Leirion Gaylor Baird
Leirion Gaylor Baird | |
|---|---|
_(closer_crop).jpg) | |
| 52nd Mayor of Lincoln | |
| Assumed office May 20, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Chris Beutler |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Yale University (BA) New College, Oxford (MS) |
Leirion Gaylor Baird is an American politician. Since the 2019 election, she has been the mayor of Lincoln, Nebraska, where she previously served as a city councilwoman.
Early life and education
Gaylor Baird grew up in Portland, Oregon; her parents were public school teachers. She completed a Bachelor of Arts in history from Yale College in 1993. She earned a Master of Science in comparative social policy from University of Oxford in 1997.[1]
Career
Baird began her career as a management consultant, working also as a city budget and policy analyst. She was the director of an after-school and summer program in San Francisco. Upon moving to Lincoln, Nebraska, she was appointed to the Lincoln/Lancaster County Planning Commission and helped develop its 2040 Comprehensive Plan. She was elected to the Lincoln City Council as a city-wide representative in May 2013 and was, at the time, its only female member. She won reelection in 2017.
Following the ratification of a term limit amendment by referendum, Baird announced her intention to succeed incumbent three-term Mayor Chris Beutler.[2] Affiliated with the Democratic Party, she officially ran as a nonpartisan candidate due to municipal election law.[3] She won the election for mayor on May 7, 2019, against Republican-affiliated Cyndi Lamm.[4][1] She was sworn in on May 20, 2019, alongside the new city council.
Political positions and mayoralty
During her campaign for the mayoralty, Baird campaigned on additional road funding for the city,[5] environmental preservation,[6][7] and community land trusts for housing.[8] During her time as a city councilwoman, she introduced legislation to ban bump stocks in the city.[9]
A recall against Baird was organized in October 2020. LNK Recall objected to the suspension of city charter rules that allowed Pat Lopez to be designated as health director. Organizers needed at least 21,652 signatures by December 23, 2020, to trigger a recall election; they were unable to do so. Baird responded by saying she continued to work as mayor.[10][11][12]
Baird was reelected in the 2023 mayoral election. Her two opponents in the primary were Republican state senator Suzanne Geist and Republican Stan Parker.[13]
Election results
2019
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Leirion Gaylor Baird | 21,660 | 41.87% | |
| Republican | Cyndi Lamm | 18,527 | 35.81% | |
| Democratic | Jeff Kirkpatrick | 8,665 | 16.75% | |
| Legal Marijuana Now | Krystal Gabel | 2,301 | 4.45% | |
Nonpartisan
|
Rene Solc | 451 | 0.87% | |
| Write-ins | 129 | 0.25% | ||
| Turnout | 51,733 | 31.19% | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Leirion Gaylor Baird | 33,692 | 54.46% | |
| Republican | Cyndi Lamm | 27,994 | 45.25% | |
| Write-ins | 176 | 0.28% | ||
| Turnout | 61,862 | 36.84% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
2023
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Leirion Gaylor Baird (incumbent) | 29,216 | 49.80% | |
| Republican | Suzanne Geist | 19,377 | 33.03% | |
| Republican | Stan Parker | 10,071 | 17.17% | |
| Turnout | 58,664 | 33.38% | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Leirion Gaylor Baird (incumbent) | 44,496 | 54.65% | |
| Republican | Suzanne Geist | 36,727 | 45.11% | |
| Turnout | 81,415 | 46.11% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
References
- ^ a b "Leirion Gaylor Baird". JournalStar.com. Retrieved 2019-05-21.
- ^ Hicks, Nancy. "City Councilwoman Leirion Gaylor Baird will run for mayor". JournalStar.com. Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
- ^ Shawver, Bryan. "Race for Lincoln Mayor: Leirion Gaylor Baird". www.1011now.com. 10 11 News. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
- ^ Johnson, Riley. "Democrat Leirion Gaylor Baird elected Lincoln's new mayor". JournalStar.com. Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
- ^ Johnson, Riley. "Lamm vows to cut wheel tax if elected Lincoln mayor". JournalStar.com. Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
- ^ Hicks, Nancy. "Two women, Gaylor Baird and Lamm, will face off in mayor's race". JournalStar.com. Lincoln Journal Star.
- ^ Hicks, Nancy. "Gaylor Baird would reduce emissions from city fleet if elected mayor". JournalStar.com. Lincoln Journal Star.
- ^ Johnson, Riley. "Affordable housing, 5G internet, dedicated music district discussed at Lincoln mayoral debate". JournalStar.com. Lincoln Journal Star.
- ^ "Lincoln City Council bans bump stocks". AP NEWS. Associated Press. 27 March 2018.
- ^ Petersen, Abbie. "Affidavits filed in effort to recall Lincoln Mayor, four council members". www.1011now.com. Retrieved 2021-04-29.
- ^ "Recall Petitions Are Filed". LNK Recall. Retrieved 2021-04-29.
- ^ Johnson, Riley. "Recall organizers come up short, say focus will shift to city election". JournalStar.com. Retrieved 2021-04-29.
- ^ "Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird announces bid for re-election". 1011 Now. November 21, 2022. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
- ^ "Lincoln City Primary Results April 9, 2019". Lancaster County Election Commissioner. April 2019. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
- ^ "Lincoln City General Election Results May 7, 2019". Lancaster County Election Commissioner. May 2019. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
- ^ "Summary Results Report - Updated April 7th: OFFICIAL Final Results". Lancaster County Election Commissioner.
- ^ "Summary Results Report - Monday, May 8th: City of Lincoln General Election OFFICIAL FINAL RESULTS". Lancaster County Election Commissioner. Retrieved May 8, 2023.