NATCHEZ — Natchez businessman Richard Branyan announced last week that he would run as an Independent candidate for Natchez Mayor in the 2020 municipal election.

Democratic candidates Dan Gibson and Ernest “Tony” Fields are also running for the mayor and the winner of the primary election on April 7 could run against Branyan in the general election on June 2.

Branyan, however, said he has 10 of 50 signatures needed to qualify as an independent candidate in the election and anticipates he will have them all by Friday.

“I’m not very happy with the state of the city, the state of downtown or the state of tourism,” Branyon said. “…You need to have a mayor that will lead and get things done. You have to have someone with ideas and vision to change things for the better.”

Branyan garnered 274 votes in the 2004 mayoral election against former Mayor Phillip West, who ran as a Democrat, and Sue Stedman, who ran as Republican.

Branyan said he has been a businessman in Natchez for 34 years at Lower Lodge Conservation and Museum Services, where he restores antiques and historic artifacts for historic houses and museum displays.

“I’ve had a business in Natchez for 34 years and the decline in downtown retail has been huge,” Branyan said. “It’s not a downtown that is viable for living and shopping. I can remember a time when you could walk from one store to another and buy every single thing that you needed … and the slow speed of progress is frustrating.”

Branyan said he feels he has a lot of ideas and the initiative to get things done at a faster pace while staying open to the ideas that others may have as well.

“I don’t believe that things are bad enough that the only solution is to dissolve the city,” Branyan said. “… I certainly want to meet with OneBoard and hear why they think that is the only solution. I’m certainly not going to dismiss any ideas that they have.”

As of Wednesday afternoon, 21-year-old Jamar White filed to run as an independent candidate against in Ward 1. White will face the winner of the Democratic primary between Valencia Hall, Democrat, and incumbent Alderwoman Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis, Democrat, who so far are the only Democrats to have filed for the Ward 1 position.

White said he is currently employed at AutoZone in Natchez and served in leadership roles as the student body president at Copiah Lincoln Community College and Natchez Early College Academy and is also the social outreach chair of the Alpha Zeta Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc.

“I feel like it’s time for an updated Natchez,” White said. “It’s time for a new vision, new ideas and time for a new generation to step up.”

Incumbent Ward 3 Alderwoman Sarah Carter-Smith also filed to run for reelection, as did Ward 2 Alderman Billie Joe Frazier, Ward 4 Alderwoman Felicia Irving and Ward 5 Alderman Ben Davis — all as Democrat.

Arrick Rice and Queen Ella Wilson are both running as Democrat against incumbent Alderman Dan Dillard for Ward 6.

The deadline for candidates to qualify for the City of Natchez election is Feb. 7 and the primary election is April 7. Runoff elections, if necessary, will be April 28, followed by the general election on June 2.