative oversight of the Greater New Orleans Expressway Commission.<ref name=bio>{{cite web|url=http://senate.legis.state.la.us/senators/Archives/2006/Schedler/LinkShell.asp?type=biography|title=Biography of Senator John T. "Tom" Schedler"|publisher=senate.legis.state.la.us|accessdate=November 4, 2009}}</ref>

In 1999, Schedler was twice named "Legislator of the Month" by the Louisiana Municipal Association and received the Outstanding Legislator Award from the Victims and Citizens Against Crime. He was named "Legislator of the Year" by both the Louisiana Hospital Association and the Metro Hospital Council of New Orleans. He also received the Fred Henderson Memorial Award from the Louisiana Chapter of the National Association of Mental Illness. In 2000, the Alliance for Good Government, the President's Committee on Mental Retardation, the Louisiana Hospital Association, and the Louisiana Association for Mental Health named him "Legislator of the Year". In 2001, Schedler received the Franklin Smith Award from the Association for Retarded Citizens of Louisiana for his work with children with mental disabilities.<ref name=bio/>

In 1999, Schedler was twice named "Legislator of the Month" by the Louisiana Municipal Association and received the Outstanding Legislator Award from the Victims and Citizens Against Crime. He was named "Legislator of the Year" by both the Louisiana Hospital Association and the Metro Hospital Council of New Orleans. He also received the Fred Henderson Memorial Award from the Louisiana Chapter of the National Association of Mental Illness. In 2000, the Alliance for Good Government, the President's Committee on Mental Retardation, the Louisiana Hospital Association, and the Louisiana Association for Mental Health named him "Legislator of the Year". In 2001, Schedler received the Franklin Smith Award from the Association for Retarded Citizens of Louisiana for his work with children with mental disabilities.<ref name=bio/>

==Election results==

==Election results==

In the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 21, 1995, the late Gerry Earl Hinton, a chiropractor and a three-term Republican state senator from Slidell, did not seek reelection. Schedler finished second and entered the Louisiana [[general election]] with Pat Brister, later the state chairman of the Louisiana [[Republican Party (United States)|GOP]]. He received 6,122 (16.72 percent) to her 7,691 (21 percent). A third candidate, Republican Alvin D. Singletary (born 1942), Schedler's fellow Slidell city council member, ran third, having trailed Schedler by only seven votes, 6,155 (16.7 percent). Four other Republicans, two [[Democratic Party|Democrats]], and an unaffiliated contender, polled the remaining 46 percent of the primary ballots.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Graphical|title=Louisiana election returns|date=October 21, 1995|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=November 4, 2009}}</ref> In the second balloting on November 18, Schedler won 23,354 votes (56.6 percent) to Brister's 17,876 (43.4 percent). Schedler was unopposed in the 1999 primary. On October 4, 2003, he convincingly defeated another  fellow Republican, Bruce S. Authement of Covington, 22,366 votes (65.2 percent) to 11,920 (34.8 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Graphical|title=Louisiana election returns|date=October 4, 2003|publisher=Louisiana secretary of state|accessdate=November 4, 2009}}</ref>

In the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 21, 1995, the late [[Gerry E. Hinton]], a chiropractor and a three-term Republican state senator from Slidell, did not seek reelection. Schedler finished second and entered the Louisiana [[general election]] with Pat Brister, later the state chairman of the Louisiana [[Republican Party (United States)|GOP]]. He received 6,122 (16.72 percent) to her 7,691 (21 percent). A third candidate, Republican Alvin D. Singletary (born 1942), Schedler's fellow Slidell city council member, ran third, having trailed Schedler by only seven votes, 6,155 (16.7 percent). Four other Republicans, two [[Democratic Party|Democrats]], and an unaffiliated contender, polled the remaining 46 percent of the primary ballots.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Graphical|title=Louisiana election returns|date=October 21, 1995|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=November 4, 2009}}</ref> In the second balloting on November 18, Schedler won 23,354 votes (56.6 percent) to Brister's 17,876 (43.4 percent). Schedler was unopposed in the 1999 primary. On October 4, 2003, he convincingly defeated another  fellow Republican, Bruce S. Authement of Covington, 22,366 votes (65.2 percent) to 11,920 (34.8 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Graphical|title=Louisiana election returns|date=October 4, 2003|publisher=Louisiana secretary of state|accessdate=November 4, 2009}}</ref>

Schedler held the District F seat on the Slidell City Council from June 1990 to January 1996. On March 26, 1994, he was reelected to the city council in a primary contest with fellow Republican Mark D. Fridge (born 1957), 632 to 476.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Graphical|title=Louisiana election returns|date=March 26, 1994|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=November 4, 2009}}</ref> He resigned from the council in 1995 to become state senator. In a runoff election on April 20, 1996, Michael J. Molbert (born 1945), with 552 votes (52 percent) defeated Mark Fridge, who polled 509 ballots (48 percent) to finish Schedler's second city council term.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Graphical|title=Louisiana election returns|date=April 20, 1996|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=November 4, 2009}}</ref>

Schedler held the District F seat on the Slidell City Council from June 1990 to January 1996. On March 26, 1994, he was reelected to the city council in a primary contest with fellow Republican Mark D. Fridge (born 1957), 632 to 476.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Graphical|title=Louisiana election returns|date=March 26, 1994|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=November 4, 2009}}</ref> He resigned from the council in 1995 to become state senator. In a runoff election on April 20, 1996, Michael J. Molbert (born 1945), with 552 votes (52 percent) defeated Mark Fridge, who polled 509 ballots (48 percent) to finish Schedler's second city council term.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Graphical|title=Louisiana election returns|date=April 20, 1996|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=November 4, 2009}}</ref>

As his successor in the state Senate, Schedler endorsed a fellow Republican, John Leo "Jack" Donahue, Jr., a Mandeville contractor<ref>{{cite web|url=http://senatorjackdonahue.com/news-campaign-74/64-jack-donahue-for-senate-newsletter-senator-tom-schedler.html|title=Jack Donahue for Senate

As his successor in the state Senate, Schedler endorsed a fellow Republican, [[Jack Donahue]], Jr., a Mandeville contractor<ref>{{cite web|url=http://senatorjackdonahue.com/news-campaign-74/64-jack-donahue-for-senate-newsletter-senator-tom-schedler.html|title=Jack Donahue for Senate

|publisher=senatorjackdonahue.com|accessdate=November 5, 2009}}</ref> who easily won the Senate seat in the 2007 primary election over the term-limited [[conservative]] Republican State Representative Matthew Peter "Pete" Schneider, III, of Slidell.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Graphical=|title=Louisiana election returns|date=October 20, 2007|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=November 5, 2009}}</ref>

|publisher=senatorjackdonahue.com|accessdate=November 5, 2009}}</ref> who easily won the Senate seat in the 2007 primary election over the term-limited [[conservative]] Republican state Representative [[Pete Schneider (Louisiana politician)|Matthew Peter "Pete" Schneider, III]], of Slidell.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 20, 2007.</ref>

In June 2009, Schedler was listed as one of the directors of a national presidential fund-raising effort promoting then Governor [[Bobby Jindal]]. According to the campaign treasurer, Daniel Guin "Dan" Kyle, the former Louisiana legislative auditor, the group hoped to raise $60 million to persuade Jindal to seek the 2012 Republican nomination<ref name=jindal>{{cite web|url=http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/48123092.htmlauthor=Michelle Millhollon|title=Official pulls out of Jindal group|fdate=June 16, 2009|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|accessdate=November 23, 2009}}</ref> eventually won by [[Mitt Romney]], a [[Moderate Republican]] from [[Massachusetts]] and now [[Utah]]. Others on the committee werer former State Representative [[Woody Jenkins]] and [[U.S. Representative]] [[Steve Scalise]]. Schedler had his name removed from the group, not because he opposes Jindal but because such fund-raising activity may have conflicted with his role as Dardenne's deputy.<ref name=jindal/>

In June 2009, Schedler was listed as one of the directors of a national presidential fund-raising effort promoting then Governor [[Bobby Jindal]]. According to the campaign treasurer, [[Dan Kyle]], the former Louisiana legislative auditor, the group hoped to raise $60 million to persuade Jindal to seek the 2012 Republican nomination<ref name=jindal>{{cite web|url=http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/48123092.htmlauthor=Michelle Millhollon|title=Official pulls out of Jindal group|fdate=June 16, 2009|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|accessdate=November 23, 2009}}</ref> eventually won by [[Mitt Romney]], a [[Moderate Republican]] from [[Massachusetts]] and now [[Utah]]. Others on the committee werer former State Representative [[Woody Jenkins]] and [[U.S. Representative]] [[Steve Scalise]]. Schedler had his name removed from the group, not because he opposes Jindal but because such fund-raising activity may have conflicted with his role as Dardenne's deputy.<ref name=jindal/>

Schedler said that it was difficult to raise funds for the 2011 secretary of state race against Jim Tucker because the mostly technical position is "one that's particularly difficult to get people excited about."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20110909/NEWS01/110909012/Analysis-Many-La-incumbents-get-free-pass-|title=Many La. incumbents get a free pass, September 9, 2011|publisher='The Alexandria Town Talk''|accessdate=September 11, 2011}}</ref>

Schedler said that it was difficult to raise funds for the 2011 secretary of state race against Jim Tucker because the mostly technical position is "one that's particularly difficult to get people excited about."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20110909/NEWS01/110909012/Analysis-Many-La-incumbents-get-free-pass-|title=Many La. incumbents get a free pass|date=September 9, 2011|publisher='The Alexandria Town Talk''|accessdate=September 11, 2011; no longer on-line}}</ref>

In his bid for a second full term as secretary of state in the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 24, 2015, Schedler defeated Chris Tyson, an [[African-American]] Democrat from Baton Rouge,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://710keel.com/candidates-qualified-in-statewide-elections/|title=Candidates Qualified in Statewide Elections|publisher=KEEL (AM)|accessdate=September 11, 2015}}</ref> 649,153 (62.2 percent) to 394,153 (37.8 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Graphical|title=Louisiana election returns|date=October 24, 2015|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=October 25, 2015}}</ref>

In his bid for a second full term as secretary of state in the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 24, 2015, Schedler defeated Chris Tyson, an [[African-American]] Democrat from Baton Rouge,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://710keel.com/candidates-qualified-in-statewide-elections/|title=Candidates Qualified in Statewide Elections|publisher=KEEL (AM)|accessdate=September 11, 2015}}</ref> 649,153 (62.2 percent) to 394,153 (37.8 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Graphical|title=Louisiana election returns|date=October 24, 2015|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=October 25, 2015}}</ref>

==Special election, 2018==

==Special election, 2018==

In conjunction with congressional elections on November 6, 2018, a special election was held to choose a successor to Schedler to serve the remainder of the term through January 2020. Republican interim Secretary Robert Kyle Ardoin (born July 31, 1967) won a runoff contest against an African-American Democratic woman, Gwen Collins-Greenup. Others who sought to succeed Schedle were sitting state Representatives [[Julie Stokes]] of Kenner in Jefferson Parish, the first to announce; [[Rick Edmonds]], a Baptist clergyman from Baton Rouge who has vowed to act as a "watchdog" to guarantee election integrity. Almond Gaston Crowe, Jr., who served in both houses of the legislature from St. Tammany Parish prior to 2016, was still another Republican candidate. Two Republican state senators previously mentioned as potential candidates, Gerald Long of [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]] and Michael Arthur "Mike" Walsworth of West Monroe, did not file for the position.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/2018/07/05/secretary-state-see-whos-whos-out-race/759474002/|title=Secretary of state race: See who's in, who's out|author=Greg Hilburn|publisher=''The Monroe News-Star''|date=July 5, 2018|accessdate=July 6, 2018}}</ref>

In conjunction with congressional elections on November 6, 2018, a special election was held to choose a successor to Schedler to serve the remainder of the term through January 2020. Republican interim Secretary Robert Kyle Ardoin (born July 31, 1967) won a runoff contest against an African-American Democratic woman, Gwen Collins-Greenup. Others who sought to succeed Schedler were sitting state Representatives [[Julie Stokes]] of Kenner in Jefferson Parish, the first to announce; [[Rick Edmonds]], a Baptist clergyman from Baton Rouge who has vowed to act as a "watchdog" to guarantee election integrity. Almond Gaston Crowe, Jr., who served in both houses of the legislature from St. Tammany Parish prior to 2016, was still another Republican candidate. Two Republican state senators previously mentioned as potential candidates, Gerald Long of [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]] and Michael Arthur "Mike" Walsworth of West Monroe, did not file for the position.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/2018/07/05/secretary-state-see-whos-whos-out-race/759474002/|title=Secretary of state race: See who's in, who's out|author=[[Greg Hilburn]]|publisher=''The Monroe News-Star''|date=July 5, 2018|accessdate=July 6, 2018}}</ref>

==References==

==References==