CENTRAL — After Central Mayor Wade Evans announced that he is not running for re-election, multiple other public officials have announced their candidacy to succeed Evans. 

Evans announced that he would not be running for a second term earlier this week. In a statement, Evans noted that public service with "small-town politics" has become "increasingly difficult."

On Thursday, Lon Vicknair, East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sid Edwards' chief of staff, announced his candidacy for Central mayor. Vicknair said that, as of Thursday, he would be taking a leave of absence from his role to focus on his campaign for mayor. 

"The people of Central deserve to know there is a clear line between my public responsibilities and my candidacy, and that I am holding both to the same standard," Vicknair said in a statement. "Different roles, same purpose: show up, do the work, and take care of people. But no title I have ever held has meant more to me than husband, father, and neighbor."

WBRZ has asked Mayor-President Edwards' office who will take Vicknair's place during his leave of absence. 

On July 21, Metro Councilman Aaron Moak said that he would be running for mayor after serving three terms on the Central City Council and two on the East Baton Rouge Metro Council. In his announcement, he called Central his "heritage."

The Central mayor will be elected during the Nov. 3 election.