Bob Vincent announced this morning that he will run for re-election to his office as mayor of the city of Dayton in April.

"I am throwing my hat in for the office of mayor," Vincent said during a press conference held in the lobby at Dayton City School.

The terms of Bob Vincent, Vice Mayor John Heath, and council member Billy Graham are expiring.

The April 15 municipal election will be historic. It is the first time that Dayton citizens will have the opportunity to vote for their mayor. Previously, voters cast ballots only for city council members, and the mayor was elected by the council body every two years. However, an amended city charter approved by the state Legislature and ratified by the city council in June 2008 calls for separate at-large elections for the mayor and city council members.

Traditionally, the candidate receiving the highest number of votes would be elected by council members to serve as mayor and the person receiving the second highest number of votes would be elected vice mayor, Vincent said, of the previous process.

However, when Vice Mayor Jim Barnes passed away in November 2007,  the council discovered the charter did not provide a process to fill an unexpired seat and changes to the charter became necessary. One of the changes included in the charter amendment was the creation of a separate at-large election for the mayor's seat.

Vincent has served as Dayton's mayor and the chairman of the Dayton City School Board for the past four years. As of April, he will have served 28 years in one capacity or another on the Dayton City Council. Dayton City Council members are also Dayton City School Board members, and the mayor by default serves as the chairman of the board.

According to Rhea County Elections administrator Brenda Dodson, candidates for the April 15 election have until noon on Thursday, Jan. 15 to file a candidate nominating petition indicating their intent to run for office. To date, presiding council member Gary Louallen has submitted a petition to run for mayor and councilman Billy Graham has filed to run for re-election to the city council.

Vincent said he would submit his petition to the election commission office today, as well.