Editing Ascension Parish, Louisiana

{{short description|Parish in Louisiana, United States}}
{{distinguish|Assumption Parish, Louisiana}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Ascension Parish
 | state                = Louisiana
 | type                 = [[Louisiana parishes|Parish]]
 | seal                 = 
 | flag                 = Flag of Ascension Parish, Louisiana.svg
 | founded year         = 1807
 | founded date         = 
 | seat wl              = Donaldsonville
 | largest city wl      = Prairieville 
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 303
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 290
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 13
 | area percentage      = 3.75
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 126500
 | pop_est_as_of        = 
 | population_est       = 
 | population_density_sq_mi = auto
 | time zone            = Central
 | footnotes            = 
 | web                  = www.ascensionparish.net
 | named for            = [[Ascension of Jesus|Ascension of Jesus Christ]]
 | ex image             = DonaldsonvilleCourthouse.jpg
 | ex image cap         = Ascension Parish Courthouse in Donaldsonville
 | district             = 2nd
 | district2            = 6th
 | ex image size        = 240px
}}

'''Ascension Parish''' ({{langx|fr|Paroisse de l'Ascension}}; {{langx|es|Parroquia de la Ascensión}}) is a [[List of parishes in Louisiana|parish]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Louisiana]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 126,500.<ref>{{Cite web|title=QuickFacts: Ascension Parish, Louisiana|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/ascensionparishlouisiana/POP010220|website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> Its [[parish seat]] is [[Donaldsonville, Louisiana|Donaldsonville]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref> The parish was created in 1807.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ascension Parish|url=http://ccet.louisiana.edu/tourism/parishes/Acadiana_Parishes/ascension.html|publisher=Center for Cultural and Eco-Tourism|access-date=September 5, 2014}}</ref> Ascension Parish is part of the [[Baton Rouge, Louisiana|Baton Rouge]] [[Baton Rouge metropolitan area|metropolitan statistical area]].

Ascension Parish is one of the 22 parishes that make up [[Acadiana]], the heartland of the [[Cajun]] people and their culture. This is exhibited by the prevalence of the French or [[Cajun French]] language heard throughout the parish, as well as the many festivals celebrated by its residents, including the [[Cajun cuisine#Family Boucherie|Boucherie]] Festival, Lagniappe Music and Seafood Festival, Crawfish Festival, and the [[Jambalaya]] Festival.<ref>{{Cite web|title=2021 Boucherie Festival|url=https://www.boucheriefestival.com/www.boucheriefestival.com|access-date=December 20, 2021|website=www.boucheriefestival.com|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://tourascension.com/events/lagniappe-music-seafood-festival/ |title=Lagniappe Music & Seafood Festival - Tour Ascension |access-date=February 22, 2019 |archive-date=February 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190222204740/https://tourascension.com/events/lagniappe-music-seafood-festival/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>https://tourascension.com/events/dreams-come-true-crawfish-festival/ {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Welcome to the Gonzales Jambalaya Festival Website!|url=http://www.jambalayafestival.net/home.html|access-date=December 20, 2021|website=Jambalaya Festival Association|language=en}}</ref> The largest incorporated city in Ascension Parish, [[Gonzales, Louisiana|Gonzales]], is celebrated as the "Jambalaya Capital of the World".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gonzalesla.com/community-3/jambalaya-festival/|title=JAMBALAYA FESTIVAL &#124; Gonzales Louisiana}}</ref>

== History ==
Early European settlers of the area that was developed as Ascension and Gonzales were, for the most part, of [[French people|French]] and [[Spanish people|Spanish]] ancestry. They settled among the [[Houma people|Houma Indians]] who lived in the area.

Among the projects and plans carried out by [[Luis de Unzaga]] 'le Conciliateur' while he was governor of Louisiana between 1769 and 1777 was the promotion of new settlements by Europeans, among them were French [[Acadians]] and [[Malaga]] in the fertile [[Mississippi]] region and more specifically in the Unzaga Post or 'Puesto de Unzaga' that he created in 1771 in [[Pointe Coupee]], the parish of [[St. Gabriel, Louisiana|Saint Gabriel]] in 1773 and Fort [[Manchac]] in 1776; the Ascension people occupied land at the confluence of the aforementioned European settlements.<ref>Cazorla, Frank (2019) The governor Louis de Unzaga (1717-1793) Pioneer in the Birth of the United States of America and in Liberalism. Foundation Malaga, pages 48-56, 64-72, 83</ref>

During the historic [[2016 Louisiana Floods]], around one-third of all homes in Ascension Parish were flooded; 15,000 homes and businesses took on water, mostly in the Galvez-St. Amant area, prompting a visit to St. Amant by then-presidential candidate, [[Donald J. Trump]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/article_873dd256-6303-11e6-ae03-1fa2840fc417.html|title = Ascension officials: 15,000 homes, busineses &#91;sic&#93; flooded so far; levee overtopped}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theadvocate.com/louisiana_flood_2016/article_c30c8178-661a-11e6-81c9-3f4b02af0c03.html|title = Donald Trump, Mike Pence meet Louisiana flood victims, tour hard-hit Baton Rouge neighborhoods}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the parish has a total area of {{convert|303|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|290|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|13|sqmi}} (4.2%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_22.txt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928155956/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_22.txt |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 28, 2013 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=August 20, 2014 |date=August 22, 2012 |title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files }}</ref> It is the fourth-smallest parish in Louisiana by total area.

===Waterways===
{{div col|colwidth=12em}}
* [[Alligator Bayou]]
* [[Amite River]]
* Amite River Diversion Canal
* Anderson Canal
* Babin Canal
* Bayou Antoine
* [[Bayou Manchac]]
* Bayou Narcisse
* Bayou Pierre
* Bayou {{Not a typo|Reponds}} Pas
* Bayou Conway
* Bayou Francois
* [[Bayou Lafourche]]
* Bayou Napoleon
* Bayou Verret
* Bayou Vicknair
* Black Bayou
* [[Blind River (Louisiana)|Blind River]]
* Boudreau Bayou
* Boyle Bayou
* Braud Bayou
* Cocodrie Bayou
* Cotton Bayou
* Crowley Ditch
* Duckroost Bayou
* Flat Lake
* Grand Goudine Bayou
* Hackett Canal
* Heath Bayou
* Henderson Bayou
* Jim Bayou
* Johnson Bayou
* Lake Millet
* Lake Villars
* Laurel Ridge Canal
* McCall Bayou
* [[Mississippi River]]
* Muddy Creek
* [[New River (Louisiana)|New River]]
* New River Canal
* Old New River
* Panama Canal
* Pipeline Canal
* Rocky Canal
* Roddy Bayou
* Saveiro Canal
* Sides Bayou
* Smith Bayou
* [[Spanish Lake (Louisiana)|Spanish Lake]]
* Welsh Gully
{{div col end}}

===Major highways===
{{div col}}
* [[Image:I-10.svg|25px]] [[Interstate 10]]
* [[Image:US 61.svg|25px]] [[U.S. Highway 61]]
* [[Image:Louisiana 1 (2008).svg|25px]] [[Louisiana Highway 1]]
* [[Image:Louisiana 16 (2008).svg|25px]] [[Louisiana Highway 16]]
* [[Image:Louisiana 18 (2008).svg|25px]] [[Louisiana Highway 18]]
* [[Image:Louisiana 22 (2008).svg|25px]] [[Louisiana Highway 22]]
* [[Image:Louisiana 30 (2008).svg|25px]] [[Louisiana Highway 30]]
* [[Image:Louisiana 42 (2008).svg|25px]] [[Louisiana Highway 42]]
* [[Image:Louisiana 44 (2008).svg|25px]] [[Louisiana Highway 44]]
* [[Image:Louisiana 70 (2008).svg|25px]] [[Louisiana Highway 70]]
* [[Image:Louisiana 73 (2008).svg|25px]] [[Louisiana Highway 73]]
* [[Image:Louisiana 308 (2008).svg|25px]] [[Louisiana Highway 308]]
* [[Image:Louisiana 3127 (2008).svg|25px]] [[Louisiana Highway 3127]]
{{div col end}}

===Adjacent parishes===
* [[East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana|East Baton Rouge Parish]]  (north)
* [[Livingston Parish, Louisiana|Livingston Parish]]  (northeast)
* [[St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana|St. John the Baptist Parish]]  (east)
* [[St. James Parish, Louisiana|St. James Parish]]  (southeast)
* [[Assumption Parish, Louisiana|Assumption Parish]]  (southwest)
* [[Iberville Parish, Louisiana|Iberville Parish]]  (west)

==Communities==
===Cities===
* [[Donaldsonville, Louisiana|Donaldsonville]] (parish seat)
* [[Gonzales, Louisiana|Gonzales]]

===Town===
* [[Sorrento, Louisiana|Sorrento]]

===Census-designated places===
* [[Darrow, Louisiana|Darrow]]
* [[Lemannville, Louisiana|Lemannville]]
* [[Prairieville, Louisiana|Prairieville]]

===Unincorporated communities===
{{div col|colwidth=12em}}
* [[Aben, Louisiana|Aben]]
* [[Acy, Louisiana|Acy]]
* [[Barmen, Louisiana|Barmen]]
* [[Barton, Louisiana|Barton]]
* [[Belle Helene, Louisiana|Belle Helene]]
* [[Bowden, Louisiana|Bowden]]
* [[Brignac, Louisiana|Brignac]]
* [[Brittany, Louisiana|Brittany]]
* [[Brusly McCall, Louisiana|Brusly McCall]]
* [[Bullion, Louisiana|Bullion]]
* [[Burnside, Louisiana|Burnside]]
* [[Cofield, Louisiana|Cofield]]
* [[Cornerview, Louisiana|Cornerview]]
* [[Duckroost, Louisiana|Duckroost]]
* [[Duplessis, Louisiana|Duplessis]]
* [[Dutchtown, Louisiana|Dutchtown]]
* [[Galvez, Louisiana|Galvez]]
* [[Geismar, Louisiana|Geismar]]
* [[Hillaryville, Louisiana|Hillaryville]]
* [[Hobart, Louisiana|Hobart]]
* [[Hohen Solms, Louisiana|Hohen Solms]]
* [[Hope Villa, Louisiana|Hope Villa]]
* [[Lake, Louisiana|Lake]]
* Little Prairie
* [[McElroy, Louisiana|McElroy]]
* [[Marchand, Louisiana|Marchand]]
* [[Miles, Louisiana|Miles]]
* [[Modeste, Louisiana|Modeste]]
* [[Mount Houmas, Louisiana|Mount Houmas]]
* [[Oak Grove, Ascension Parish, Louisiana|Oak Grove]]
* [[Noel, Louisiana|Noel]]
* [[Palo Alto, Louisiana|Palo Alto]]
* [[Philadelphia Point, Louisiana|Philadelphia Point]]
* [[Saint Elmo, Louisiana|Saint Elmo]]
* [[Saint Amant, Louisiana|Saint Amant]]
* [[Smoke Bend, Louisiana|Smoke Bend]]
* [[Southwood, Louisiana|Southwood]]
* [[Weber City, Louisiana|Weber City]]
{{div col end}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1810= 2219
|1820= 3728
|1830= 5246
|1840= 6951
|1850= 10752
|1860= 11484
|1870= 11577
|1880= 16895
|1890= 19545
|1900= 24142
|1910= 23887
|1920= 22155
|1930= 18438
|1940= 21215
|1950= 22387
|1960= 27927
|1970= 37086
|1980= 50068
|1990= 58214
|2000= 76627
|2010= 107215
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |title=U.S. Decennial Census |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=August 20, 2014 }}</ref><br />1790-1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=August 20, 2014}}</ref> 1900-1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/la190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 20, 2014}}</ref><br />1990-2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 20, 2014}}</ref> 2010-2019<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/22/22005.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 20, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607074616/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/22/22005.html|archive-date=June 7, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|2020=126500}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Ascension Parish, Louisiana – Racial and ethnic composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race –  2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Ascension Parish, Louisiana|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=p004&g=050XX00US22005&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race –  2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Ascension Parish, Louisiana|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US22005&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race –  2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Ascension Parish, Louisiana|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US22005&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|58,378
|75,949
|style='background: #ffffe6; |79,645
|76.18%
|70.84%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |62.96%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|15,466
|23,727
|style='background: #ffffe6; |30,296
|20.18%
|22.13%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |23.95%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|191
|297
|style='background: #ffffe6; |266
|0.25%
|0.28%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.21%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|249
|995
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,681
|0.32%
|0.93%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.33%
|-
|[[Native Hawaiian]] or [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|18
|61
|style='background: #ffffe6; |32
|0.02%
|0.06%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.03%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|40
|133
|style='background: #ffffe6; |355
|0.05%
|0.12%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.28%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|402
|1,029
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3,842
|0.52%
|0.96%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.04%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|1,883
|5,024
|style='background: #ffffe6; |10,383
|2.46%
|4.69%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |8.21%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''76,627'''
|'''107,215'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''126,500'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}


In 1810, the parish had a population of 2,219; since then, its population has steadily increased despite some decades of population decline. In 1900, the parish's population reached a first historic high of 24,142 before increasing again to 58,214 at the [[1990 United States census|1990 U.S. census]]. At the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]], Ascension Parish's population grew to 107,215; and at the [[2020 United States census]], there were 126,500 people, 44,267 households, and 32,305 families residing in the parish.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US22005&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 28, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>

Having historic settlement by French and Spanish colonials during the periods of [[French Louisiana|French]] and [[Louisiana (New Spain)|Spanish Louisiana]], Ascension Parish's racial and ethnic composition has remained predominantly [[Non-Hispanic whites|non-Hispanic white]] throughout a portion of its history. With the greater diversification of the United States at the 2020 census,<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 4, 2021 |title=New Census Reflects Growing U.S. Population Diversity, with Children in the Forefront |url=https://carsey.unh.edu/publication/new-census-reflects-growing-US-population-diversity |access-date=January 17, 2023 |website=Carsey School of Public Policy {{!}} UNH |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=August 12, 2021 |title=America is becoming more urban, more diverse and less white, 2020 Census reveals |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/america-is-becoming-more-urban-more-diverse-and-less-white-2020-census-reveals |access-date=January 17, 2023 |website=PBS NewsHour |language=en-us}}</ref> non-Hispanic white residents were 62.96% of the total population. [[African Americans in Louisiana|Black or African American Louisianians]] and others made up 23.95% of the population, followed by [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanics or Latinos]] of any race (8.21%), [[Asian Americans|Asians]] (1.33%), [[multiracial Americans]] (3.32%), [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]] (0.21%), and [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islanders]] (0.03%).<ref name=":0" />

Among its residents at the 2021 [[American Community Survey]]'s 1-year estimates program, households had a median income of $72,662 and mean income of $92,143.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2021 ACS Income Estimates |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=income&g=0500000US22005 |access-date=January 17, 2023 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref> Families had a median income of $85,632; married-couple families $111,445; and non-family households $32,498. Overall, residents of Ascension Parish are wealthier than nearby [[East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana|East Baton Rouge Parish]].

Religiously and spiritually, [[Christianity]] is the dominant religion for the parish. According to the [[Association of Religion Data Archives]] in 2020, the [[Roman Catholic church|Roman Catholic Church]] was the single-largest Christian denomination for the parish, served primarily by the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge]]. The overall Catholic population in Ascension Parish was 39,260 in 2020. [[Nondenominational Christianity|Non-denominational]] or [[Interdenominationalism|inter-denominational]] Christian churches—whether independent [[Bible church]]es, [[United and uniting churches|United and Uniting]], etc.—were the second largest Christian group in the parish with 9,430 members. Collectively, Baptists throughout the [[Southern Baptist Convention]], [[Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship]], and [[National Baptist Convention of America International, Inc.|National Baptist Convention of America]] made up 5,043 religious adherents.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Maps and data files for 2020 {{!}} U.S. Religion Census {{!}} Religious Statistics & Demographics |url=https://www.usreligioncensus.org/index.php/node/1639 |access-date=January 17, 2023 |website=www.usreligioncensus.org}}</ref> Parish-wide Protestant statistics reflect an increase in non- or inter-denominational Christianity throughout Louisiana, outgrowing Methodism as the second-largest Protestant group for the state per the Association of Religion Data Archives 2020 religion census; the growth of non/inter-denominational Christianity for the area represented a broader trend nationwide, where the movement began to constitute the largest segment of American Protestantism.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Silliman |first=Daniel |title=‘Nondenominational’ Is Now the Largest Segment of American Protestants |url=https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2022/november/religion-census-nondenominational-church-growth-nons.html |access-date=February 16, 2023 |website=News & Reporting |language=en}}</ref>

==Education==
[[Ascension Parish School Board]] operates the local public schools. The parish is also home to private schools and—since 1998, to [[River Parishes Community College]].

==Media==
Two newspapers are based in Ascension Parish's two cities, Donaldsonville and Gonzales. ''[[The Gonzales Weekly Citizen]]'' is a bi-weekly newspaper formed after the merger of ''The Gonzales Weekly'' (founded 1920) and ''The Ascension Citizen'' (founded 1996). The ''[[Donaldsonville Chief]]'', founded in 1871, is the parish's longest-continually-published newspaper.

==Law, government and politics==
{{PresHead|place=Ascension Parish, Louisiana|source=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=February 16, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|41,319|20,113|1,041|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|40,687|20,399|1,239|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|36,143|16,476|2,059|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|33,856|16,349|868|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|31,239|14,625|707|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|24,661|13,955|484|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|16,818|13,385|641|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|10,885|15,263|3,252|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|10,275|13,036|4,437|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|10,726|12,147|367|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|11,945|11,048|177|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|7,238|12,381|581|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|4,435|9,100|443|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|5,187|3,324|1,010|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1968|American Independent|1,338|3,203|6,004|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|3,197|4,879|0|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|1,012|5,689|909|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|1,853|2,606|76|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|1,787|3,593|0|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1948|Dixiecrat|433|1,126|1,424|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|364|2,291|0|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|385|2,451|0|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|350|2,359|1|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|279|1,800|0|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|436|1,402|0|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|277|679|0|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|496|622|0|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|106|531|61|Louisiana}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Democratic|64|413|147|Louisiana}}

On March 8, 2017, Ascension Parish President Kenneth Paul "Kenny" Matassa (born September 12, 1949), a Republican,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Home/Home?uid=4430|title=Kenneth Matassa, September 1949|publisher=[[Louisiana Secretary of State]] [[Tom Schedler]]|access-date=March 13, 2017}}{{Dead link|date=November 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> along with Olin Glenn Berthelot (born August 1948), a Democratic<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Home/Home?uid=4430|title=Olin Berthelot, August 1948|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|access-date=March 13, 2017}}{{Dead link|date=November 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>  businessman from Gonzales, faced [[indictment]] in an attempted [[bribery]] scheme. The pair is charged with encouraging a candidate to withdraw from a local election on November 8, 2016.

The [[grand jury]] released its [[true bill]] to Judge Tess Stromberg of the 23rd Judicial District Court in Ascension, [[Assumption Parish, Louisiana|Assumption]], and [[St. James Parish, Louisiana|St. James]] parishes. Among those who testified in the case were Democratic Gonzales City Council member Neal Bourqueat. Matassa and Berthelot allegedly bribed the Democrat A. Wayne Lawson with offers of money and a government job to drop out of the city council race in Division E against Bourque,<ref name="indictment" /> who nevertheless won reelection with 61 percent of the ballots cast.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Graphical|title=Official Results: Ascension Parish|publisher=[[Louisiana Secretary of State]] [[Tom Schedler]]|access-date=March 13, 2017}}</ref>

Matassa and Berthelot turned themselves in to authorities and posted a $5,000 bond. Reports, meanwhile, surfaced of a move before the parish council calling for Matassa to resign. He cannot be forced from the office, however, unless convicted of the crime. Matassa and Berthelot could have received up to two years in state prison either with or without hard time and/or a fine of $2,000.<ref name="indictment">{{cite news|url=http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/article_9a93369e-058c-11e7-ac43-6f6e1133b12d.html|title=Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa, Gonzales businessman indicted in bribery scandal|date=March 10, 2017|author=David Mitchell|newspaper=[[The Advocate (Louisiana)|The Baton Rouge Advocate]]|access-date=March 13, 2017}}</ref> Matassa was instead acquitted in July 2018 of the election bribery allegations and returned to his duties as parish president with a legal cloud lifted from his shoulders.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/article_9e172662-86e7-11e8-9aa9-af3841459c0b.html|newspaper=The Baton Rouge Advocate|title=Ascension Parish President Kenny Matasse acquitted in bribery trial: 'I believe in the legal system'|date=July 14, 2018|author=David Mitchell|access-date=July 25, 2018}}</ref>

==National Guard==
The 922nd [[Engineer]] [[Company (military unit)|Company]] (Horizontal), a unit of the 769th Engineer [[Battalion]] and the [[225th Engineer Brigade]]. The 1021st Vertical Engineer Company also resides in [[Gonzales, Louisiana]].

==See also==
* [[Acadian Coast]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Ascension Parish, Louisiana]]
* [[Johnny Berthelot]]
* [[Ralph Falsetta]]
* [[Eddie J. Lambert]]
* [[Sidney McCrory]]
* [[Ed Price (Louisiana politician)|Edward J. Price]]
* [[Mert Smiley]]

{{Portal|United States}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* McCulloh, R. P., P. V. Heinrich, and J. Snead, 2003, [https://web.archive.org/web/20100628131228/http://www.lgs.lsu.edu/deploy/uploads/Ponchatoula%20100K.pdf ''Ponchatoula 30 x 60 minute geologic quadrangle.''] Louisiana Geological Survey, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.ascensionparish.net/ Ascension Parish government's website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090205154055/http://ascensionsheriff.com/ Ascension Parish Sheriff's website]
* [http://www.weeklycitizen.com/ ''Weekly Citizen'' newspaper]
* [http://www.myapl.org/ Ascension Parish Library]
* [http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/louisiana/ Explore the History and Culture of Southeastern Louisiana, a National Park Service ''Discover Our Shared Heritage'' Travel Itinerary]
* [http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/Census-shows-shift.html Census shows shift] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707062421/http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/Census-shows-shift.html |date=July 7, 2011 }}
* [http://globalradiokkay.com Radio station website]

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Ascension Parish, Louisiana
|North     = [[East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana|East Baton Rouge Parish]]
|Northeast = [[Livingston Parish, Louisiana|Livingston Parish]]
|East      = [[St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana|St. John the Baptist Parish]]
|Southeast =
|South     = [[St. James Parish, Louisiana|St. James Parish]]
|Southwest = [[Assumption Parish, Louisiana|Assumption Parish]]
|West      = [[Iberville Parish, Louisiana|Iberville Parish]]
|Northwest =
}}

{{Ascension Parish, Louisiana}}
{{Louisiana parishes}}

{{Coord|30.20|-90.91|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-LA_source:UScensus1990}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Ascension Parish, Louisiana| ]]
[[Category:Louisiana parishes]]
[[Category:Parishes in Acadiana]]
[[Category:Baton Rouge metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Louisiana Isleño communities]]
[[Category:Louisiana parishes on the Mississippi River]]
[[Category:1807 establishments in the Territory of Orleans]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1807]]