This time next week the City of Vicksburg will know who will make up the Board of Mayor and Aldermen that will lead our city for the next four years. 

Tuesday’s municipal election is my first in Vicksburg and it’s been interesting to get to know the candidates and their histories here in the River City. 

Regardless of where you fall on who to vote for — and there are certainly some strong opinions in favor of the candidates, all of whom seem to have carved out solid areas of support in the community — simply looking at the names that will appear on the ballot is an interesting read. Two incumbents with decades of experience, both at the local and state levels of government; a former alderman; a former city employee; and a private businessperson. Everyone brings legitimate experience to the table.

Over the last several months, we at The Post have tried to keep you aware of upcoming campaign events and other relevant goings-on. We’ve co-hosted a candidates forum along with our local radio station, interviewed the candidates ourselves about a smattering of local issues and probably learned some new information about them along with all of you. 

And the coverage doesn’t stop in the days leading up to the election. In today’s edition of The Post, you can take a look at all of the five candidates’ — three mayoral and two for the Ward 2 alderman seat — final campaign finance reports. There is also a Q and A organized by the Heritage Guild of Vicksburg and Warren County we have printed in this edition and published online.

Additionally, we are working hard to give you one last chance to hear each candidate speak prior to Tuesday’s election, this time in the form of an online streaming event. Whether this will include all the candidates at once, each one individually, or just as many as we are able to connect with during this final busy campaign stretch remains to be seen, but we are working hard to nail it all down for you.  

All of this to say, just like any chance to cast a vote, Tuesday’s election is important. The City of Vicksburg has so much potential and so much that is going well right this very moment. Like any place, however, it also has its challenges and longstanding issues that need to be addressed, perhaps with fresh eyes; perhaps with experienced leaders returning. That part is up to you.

And when all the votes have been cast Tuesday, we’ll be at city hall to let you know in real time how the final tally shakes out.

So if you reside within the city limits of Vicksburg, don’t forget to let your voice be a part of that final count. It’s been a long road to get to election day, but we’re almost at the finish line and we’re anxious to cover this latest chapter in the story of Vicksburg.

See you Tuesday.

Blake Bell is the general manager and executive editor of The Vicksburg Post. He can be reached at blake.bell@vicksburgpost.com.