ALEXANDRIA, La. (UrbanCast: 9/25/2026) — Alexandria voters will soon make one of the city’s most consequential decisions: who will lead the city for the next four years.
Thursday night’s Greater Central Louisiana REALTORS Association mayoral forum showed just how differently the three candidates view Alexandria, its challenges and its progress.
Alexandria City Councilman Malcolm Larvadain, businessman Lorenzo Davis Sr. and incumbent Mayor Jacques Roy discussed public safety, economic development, housing, infrastructure, blight and overall quality of life.
GCLRA promoted the forum as an opportunity for residents to hear directly from the candidates and become better informed before voting.
What voters heard Thursday were three noticeably different assessments of where Alexandria stands.
Larvadain Calls for Greater Cooperation
Larvadain focused heavily on crime, economic development and affordable housing.
He repeatedly argued that Alexandria cannot solve its largest problems while operating in isolation.
Larvadain called for greater cooperation with surrounding communities, law enforcement agencies and regional economic-development organizations.
He also discussed adjudicated properties, housing development and year-round opportunities for young people.
His message centered on bringing more organizations and government entities to the table to address problems that cross jurisdictional lines.
Davis Focuses on Conditions Facing Residents
Davis focused on poverty, utilities, population decline, blight, affordable housing and conditions within Alexandria’s neighborhoods.
He called for greater investment in small businesses, young people and communities he believes have not benefited sufficiently from development.
Davis also connected public safety with neighborhood conditions, blight and opportunities for young people.
His message centered heavily on change and whether residents across Alexandria are actually experiencing the progress being discussed.
Roy Points to Progress and Investment
Roy presented Alexandria as a city making measurable progress.
He pointed to infrastructure investments, business activity, downtown development, police hiring and declining crime in several categories.
Roy said Alexandria hired 25 police officers this year. He also cited percentage reductions in several crimes.
However, some of those numbers lacked broader context during the forum.
Saying 25 officers were hired does not tell voters how many officers left during the same period. Therefore, that number alone does not establish whether APD experienced a net staffing increase.
Likewise, percentage reductions in crime do not provide the underlying number of offenses without the starting number, ending number and period being compared.
Roy also discussed Alexandria’s infrastructure and the enormous replacement value of city-owned systems.
Those numbers demonstrate the size of the system. They do not, by themselves, establish its current condition or how much work remains.
That distinction matters when residents are trying to determine Alexandria’s actual condition.
Three Candidates, Three Views of Alexandria
The candidates were not simply proposing different solutions.
They were describing different Alexandrias.
Larvadain emphasized cooperation and changing how government approaches persistent problems.
Davis emphasized conditions he believes residents continue to experience despite years of investment.
Roy emphasized projects, programs, investments and statistical improvements occurring under his administration.
Voters will ultimately have to determine how those descriptions compare with what they see across Alexandria and what the available information shows.
That makes opportunities to hear directly from candidates especially important.
Media Invited, But Not Allowed to Fully Cover the Forum
There was another issue Thursday night that deserves attention.
GCLRA invited news organizations to attend the forum.
The invitation specifically recognized the important role media organizations play in keeping the community informed. GCLRA also said media presence would help bring awareness to the event and encourage informed civic participation.
Yet invited media were strictly prohibited from audio recording, video recording, filming or livestreaming the forum.
Photography and written notes were permitted.
UrbanCast complied with those restrictions.
However, those restrictions limited the ability of the media to do one of its most basic jobs during an election: allow the public to see and hear candidates for themselves.
Not everyone can attend a two-hour candidate forum.
Some residents are working. Others are caring for children or family members. Some may lack transportation. Many simply cannot attend every political event held during an election season.
That is one reason independent media coverage matters.
Video allows residents to hear a candidate’s complete response.
Livestreaming allows people who cannot physically attend to follow the discussion.
Recording also creates a public record that allows voters to return later and hear exactly what a candidate said.
GCLRA had the right to establish rules for its event.
However, promoting civic engagement and an informed electorate while inviting news organizations and then restricting some of the primary tools they use to inform the public raises a legitimate transparency concern.
UrbanCast was allowed to tell you what happened. We were not allowed to show you what happened.
For an event centered on helping Alexandria make an informed decision about its next mayor, that distinction matters.
More Candidate Forums Are Coming
Fortunately, Thursday night’s forum will not be the public’s last opportunity to hear directly from candidates.
A separate 2026 Candidate Forum Series has four additional nonpartisan forums scheduled.
UrbanCast has confirmed that media will have normal access to these upcoming forums, allowing news organizations to provide their usual coverage to people who cannot attend in person.
Monday, September 28 — 6 p.m.
Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church
1116 16th Street, Alexandria
Candidates and issues scheduled include Alexandria Mayor, Alexandria City Council, Alexandria City Marshal and constitutional amendments.
Monday, October 5 — 6 p.m.
True Vine Missionary Baptist Church
831 Broadway Avenue, Alexandria
Candidates scheduled include Alexandria Mayor, Alexandria City Council and Alexandria City Marshal.
Tuesday, October 6 — 6 p.m.
True Vine Missionary Baptist Church
831 Broadway Avenue, Alexandria
The forum will include U.S. Representative District 5 and Rapides Parish School Board races.
Thursday, October 8 — 6 p.m.
Zion Hill Church
312 Hunter Street, Pineville
The forum will include U.S. Senate, U.S. Representative District 5 and Rapides Parish School Board races.
The series is advertised as nonpartisan and open to everyone.
The Time to Pay Attention Is Now
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3.
Louisiana’s early voting period runs October 20 through October 27, excluding Sunday, October 25. Early voting is scheduled from 8:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. (Louisiana Secretary of State)
That does not leave voters much time.
Alexandria’s next mayor will confront major questions involving crime, poverty, utilities, infrastructure, housing, blight, population, economic development and neighborhood conditions.
Those issues affect more than City Hall.
They affect families, businesses, property owners and neighborhoods throughout Alexandria.
Go to the forums. Listen to the candidates. Ask questions. Examine the numbers. Compare what candidates say with what you see throughout the city.
A campaign sign cannot explain a public-safety plan.
A slogan cannot explain an infrastructure problem.
A percentage without context may not tell the entire story.
And UrbanCast will not tell you which candidate deserves your vote.
That decision belongs to you.
But Alexandria is deciding who will lead the city for the next four years.
The time to get informed is now.
UrbanCast does not endorse candidates. No telling you how to vote. Just information.
