BATON ROUGE - After a turbulent summer of bloodshed, racial tensions and catastrophic flooding, Louisiana's capital will elect a new mayor to lead a city emerging from some of its darkest days.

Turmoil in Baton Rouge has shaped the race and raised its stakes, yet the mayoral election remains an afterthought for many voters on the cusp of the Tuesday primary.

Scattered residents are scrambling for help to repair homes after August's historic floods. In July, candidates took breaks from campaigning after a deadly police shooting and another shooting that killed three law-enforcement officers.

Those gut punches created some daunting challenges for Baton Rouge's next mayor. They also made it difficult for candidates to capture voters' attention, although some political analysts say the candidates are to blame for running uninspiring campaigns.