Cynthia Hedge-Morrell

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.

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.{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/04022005/04022005_36.html|title=Election Returns|date=April 22, 2005|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=April 23, 2015}}

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.{{cite web |author=Times-Picayune archive |url=http://blog.nola.com/topnews/2007/04/hedgemorrell_apologizes_for_sp.html |title=Hedge-Morrell apologizes for speeding |publisher=NOLA.com |accessdate=February 1, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203110736/http://blog.nola.com/topnews/2007/04/hedgemorrell_apologizes_for_sp.html |archive-date=February 3, 2014 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |author=Times-Picayune archive |url=http://blog.nola.com/topnews/2007/04/cop_morrell_racing_down_i10.html |title=Cop: Morrell racing down I-10 |publisher=NOLA.com |accessdate=February 1, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203112335/http://blog.nola.com/topnews/2007/04/cop_morrell_racing_down_i10.html |archive-date=February 3, 2014 |url-status=dead }}

She appeared in the documentary political film directed by Leslie Carde America Betrayed (2008).{{cite web |url=https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/America-Betrayed/70114383 |title=America Betrayed |year=2008 |access-date=8 December 2018 |work=DVD Netflix |publisher=Netflix, Inc.}}

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.{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/03152014/03152014_36.html|title=Election Results|date=March 15, 2014|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=April 23, 2015}}{{cite web|author=Jaquetta White |url=http://theadvocate.com/news/neworleans/8171470-148/experience-major-factor-in-race |title=Experience major factor in race for Division 2 seat |publisher=theadvocate.com |accessdate=February 1, 2014}}

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.{{Cite web |last=Schleifstein |first=Mark |title=New Orleans City Council District D incumbent draws one challenger |url=https://www.nola.com/news/politics/article_39ab8230-d8a8-5461-ad72-45488902d0eb.html |access-date=2022-04-24 |website=NOLA.com |date=22 January 2010 |language=en}}

Councilmember, District D, 2005

Threshold > 50%

First Ballot, April 2, 2005

Councilmember, District D, 2006

Threshold > 50%

First Ballot, April 22, 2006

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{{Reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20051108055806/http://www.cityofno.com/ City of New Orleans website]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20060911211304/http://www.sos.louisiana.gov/ Louisiana Secretary of State website]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20140517063657/http://cynthiahedgemorrell.com/ Hedge-Morrell's re-election website archived at Wayback Machine]

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{{Succession box| title=New Orleans City Council member for District D| before=David Payton (interim)| after=Jared Brossett | years=2005–2014}}

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Category:1947 births

Category:Living people

Category:New Orleans City Council members

Category:Place of birth missing (living people)

Category:Louisiana Democrats

Category:University of New Orleans alumni

Category:Loyola University New Orleans alumni

Category:Women city councillors in Louisiana

Category:Educators from Louisiana

Category:American women educators

Category:21st-century American women

Category:African-American Catholics