Early in 1956, Norman made an unsuccessful race for Webster Parish clerk of court against the incumbent Thomas Jenkins "Tom" Campbell (1895-1968) and two other challengers, Parey Branton, later a member of the Louisiana House from Shongaloo, and Clarence D. Wiley (1909-1976), then an employee of the parish sheriff's department.
Norman's council colleagues included future Mayor Jack Batton (the younger brother of then Sheriff J. D. Batton) as streets and parks commissioner, feed store owner Norman J. Cone, Sr. (1906-1997), at finance, retail grocer Fred Thomas "Tony" Elzen (1922-2012) at utilities, and businessman John McCowen (1927-1985) as sanitation commissioner [REF].