Shreveport Mayor Race to Runoff in December
Tom Arceneaux and Stormy Gage Watts will face off in a Saturday, December 12 runoff after leading the first round of voting.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in City Hall
Live Poll
Do you think Shreveport is moving in the right direction under its current leadership?
Shreveport's mayoral race advances to a runoff between incumbent Tom Arceneaux, who received 36% of the first-round vote, and Caddo Parish Commissioner Stormy Gage Watts, who received 23%. The runoff is scheduled for Saturday, December 12.
Why it matters
The runoff will determine who leads Shreveport after a first round in which no candidate won outright. Voters also approved a massive bond issue for the first time in many years, and the city's water system received an F grade.
Arceneaux led the first round with 36% of the vote, ahead of Gage Watts at 23%, John Paul Young at 18% and Tammy Phelps at 16%. The runoff outcome remains unknown until the December 12 vote.
The players
Tom Arceneaux
Tom Arceneaux is the current mayor of Shreveport, seeking reelection after nearly four years in office.
Stormy Gage Watts
Stormy Gage Watts is a Caddo Parish Commissioner advancing to the Shreveport mayoral runoff.
The details
Arceneaux, the current mayor, announced more than a year ago that he would seek reelection and has maintained that Shreveport is safer than when he took over nearly four years ago. Gage Watts currently serves as a Caddo Parish Commissioner.
Timeline
Saturday, December 12: Runoff election between Tom Arceneaux and Stormy Gage Watts.
Season Trajectory
The runoff narrows a crowded first-round field to a two-candidate contest that will decide whether the incumbent's reelection bid holds. The result will also determine whether voters endorse the city's recent bond issue and its direction on water system problems.
Shreveport voters will choose the city's next mayor in a two-candidate runoff on Saturday, December 12. The outcome will shape decisions on the recently approved bond issue and the city's water system.
The takeaway
Voters in Shreveport have a clear choice in December between continuity under the incumbent and a challenger with county-level experience. Watch how each candidate addresses the water system grade and the new bond spending.
What happens next
The runoff between Tom Arceneaux and Stormy Gage Watts is scheduled for Saturday, December 12.
Further reading
Follow the latest decisions and debates in City Hall as Shreveport's mayoral runoff approaches.
Live Poll
Do you think Shreveport is moving in the right direction under its current leadership?
