Bill Robertson (Louisiana Politician) - Losing Mayoral Campaign, 1989

Losing Mayoral Campaign, 1989

Robertson ran unsuccessfully for mayor in the 1989 special election held to fill the remaining months of the term of another Democrat, Noel "Gene" Byars, who had been recalled from the position in a "Yes" or "No" vote after a citizens' audit revealed that he had charged personal expenses to his municipal credit card. Robertson and two preceding Democratic mayors, J.E. "Pat" Patterson and Jack Batton, contributed money to the recall. Byars hence left Minden and took a job in educational administration in Beaumont in Jefferson County in southeastern Texas.

African American City Councilman Robert T. Tobin filled in temporarily after Byars vacated the mayoral office. Tobin hence became Minden's first black mayor since Reconstruction. Tobin was unseated, however, in the November 7, 1989 special election by the GOP newcomer Paul A. Brown for the year remaining in Byars' term. Brown had been the executive director of the Minden Chamber of Commecerce after relocating to the city to take a position as a counselor to alcoholics. Robertson ran unsuccessfully against both Brown and Tobin that year.

In the 2000 census, Minden was declared 52.1 percent African-American in population. Blacks constituted the majority in three of the five city council districts.