NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — With Election Day in full swing Saturday morning, candidates, as well as local residents, are busy punching their ballots at polling locations around the state. This includes New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, who is seeking re-election after becoming the first woman to hold the post when she took office in 2018.
The 49-year-old Democrat stopped by Ward 12, Precinct 19 located at McMain High School at 5712 South Claiborne Avenue to cast her vote shortly after 9 a.m.
Initially, there was some confusion upon her arrival as the mayor’s registration was listed under her maiden name – Wilder. But that didn’t dampen the mayor’s spirits.
“I’m feeling really good.” Mayor Cantrell told WGNO’s Susan Roesgen. “Extremely encouraged. Grateful, really grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve the city. As I interact with residents, it’s just full of hope and full of gratitude and just for the future of this city. So I’m feeling really good.”
The mayor even took some time to take selfies with members of her constituency.
The mayor’s race is one of more than a dozen key elections on the day. While Cantrell is an overwhelming favorite to continue a trend of sitting mayors serving new less than two terms in New Orleans over the past 80 years, she is following up her vote with some last-minute campaigning around the city before polls close at 8 p.m.
Her first stop was on the corner of Napoleon and St. Charles avenues at 9:30 a.m. WGNO was once again the scene as the mayor took to the streets to wave to passers-by while dancing joyfully to an on-site jazz band.
Cantrell hit the campaign trail again at 2 p.m. with just six hours remaining until the polls close. The mayor joined supporters on the corner of Elysian Fields Avenue and Robert E. Lee Boulevard to urge voter turnout.
As a reminder, voters must present a valid ID upon arrival at their designated polling location.
