After months of work, organizers of an effort to recall Mayor LaToya Cantrell were disappointed this week when they ended up falling short by tens of thousands of signatures.
However, it doesn’t mean that the NoLaToya crowd is going to go away. Eileen Carter and Beldon Batiste, leaders of the effort, joined WWL’s Newell Normand this week to talk about what is on the horizon for the city.
“I just feel like Beldon and I have been so blessed to have met so many people who love this, and it honestly has given me hope,” said Carter. “And I know New Orleans is coming back because they have people who gave their time, their energy, their literally blood and sweat, cutting their fingers on pins and tables to make this happen. And we are ignited in different areas of the city.”
Those advocating for a recall of Cantrell cited a variety of issues with the mayor, who was first elected in 2018 and reelected in 2021 for a term that ends in 2026. These include crime, police staffing, infrastructure issues, economic development and more.
Although the recall group believed they had enough signatures to move on ousting Cantrell last month, they eventually came up short. WWL reported this week that the organizers said they are victim to “massive inaccuracies” by the Orleans Registrar of Voters. They also said that their efforts have only just started.
“We have created a coalition of New Orleanians who care about this city, and we are here to support whatever opportunities and ideas and innovation there is that's going to better the city,” said Carter.
Listen to the full conversation here.
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