Four cities in Pulaski and Saline counties will have new mayors in January after Tuesday's runoff elections, unofficial results show.
In Alexander, incumbent Mayor Paul Mitchell lost to Crystal Herrmann; in Jacksonville, incumbent Mayor Bob Johnson lost to Jeff Elmore; in Sherwood, council member Mary Jo Heye-Townsell defeated Mayor Virginia Hillman Young; and in Wrightsville, Mayor Allan Clarence Loring lost to Derrick Rainey.
Mitchell has served as Alexander mayor for the last 10 years and was previously on the city council. Herrmann, the incoming mayor, is a small business owner with experience in managing budgets and government contracts.
Elmore, the incoming mayor of Jacksonville, has been a resident of the city for the past 15 years, served the Second Baptist Church as a pastor and is now co-owner of United Abstract and Title. Johnson, a certified public accountant at Johnson and Jones Accounting, has served as mayor since 2018.
Heye-Townsell, who will be Sherwood's mayor in January, has served as Ward 2 City Council member since 2011 as well as on the street committee. She is currently on the parks and recreation and senior citizen committees. Heye-Townselle is a certified public official through the Arkansas Municipal League and has served on the advisory council for large first-class cities and the public safety committee.
Young, who has served as the city clerk and treasurer, is the president of the Arkansas Municipal League. She was elected Sherwood mayor in a special election in 2007.
For Wrightsville, Loring was elected mayor in 2018 and has served on the Arkansas Municipal League Executive Committee.
Rainey, the incoming mayor of Wrightsville, is the chief legacy officer of Seven Generations Living Legacy Collaborations and works as a small-business development office coordinator for the city of Little Rock's finance department.
With all precincts reporting, unofficial results for Jacksonville are:
Elmore 702
Johnson 251
With all precincts reporting, unofficial results for Sherwood are:
Heye-Townsell 2,881
Young 2,436
With all precincts reporting, unofficial results for Wrightsville are:
Rainey 130
Loring 40
With all precincts reporting, unofficial results for Alexander are:
Herrmann 127
Mitchell 101
Results will become official when certified by county election commissions.