Recall Petition Activity at Schools and Hospital Raises Concerns in Sulphur
SULPHUR, La. — The campaign to recall Mayor Jacob Stutes is facing growing scrutiny after residents reported petitioners approaching vehicles in school pickup lines and raised allegations of signature gathering inside West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital.
Photographs shared publicly on Facebook show a woman reportedly collecting recall signatures near the afternoon pickup line at W.W. Lewis Middle School. One image captures her speaking with an apparent law enforcement officer, although the circumstances of that interaction remain unclear.
Similar complaints emerged at Frasch Elementary School, where a parent reported being approached repeatedly throughout the week. The parent stated that she contacted school administrators after petitioners continued approaching her vehicle during afternoon dismissal.
Concerns have also reached West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital.
In a public Facebook discussion, a resident alleged that recall petitioners were entering patient rooms seeking signatures. The allegation has not been independently substantiated.
Following the reports, a local contacted hospital leadership for clarification. According to their publicly shared account, hospital CEO Janie Frugé confirmed that political petitioning is not permitted anywhere on hospital property.
Mayor Stutes subsequently responded to the statement, requesting that Frugé contact him directly, that hospital employees had already contacted him with reports of recall petitioning activities occurring at the facility.
While Louisiana law protects the right of registered voters to pursue a recall election, petitioning activities remain subject to applicable laws and institutional policies.
The complaints raise questions about political campaigning in locations where parents are waiting for children and patients are receiving medical care.
No legal violations have been established, and the allegations involving hospital patient rooms remain unverified at this time. The Calcasieu Post has not confirmed whether school or hospital administrators have formally investigated the reported incidents.
