Cynthia Hedge- Morrell | |
|---|---|
| New Orleans City Council member for District D | |
| In office April 2005 – 2014 | |
| Preceded by | David Payton (interim) |
| Succeeded by | Jared Brossett |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 4, 1947 |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Arthur A. Morrell |
| Children | Four sons, including: Jean-Paul Morrell |
| Residence(s) | New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of New Orleans Loyola University New Orleans |
| Occupation | Educational administrator |
Cynthia Hedge-Morrell (born September 4, 1947) is a teacher, former school administrator, and Democratic politician from New Orleans, Louisiana. She served on the New Orleans City Council from 2005 to 2014.
Education
Hedge-Morrell earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of New Orleans and a master's degree from Loyola University New Orleans.
Political life
Hedge-Morrell won a special election to the New Orleans City Council on April 2, 2005, defeating Republican Eustis J. Guillemet, Jr. with 84.5% of the vote.
Hedge-Morrell was re-elected in 2006 but with a reduced majority. A number of her colleagues faced voter dissatisfaction stemming from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Mayor Ray Nagin won re-election only after facing a much tougher challenge than expected before the hurricane and half of the members who wished to stay were not returned to the city council.
In 2007, Hedge-Morrell was pulled over for speeding on Interstate 10. She later apologized for her remarks during the incident.
She appeared in the documentary political film directed by Leslie Carde America Betrayed (2008).
In 2014, term limits prevented Hedge-Morrell from seeking re-election in District D. She ran for the Division 2 at-large seat but lost to fellow Democrat Jason Williams by a two-to-one margin.
Personal life
Since 1966, Hedge-Morrell has been married to Arthur A. Morrell, who served as a state representative for District 97 from 1984 to 2006, when he was elected as the Orleans Parish Clerk of Criminal Court. District 97 roughly covers the same area as District D. Hedge-Morrell and her husband were among the participants in movie director Spike Lee's documentary When The Levees Broke: A Requiem In Four Acts.
Morrell is Catholic.
Election history
Councilmember, District D, 2005 Threshold > 50% First Ballot, April 2, 2005
| Candidate | Affiliation | Support | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cynthia Hedge-Morrell | Democratic | 4,959 (84%) | Elected |
| Eustis A. Guillemet | Republican | 912 (16%) | Defeated |
Councilmember, District D, 2006 Threshold > 50% First Ballot, April 22, 2006
| Candidate | Affiliation | Support | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cynthia Hedge-Morrell | Democratic | 10,889 (56%) | Elected |
| Louella Givens | Democratic | 4,194 (22%) | Defeated |
| Others | n.a. | 4,319 (22%) | Defeated |
Notes
- ^ U.S. Public Records Index Vol 1 & 2 (Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.), 2010.
- ^ "New Orleans City Council leaders hope to end impasse". WWNO. 2012-05-17. Retrieved 2022-04-24.
- ^ "Election Returns". Louisiana Secretary of State. April 22, 2005. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
- ^ Times-Picayune archive. "Hedge-Morrell apologizes for speeding". NOLA.com. Archived from the original on February 3, 2014. Retrieved February 1, 2014.
- ^ Times-Picayune archive. "Cop: Morrell racing down I-10". NOLA.com. Archived from the original on February 3, 2014. Retrieved February 1, 2014.
- ^ "America Betrayed". DVD Netflix. Netflix, Inc. 2008. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
- ^ "Election Results". Louisiana Secretary of State. March 15, 2014. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
- ^ Jaquetta White. "Experience major factor in race for Division 2 seat". theadvocate.com. Retrieved February 1, 2014.
- ^ Schleifstein, Mark (22 January 2010). "New Orleans City Council District D incumbent draws one challenger". NOLA.com. Retrieved 2022-04-24.