Voters in Tallulah will go to the polls Saturday to elect a mayor, a police chief and five city council members.

Mayor Eddie Beckwith faces two former officeholders in his attempt for a second term. Former mayor Theodore Lindsey and former Madison Parish Police Juror Paxton J. Branch are in the race, joined by Mike Abendroth, a car dealer, and Moses Junior Williams, an attorney. Beckwith and Lindsey claim no party; the others are Democrats.

Under Louisiana’s open primary system, candidates of all party stripes run simultaneously

 The top two vote-getters in each multi-candidate contest will be on the runoff ballot May 1.

Beckwith, a funeral home operator, defeated the three-term former mayor in the 2006 primary, then bested Branch in the general election with 55 percent of the vote.

For police chief, which is an elected position in towns such as Tallulah which are governed by the Lawrason Act, incumbent Donnell Rose faces John Cartwright, Johnnie J. Henderson, James Earl Vaughn Jr. and Fred Washington Jr. All are Democrats. Rose is trying for a second term.

All city council members face opposition, with the largest list of candidates in District 5.

Incumbent Gloria Owens Hayden faces Ronnie Charles Groves, Charlie Thompson Jr., Fred Washington, and Michael Whitney. Hayden claims no party; the others are Democrats.

In District 1, incumbent Charles Michael Finlayson faces Janet Kline-Clark. Both are Democrats, with the winner taking the seat in the first primary.

In Disrict 2, incumbent Henry J. Williams faces fellow Democrats Dianna Cooks and Lisa D. Houston.

In District 3, incumbent councilman Eddie Fountain faces former councilman Tommy Watson.

For the District 4 race, incumbent Kelvin Brooks faces Marjorie Day.

Qualifying for Louisiana’s delegation in the U.S. House and Senate, including the 5th Congressional District which takes in Tallulah and Madison Parish, ends July 9.

Contact Danny Barrett Jr. at dbarrett@vicksburgpost.com