New Orleans mayor to be re-elected

NEW Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin looks to be on course to be re-elected to oversee the rebuilding of the city after topping the ballot in the first round of a poll hit by the dispersal of more than half the voters in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Mr Nagin earned a comfortable lead in Saturday’s vote with 38% or 41,489 votes, but short of the majority needed to secure a second term as mayor without a run-off on May 20.

His nearest challenger was Louisiana’s lieutenant governor Mitch Landrieu, who had 29%, or 31,499 votes.