Justice of the Peace District 4 Election 2026: Five Democrats Qualify in East Baton Rouge Parish

BATON ROUGE, La. — The 2026 Justice of the Peace District 4 election in East Baton Rouge Parish has become a five-candidate Democratic contest, with Antonia Caine, Lee A. Cosey, Taneshia Flowers, Carla Fowler and C. Denise Marcelle competing for one seat.

The candidates qualified Aug. 5 and Aug. 7, according to the qualifying information for the race.

The contest gives voters in Justice of the Peace District 4 a choice among candidates with different backgrounds in local politics, government, communications and the justice system.

Who Is Running for Justice of the Peace District 4?

The five candidates qualified as Democrats:

• Antonia Caine — filed Aug. 7, 2026
• Lee A. Cosey — filed Aug. 5, 2026
• Taneshia Flowers — filed Aug. 7, 2026
• Carla Fowler — filed Aug. 7, 2026
• C. Denise Marcelle — filed Aug. 5, 2026

One candidate will be elected.

The race is scheduled for the Nov. 3, 2026, election.

Antonia Caine Brings Previous Local Election Experience

Antonia Caine has previously appeared on the ballot in East Baton Rouge Parish.

Caine was a Democratic candidate for Baker City Council District 4 in 2024. Her previous campaign gives her experience running for local office and communicating with voters in the Baker area.

Her Justice of the Peace campaign marks another effort to win elected office at the local level.

Lee A. Cosey Has Justice-System Experience

Lee A. Cosey enters the Justice of the Peace District 4 race with professional experience connected to the local justice system.

The Louisiana attorney general's Justice Court directory lists Cosey as a deputy constable for East Baton Rouge Parish, Ward 2, District 3.

That experience is relevant to a Justice of the Peace campaign because constables and Justice of the Peace courts work within the same local justice system.

Louisiana Justice of the Peace courts have limited civil jurisdiction and can hear certain civil claims involving amounts of up to $5,000, subject to exceptions established by state law.

Taneshia Flowers Brings Communications and Community Experience

Taneshia Flowers has a background in communications, community engagement and public advocacy.

The Power Coalition for Equity and Justice identifies Flowers as a North Baton Rouge native and Southern University graduate. The organization says she earned a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a minor in marketing.

Flowers has also worked with the East Baton Rouge Parish school system. School system records identified her as a public information officer connected to the district's 2024 Back-to-School Bash.

Her campaign for Justice of the Peace District 4 now places that communications and community experience before voters.

Carla Fowler Enters the District 4 Race

Carla Fowler qualified for Justice of the Peace District 4 on Aug. 7 as a Democrat.

Less publicly documented information is currently available about Fowler's political and professional background compared with some of the other candidates.

As the campaign develops, voters will have an opportunity to learn more about Fowler's experience, priorities and reasons for seeking the Justice of the Peace position.

C. Denise Marcelle Brings Extensive Government Experience

C. Denise Marcelle enters the 2026 Justice of the Peace District 4 election with an extensive record in elected government.

Marcelle currently represents Louisiana House District 61. Her official legislative record shows service on several House committees.

Before returning to the Justice of the Peace race, Marcelle built a political career that included service in local government and the Louisiana Legislature.

Her campaign is organized around “V.O.I.C.E. — The Voice of Justice. The Voice of the Community.”

The platform emphasizes:

• Visible and accessible leadership
• Open and fair justice
• Integrity

Marcelle's campaign is presenting her government and legal-services experience as a central part of her case to voters.

What Does a Justice of the Peace Do in Louisiana?

The Justice of the Peace is a locally elected judicial position with limited jurisdiction.

Louisiana Justice of the Peace courts can hear certain civil matters, including qualifying claims involving up to $5,000. State law excludes several categories of cases from Justice of the Peace jurisdiction, including divorce, child custody and disputes involving title to immovable property.

Justices of the peace can also serve as committing magistrates in certain criminal matters.

For residents who appear before the court, the issues can nevertheless be significant. A relatively small financial dispute can have a major effect on a household, business or individual.

Why the District 4 Election Matters

The East Baton Rouge Justice of the Peace District 4 election is different from a statewide or congressional race because the winning candidate will serve in a court that deals directly with community-level disputes.

The five candidates also bring different types of experience to the contest.

Caine has previous local-election experience. Cosey has documented experience as a deputy constable. Flowers has a background in communications and community engagement. Fowler enters the race with a less extensive publicly documented political record. Marcelle brings years of elected-government experience.

That creates a race in which voters can compare substantially different professional and political backgrounds.

The question for District 4 voters will ultimately be which candidate they believe has the judgment, temperament, experience and commitment to fairness necessary to serve as their Justice of the Peace.

2026 Justice of the Peace District 4 Candidates

The 2026 East Baton Rouge Parish Justice of the Peace District 4 candidates are:

Antonia Caine, Lee A. Cosey, Taneshia Flowers, Carla Fowler and C. Denise Marcelle.

Five Democrats are competing for one Justice of the Peace District 4 seat.

As the Nov. 3 election approaches, voters will have the opportunity to examine each candidate's record, platform and qualifications before deciding who should serve as their next Justice of the Peace.