Race for District A seat on City Council grows to six contenders

Two more candidates — a charter school assistant principal and an attorney who has worked on the City Council staff — qualified Thursday to run for the open seat representing District A on the council, bringing the total field to six contenders with a few hours left to for more to join.

Aylin Acikalin Maklansky, who spent several years working as legislative director for Councilwoman Nadine Ramsey, and Toyia Washington-Kendrick, assistant principal of Esperanza Charter School in Mid-City, both completed the qualifying paperwork on Thursday afternoon.

They join four other District A candidates who had already qualified: attorney and Lakeview neighborhood leader Joe Giarrusso III, entrepreneur and Carrollton neighborhood leader Tilman Hardy, Dan Ring, and Carrollton activist Drew Ward.

The District B field remains unchanged in the last 24 hours, with candidates Jay H. Banks, Seth Bloom, Catherine Love, Timothy David Ray and Andre Strumer. All the candidates in both Districts A and B are Democrats.

Ending weeks of speculation, state Rep. Joe Bouie filed to run for the open seat sought by state Rep. Helena Moreno and two others.

The most recent candidates to join the race for mayor are Thomas J. Albert Jr., Edward Collins Sr., Derrick O’Brien Martin, Frank Scurlock and Hashim Walters.

The full list of candidates who have qualified to run in the city elections as of noon Friday:

• Mayor: Thomas J. Albert Jr., Charles Anderson, Michael Bagneris, LaToya Cantrell, Desiree Charbonnet, Byron Cole, Edward Collins Sr., Matthew Hill, Derrick O’Brien Martin, Frank Scurlock, Johnese Smith, Hashim Walters
• Council At-Large, Division 1: Eldon Anderson, Joe Bouie, Kenneth Cutno, Helena Moreno
• Council At-Large, Division 2: Jason Williams (incumbent, unopposed)
• Council, District A: Joe Giarrusso III, Tilman Hardy, Aylin Maklansky, Dan Ring, Drew Ward, Toyia Washington-Kendrick
• Council, District B: Jay H. Banks, Seth Bloom, Catherine Love, Timothy David Ray, Andre Strumer
• Council, District C: Nadine Ramsey (incumbent), Kristen Gisleson Palmer
• Council, District D: Jared Brossett (incumbent), Belden “Noonie Man” Batiste, Thad Cossabone
• Council, District E: James Gray (incumbent), Freddie Charbonnet, Alicia Plummer Clivens, Dawn Hebert, Cyndi Nguyen
• Sheriff: Marlin Gusman (incumbent), Freddy Brooks
• Coroner: Jeffrey Rouse (incumbent), Dwight McKenna
• Assessor: Errol Williams (incumbent), Anthony Brown
• Criminal Court Clerk: Arthur Morrell (incumbent, unopposed)
• Civil Court Clerk: Dale Atkins (incumbent, unopposed)

Qualifying for city elections remains open until 4:30 p.m. Friday.