FAYETTEVILLE — The general election is over, but the campaign continues for two City Council candidates.
Alan Long and Mike Emery, top vote-getters in the race for Alderwoman Sarah Lewis’ Ward 4 seat, are headed to a run-off election Nov. 27.
According to final but unofficial results, Long received 1,943 votes (36 percent) in Tuesday’s general election compared to Emery’s 1,159 (22 percent), J.P. Peters’ 945 (18 percent), Terry Black Coberly’s 787 (15 percent ) and William Chesser’s 486 (9 percent).
Ward 4 includes most land west of Interstate 540 and several neighborhoods north and west of the University of Arkansas.
Runoff elections are held in municipal races when no candidate captures more than 50 percent of votes cast. Runoffs are not held when a candidate receives more than 40 percent of votes cast and leads the second-place candidate by more than 20 percent of votes cast, according to state law. That means incumbent Ward 2 Alderman Matthew Petty won his reelection bid outright with 49 percent of votes cast.
Petty received 2,312 votes to Adam Fire Cat’s 1,305 (27 percent) and Ryan Abshire’s 1,157 (24 percent). Ward 2 encompasses north and north-central Fayetteville.
Long said Wednesday he was bolstered by Tuesday’s results, but, he added, he’s not taking anything for granted leading up to the runoff election.
“We’re hitting the ground running today,” said Long, a businessman and chairman of the Fayetteville Animal Services Advisory Board.
Long, as a member of the Waterman Woods Property Owners’ Association, advocated against the city’s streamside protection ordinance and a change to Fayetteville occupancy limits that allowed five unrelated people to live together in certain new developments. He said he’ll push for streets, sidewalks, trails and water and sewer connections on Fayetteville’s west side.
Emery, a former television newscast director, credited his “down-to-earth approach” and “shoe leather” campaign for a strong showing Tuesday.
Emery said he spent most of the past two weeks canvassing door-to-door and campaigning in front of the Washington County Courthouse.
“What I lacked for in budget, I was trying to make up for in sheer effort,” Emery said.
He also said he’ll support infrastructure improvements, particularly west of I-540.
Early voting for the runoff begins Nov. 20 at the Washington County Courthouse.
INFOBOX
Mayor’s Race
Lioneld Jordan won a decisive victory against Dan Coody in the race for Fayetteville mayor Tuesday.
Jordan received 17,068 votes (63 percent) to Coody’s 10,172 (37 percent), according to final but unofficial results.
Source: Washington County Election Commission