NEW ORLEANS – The crowd looking to replace City Councilwoman LaToya Cantrell continues to swell.
Jay Banks, director of the Dryades YMCA’s School of Commerce who last year reigned as King Zulu, announced his candidacy for City Council District B Tuesday morning. Cantrell will not seek a second term as a councilwoman since she is running for mayor.
Banks, 57, joins a field that includes former Orleans Parish School Board President Seth Bloom, redevelopment specialist Eric Johnson and Timothy David Ray, an attorney and political consultant
Banks, who worked for former councilmembers Jim Singleton and Dorothy Mae Taylor, said in a statement he would work to create living-wage jobs to help curb the city’s stubborn crime problem.
“The answer to our crime and poverty challenges is to assure that every resident of the district has the opportunity for quality education and community support, which leads to enhanced career opportunities,” he said.
City Council District B is made up of a diverse swath of the city that includes parts of Uptown, Mid-City and the Central Business District, the Garden District, Lower Garden District and Central City.
Meanwhile, here’s who else has tossed his or her hat into the ring for the six other council districts, according to The New Orleans Advocate:
At-large Division 1: Helena Moreno
At-large Division 2: Jason Williams
District A: Drew Ward, Joe Giarrusso
District C: Councilwoman Nadine Ramsey said to be considering seeking re-election
District D: Councilman Jared Brossett
District E: Alicia Plummer Clivens, Councilman James Gray, Dawn Hebert
Qualifying for the Oct. 14 primary elections takes place July 12-14. Runoffs will be Nov. 18.
The winners will wait several months to take their seats since election dates were moved up this cycle but inauguration day was not. That will happen in 2022, meaning this year's winners will serve a few months fewer than four-year terms.
