People hoping to become Baton Rouge’s next mayor or serve on its Metro Council can begin qualifying for the Nov. 8 elections during the three-day window beginning Wednesday.
The qualifying period, which will be open between 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. each day, also includes qualifying for the November congressional primary and the presidential election.
All candidates for municipal races must qualify with their local clerk of court. Candidates for U.S. senator, U.S. representative 2nd Congressional District, U.S. representative 6th Congressional District, city court judge in Zachary,Baker School district 5 school board member and public service commissioners will need to qualify with the Louisiana Secretary of State at 8585 Archives Ave.
Every Metro Council seat is up for grabs and at least three will lack incumbents with John Delgado running for mayor, and Ryan Heck and Joel Boé not seeking re-election. Baton Rouge voters already have a good idea of who will vie to replace three-term Mayor Kip Holden as many candidates have already announced their intention to run.
Announced Republican candidates are Sen. Bodi White, restaurateur and former Metro Councilman Smokie Bourgeois, and Delgado. Democrats who have said that they will seek the office are Sen. Sharon Weston Broome, state Rep. C. Denise Marcelle, former Metro Councilman Byron Sharper and former LSU and NFL football player Greg LaFleur.
Real estate broker Darryl Gissel and former city employee Beverly “B.J.” Armador are running as independent candidates.
Despite announcing, none of the candidacies are official until each person has qualified to run.
One person to watch this week is state Rep. Ted James, who previously took his name out of contention, but has been encouraged to run in recent days. James recently told radio host Clay Young that he’s not reconsidering—yet.
“We’ll know on the 19th,” James told Young last week.
Holden is term limited and cannot seek the office again. Instead, Holden has indicated that he will attempt to unseat incumbent U.S. Rep. Cedric Richmond in the 2nd Congressional District.
