By james art 
BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – Baton Rouge’s top three mayoral candidates made their final push Monday before Election Day.
RELATED: Teams, officials make final preparations for Election Day 2024
Incumbent Mayor Sharon Weston Broome and her team were at Airline Highway and Old Hammond Highway, honking horns and waving signs.
“Hearing those horns to give a thumbs up really lifts my spirits,” Broome said. “We want people to know how vitally important their vote is and we want them to be part of the process and of course I want them to vote for Sharon Weston Broome for re-election.”
First-time candidate Sid Edwards put his campaign on a short pause Monday afternoon to attend football practice at Istruma High School.
“Almost like Christmas Eve, right? We just have to wrap the presents and see what Santa brings tomorrow,” Edwards said. “I have no way of knowing polls. I think people will talk tomorrow and understand all this. They will go to vote and then we will see where we are.”
Democrat Ted James felt supported as he and his team held signs at the corner of Perkins Road and South Acadian Monday night.
“We’ve had eight years, and the question is, is Baton Rouge better? And we keep hearing across the parish that people are ready for change,” James said. “We’ve had eight years, and the question is, is Baton Rouge better? And we keep hearing throughout the parish that people are ready for change.”
James is at the forefront of a recent study commissioned by the Political Action Committee affiliated with the Baton Rouge Area Chamber. It shows he has 29% of the vote compared to Broome on 28% and Sid Edwards on 22%, but 16% of voters are undecided.
Political analyst Jim Engster said these last-minute efforts matter.
“One wrong move here or there or one positive move can make the difference between making a run in December or going home on Tuesday night,” Engster said.
Engster said Democrats are split with one or both reaching a runoff.
“It’s a blue parish now. It used to be a red parish and whoever the Democratic candidate was in the runoff. at least one of the two candidates will be the heavy favorite in the runoff, but if it’s a runoff between two Democrats, then we’re going to have a lot of fun and it could be a race for the ages,” Engster said.
Broome and Edwards plan to vote on Election Day. Ted James voted early.
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