Central voters have narrowed a crowded field of four mayoral hopefuls down to two, setting up a Dec. 12 runoff between Lon Vicknair and Aaron Moak to decide who will lead the city next. Vicknair pulled in 35% of the vote, while Moak followed with 31%, enough to edge out two other contenders and advance past Tuesday's election.
A Four-Way Field Narrows to Two
According to The Advocate, Despo “D’Ann” Wells finished third with 23% of the vote and Geno Guercio trailed with 11%. Those results reflected all 24 precincts reporting, though the newspaper's report noted early votes were not yet included in the tally. The winner of the December runoff will replace current Mayor Wade Evans, who decided not to seek reelection.
The runoff pits two candidates with deep, overlapping roots in Central's short municipal history. Moak has served more than four and a half years on the parish Metro Council and also sat on Central's first city council after the city incorporated in 2005, per the same report. Vicknair, meanwhile, has spent the campaign on unpaid leave from his job as chief of staff since entering the race.
Familiar Rivals, One Rematch Already Settled
This is not the first time Moak and Vicknair have faced off. The two ran against each other for Moak's current Metro Council seat back in 2020; Vicknair failed to make that runoff, and Moak went on to win the seat over Democratic candidate Tenika James, the newspaper's report notes. Before stepping into public office, Vicknair worked for PSC Group and also served as a reserve officer for the Central Police Department.
If Moak wins the mayor's race, his departure from the Metro Council would trigger a procedural scramble. The report states an interim council member would need to be appointed to fill his seat within 20 days, followed by a special election in April to fill the seat through the remainder of the term. Louisiana law generally requires that the governing authority of a local governmental subdivision appoint a qualified person to fill such a vacancy within twenty days, according to the Louisiana State Legislature.
What's at Stake in December
With Evans stepping aside after choosing not to run again, Central voters will pick a new mayor to replace him. The Dec. 12 runoff gives residents a final choice between Vicknair's background in public safety and city government and Moak's long record on the Metro Council and the city's original council. Whichever candidate ultimately wins will take over leadership of the city as its priorities and growth continue to be shaped by the outcome.
