Joe Salter

Joe Reece Salter
Louisiana State Representative for District 24 (Sabine, Red River, and parts of DeSoto and Vernon parishes)
In office 1986 – January 14, 2008
Preceded by	H. M. Fowler
Succeeded by	Frank A. Howard
Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives
In office January 12, 2004 – January 14, 2008
Preceded by	Charles W. DeWitt, Jr.
Succeeded by	Jim Tucker
Born	August 13, 1943 Florien, Sabine Parish, Louisiana
Died	August 16, 2025 (aged 82) Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Nationality	American
Political party	Democrat
Spouse(s)	Bettye Lilly Salter
Children	Amanda M. Gibbs Brantley Reece Salter
Alma mater	Florien (Louisiana) High School Northwestern State University
Occupation	Educator
Religion	Southern Baptist
Notes: (1) After twenty-one years in his state legislature, the last four as Speaker, Salter became the chief lobbyist for the Louisiana Department of Education with other government agencies.<br He was later the state director of administration. (2) Salter's experience in professional education dates back to his work as a classroom teacher in his native Sabine Parish in 1965. (3) Salter initially won election to the legislature when scandal forced the resignation of H. M. "Mutt" Fowler. (4) The replacement of Democratic precincts from Bienville Parish with parts of Vernon Parish sufficiently altered District 24 so as to allow a Republican to win the seat in 2007.

Joe Reece Salter (August 13, 1943 – August 16, 2025) was the former director of administration in the Louisiana state governmentand a Democrat former state representative and House Speaker. He was a former lobbyist for the Louisiana Department of Education.

In 1986, Salter began representing District 24 in northwestern Louisiana, which then included Sabine, DeSoto, Bienville, and Red River parishes. He was initially seated after a special election was held to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of H. M. "Mutt" Fowler of Coushatta in Red River Parish, the brother of former state elections commissioner Douglas Fowler.

Background

A native of Florien in Sabine Parish, Salter graduated in 1961 from Florien High School. He obtained his bachelor of science and master's degree in professional education from Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, where he was Phi Delta Kappa and a member of the Phi Kappa Phi honor society and the Blue Key honor fraternity. He began teaching in 1965 in Sabine Parish. In 1969, he became the principal of Florien High School, having succeeded his father-in-law in that position. In 1980, Salter became the assistant superintendent of schools for Sabine Parish. He is affiliated with the interest group, the Louisiana Association of School Executives. Salter has also been a bank board member, a Florien town alderman, and a member of his parish Fire Protection District. Salter's wife, Bettye Lilly, is a former teacher. The couple has two children, Amanda M. Gibbs and Brantley Reece Salter. Salter was a member of the Lions Club and Rotary International. He was a Southern Baptist.

Salter was the secretary and director of the Florien Cemetery. He was registered to vote in Sabine Parish but spent much of his time in Baton Rouge.

Election history

Salter was elected without opposition for his first full term in the legislature in the 1987 nonpartisan blanket primary. In 1991, however, he faced a runoff election with fellow Democrat Kenneth Simmons. Salter prevailed 10,054 (53.9 percent) to Simmons' 8,617 (46.2 percent). In 1995, Salter faced a "No party" challenger, Lowray "Matt" Chachere, but prevailed, 12,041 (75.9 percent) to 3,831 (24.1 percent).

No one challenged Salter in 1999. In his last election on October 4, 2003, Salter, with 10,794 votes (75.9 percent), handily defeated two Republicans, Jack Adair (11.8 percent) and Charles "Chuck" Adcock (12.3 percent).

Selection as Speaker

In 2004, Salter was tapped by Democratic Governor Kathleen Blanco of Lafayette as her choice to be the 62nd Speaker of the Louisiana House to succeed Charles DeWitt of Rapides Parish as presiding officer. He was the first person from his House district ever to be Speaker. Unlike most states, Louisiana's governor recommends a choice for Speaker, and that person is usually chosen by the full chamber.

Considering his experience in education, Salter served on the House Education Committee and on the key committees which address the budget and financing of state government – Appropriations Committee, the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget, and the Joint Capital Outlay Committee.

In 2008, Salter was inducted into the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame in Winnfield.

Salter died at the age of eighty-two. Memorial services were held at the First Baptist Church in both Baton Rouge and Florien.