After four decades in office, Orleans Parish Assessor Erroll Williams successfully defended his seat against the three challengers vying for his job, WWL Louisiana projected Saturday night.

Challenging him were Tulane professor and real estate development consultant Casius H. Pealer III, former professional football player Coreygerard Dowden and estate lawyer Earl "Jay" Schmitt Jr. Williams.

Erroll Williams, 76 , won the support of more than half of voters to avoid a runoff.

As assessor, Williams doesn't set the tax rate, but his office is responsible for fairly and accurately assessing the value of more than 167,000 parcels across the city.

In his reelection campaign, he promised to continue to grow his professional appraisal staff and make efforts to work with state lawmakers to low

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