2 min read University of Mississippi associate professor of sociology and international studies Miguel Centellas has officially entered the race for Board of Aldermen, running to represent Ward VI. Centellas, a Democrat and Oxford resident since 2015, will face incumbent Republican Jason Bailey for the seat. Centellas joins Afton Thomas as the second university employee to enter the race for a seat on the Board of Aldermen. Thomas is running as a Democrat against incumbent Republican Mark Huelse to represent Ward II. In a Facebook post on Monday, Centellas said he decided to run for the position when the Lafayette County Democratic Party approached him about doing so. He said that although he made the decision to run for office suddenly, he takes it very seriously and felt it was his duty to serve his community.