Ruston voters pick a mayor, a city judge and a Ward 5 alderman on Tuesday

Ruston has a contested mayor’s race on Tuesday. Mayor Ronny Walker, a Republican, is seeking a fourth term against William Faulkner, who qualified with no party and is making his first run for office, the Lincoln Parish Journal reported when qualifying closed in August. Faulkner is Walker’s first opponent since 2014, KNOE reported.

The ballot also has a three-way race for Ruston City Judge and one contested City Council seat.

Mayor

Walker has pointed to development he says the city’s infrastructure work made possible. At a Ruston Daily Leader forum in September he cited Buc-ee’s, the JPMorgan Chase documents center, a Willis Knighton medical office building and the Radiance Technologies microchip plant, along with about $250 million in infrastructure projects over the past decade. On crime, he said the city has added patrol officers and invested in technology, including license plate reading cameras.

Faulkner, an Air Force veteran and businessman, has built his campaign around transparency and public input. He told KNOE that many people he has talked with did not agree with Buc-ee’s coming, do not like where it ended up and were not asked about it. On crime, he has said he would partner with nonprofits and youth programs, and at the forum he pitched a trained volunteer group that would work with police and patrol places like parks.

Both candidates were asked about health care after the scrutiny of Northern Louisiana Medical Center. At the Daily Leader forum, Walker praised the coming Willis Knighton facility and said the medical center’s status as a privately owned hospital makes it hard for the city to step in. Faulkner called the city’s health care situation “wanting” and said people should know what’s happening with health care and not have to guess. He told KNOE he is hopeful about Willis Knighton but wants to explore other options.

City Judge

Three candidates qualified for Ruston City Judge, according to the Secretary of State’s candidate list: Addison Goff (Republican), Gina Jones (no party) and Mike Smith (Republican). The Lincoln Parish Journal listed it as one of two contested judicial races on the fall ballot.

City Council and marshal

• Ward 5 alderman: incumbent Bruce Siegmund and challenger Galen Turner, both no party. It is the only contested council race.
• Unopposed: City Marshal Curtis Hawkins (Republican); Ward 1 Carolyn Elmore Cage (Democrat); Ward 2 Angela Mayfield (Democrat); Ward 3 Melanie Lewis (Republican); Ward 4 John Denny (Republican).

Elsewhere in Lincoln Parish

Grambling Mayor Alvin Bradley is seeking reelection against former Mayor Edward Jones. In Choudrant, where longtime Mayor Bill Sanderson is retiring, Kip Franklin and Brandon Milner are running, the Daily Leader reported. In Dubach, Mayor Mona Durrett Wilson faces Corey Beckham and Kimberly Gill, according to the state’s candidate list.

How to vote

Election Day is Tue., Nov. 3. Polls are open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Vote at your own precinct. Look up your polling place and sample ballot on the Louisiana Voter Portal or the GeauxVote app. For the rest of the ballot, including the U.S. Senate race and 10 proposed constitutional amendments, see our Monroe, West Monroe and Ruston voting guide.