Selma's mayor, who made headlines last year for telling a joke about a lynching at a town hall meeting, is up for reelection.

Real estate developer and former marine Charles Hester has been mayor for the past four years. He says he has brought in new businesses, increased the tax base, and balanced the budget.

"I do think I'm best qualified based on my experience," he said.

But challenger Harris Jenkins Jr. was sitting in the audience when the mayor made a comment about a lynching at a town hall meeting last year. Click here to see video of the incident.

Jenkins, a high school teacher who served in the military for more than 20 years, says Hester's comment was a factor in his decision to run for office. He thinks the mayor is out of touch. And now he hopes to become the first African-American mayor in Selma.

"It's very important that anyone that sits in a leadership position knows how to listen to the people that they are trying to lead. There are a lot of needs. There are a lot of concerns. This is not a one person show," he said.

Hester has said he did not intend to offend anyone by the remark.

His other challenger is Timmy Strickland, the owner of a landscaping business who has never held public office. He says the mayor has not done enough to shut down local drug dealers.

"I believe there are some changes that need to be made in this town. And I'd like to be the one to change them," he said.

The challenge now is to get people to the polls. In the last mayor's race in Selma, just about 500 people voted. More than 7,000 people live in the town.

Election day is November 3.