Cantrell bests Dana Kaplan, Gray defeats Austin Badon
Broadmoor community activist LaToya Cantrell has won election to the District B seat on the New Orleans City Council and attorney James Gray has captured the seat in District E.
Cantrell won by 640 votes in a runoff with Dana Kaplan who had been endorsed by Mayor Mitch Landrieu. She will fill the seat temporarily held by Diana Bajoie after Stacy Head was elected as an at-large member of the council. Cantrell ran with Head's endorsement in the runoff.
Gray will hold the District E seat vacated by former council member Jon Johnson who resigned after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to misuse federal funds earmarked for a charitable organization. Gray captured 58% of the vote in a runoff battle with state Representative Austin Badon. He won by 1,202 votes.
The estimated turnout in District B was 16.5% compared with 18% in District E.
New Orleans voters also overwhemingly rejected a proposed increase in fees for 911 services. The fee increase was rejected by a margin of 64% to 36%.
