Leirion Gaylor Baird reelected as Lincoln mayor

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Leirion Gaylor Baird will be Lincoln’s mayor for another four years.

As of 10:15 p.m., Gaylor Baird had 42,072 votes, while former State Sen. Suzanne Geist had 35,404.

The Lancaster County Election Commission estimated there are fewer than 4,000 votes left to count.

“This has been a triumph of our love for Lincoln over the politics of fear,” the mayor said in her victory speech.

When the first results rolled in at 8 p.m., Gaylor Baird took the lead.  She held that lead throughout the night.

Gaylor Baird became the 52nd mayor of Lincoln when she was elected back in 2019.  She could run for a third term in 2027.

The mayor said she is focused on investing into Lincoln and keeping the city safe.

Some of her projects for her second term are the affordable housing plan, the climate action plan and building a park in the South Haymarket.

“This is a community that we love and call home,” she said. “We know it’s safe, we know it’s vibrant, we know it’s growing, and we’ve got to keep it that way. We got lots more work to do.”

SEE ALSO: Latest election results

Geist conceded to Gaylor Baird but urged the mayor to listen to those who did not vote for her.

“We would do things differently, but the most important thing is to understand that there is a group of people here in this city that think differently, that want to be brought to the table and need to be heard by the current mayor,” she said.

In April, Channel 8 hosted a debate between Gaylor Baird and Geist.

WATCH: Geist and Gaylor Baird face off in Lincoln mayoral debate