In the Mayor’s race last Saturday, Mansfield voters gave Police Jury member Thomas Jones 43% or 626 votes. Incumbent Mayor John Mayweather, Sr. polled 34% or 502 votes. And Joseph Hall, Jr. got 23% or 330 votes. That set up a runoff April 30th between Jones and Mayweather because no candidate got a majority or 50% plus one.
First place finisher Thomas Jones told the Journal it was the result of his team working door to door to get his message out. “We need to move forward, to clean up the city, to bring back jobs and businesses and we need better housing,” Jones said. He added “We need more businesses to create more jobs to give our children some reason to stay here.”
Looking forward to the runoff on April 30th, Jones said his message will be the same. “We need to get more people out to vote. We are going to target those who did not vote last Saturday and get them to vote in the runoff,” Jones added.
Incumbent Mayor John Mayweather, Sr told the Journal, “I’m in it to win it.” He said over the past two years, when everything was shut down by the pandemic, his concern was keeping the city afloat. “My hands were tied by COVID. My job was to keep the city safe. Revenue was down but we kept our people on the job. I had to rotate people in and out to keep the office open safely.”
Mayweather said, “We were working together with the Sheriff’s Department, the District Attorney and the people to keep Mansfield going. Now we will be doing something for our young people, improving recreation, and cleaning up the city. We are ready for the next four years.”
Four years ago, Mayweather was again in a runoff. “We won last time against the same opponent. I am not worried about an uphill battle, said Mayweather. He added, “I trusted in the Lord and came out on top. I am a Christian and I believe in the Lord. He makes the decision and I am satisfied with whatever He decides.
As for his strategy in the runoff election, Mayweather said, “The only thing different in the runoff is run. I am gonna run like never before. Running 100 miles per hour to do what I need to do to win the election. We have got to get the people out to the polls and vote.”
The Secretary of State supplied this information about the April 30th Municipal General Election:
The deadline to register to vote through the GeauxVote Online Registration System is April 9. The deadline to register in person passed on March 30th.
Early voting is April 16-23 (excluding Sunday, April 17) from 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
The deadline to request an absentee ballot is April 26 by 4:30 pm (other than military and overseas voters). You can request an absentee ballot online through our Voter Portal or in writing through your Registrar of Voters Office.
The deadline for a registrar of voters to receive a voted absentee ballot is April 29 by 4:30 p.m. (other than military and overseas voters).
On election day, the polls are open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m.
