FAYETTEVILLE -- All of the city's incumbent aldermen seemed to be on their way to surviving Election Day with one fresh face being added, based on early and incomplete results. The numbers did not include about 1,800 absentee ballots being counted late Tuesday.
Realtor Sarah Bunch led challengers, developer and business owner Tracy Hoskins and youth minister Benjamin Harrison in the race for north Fayetteville's Ward 3.
Fayetteville
Council
Ward 1, Position 2
Marsh4,529(66%)
Phaneuf 2,375(34%)
Ward 2, Position 2
Petty3,406(60%)
McHenry1,169(21%)
Fire Cat1,114(20%)
Ward 3, Position 2
Bunch4,057(48%)
Hoskins3,067(36%)
Harrison1,293(15%)
Ward 4, Position 2
Allen3,461(45%)
Long4,322(56%)
Latest results available at nwadg.com/vote.
Ward 3 may go to a runoff. Bunch and Hoskins were the top vote-getters but Bunch didn't have 50 percent plus one vote needed. If needed, a runoff will be held Nov. 29.
Alderwoman Sarah Marsh led minister and author Paul Phaneuf in Ward 1, which encompasses south Fayetteville.
Alderman Matthew Petty led Washington County Justice of the Peace Gary McHenry for downtown Fayetteville's Ward 2 council spot.
Alderman Alan Long was in front of minister Nathan Allen for Ward 4 in west Fayetteville.
Ward 3, Position 2 had no incumbent. Alderman Martin Schoppmeyer Jr. didn't seek re-election.
Bunch served on the Planning Commission from 2010 until this year. She's been a Realtor for 14 years and worked in banking for 15 years.
Bunch promised engagement with residents as a pillar of her campaign. She touted her experience as a Realtor and banker as evidence of being able to work with a variety of people and personalities.
Hoskins serves on the Planning Commission and pledged to update and simplify the city's Unified Development Code.
Hoskins worked with city officials to draft the city's master plan. He emphasized working with the University of Arkansas as a key way to keep the cost of developing east-west connectivity down.
Harrison said he wanted to bring regular meetings to Ward 3. Connecting sidewalks and increasing walkability in north Fayetteville became a focus of Harrison's campaign.
The city can better serve its homeless and food-insecure population, Harrison has said. Educating residents on the needs of the community is essential to enacting change, he said.
Marsh has served on the City Council for Ward 1 since 2013 and became vice mayor in January. She owns Emily Mars Fashion House and is an accredited professional for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.
Marsh has been a proponent of dense development with home and business frontage facing streets and trails. She also has advocated for sustainability in city policies and planning.
Phaneuf challenged Alderwoman Adella Gray for Ward 1, Position 1 in 2014 and lost in a runoff. He was a vocal opponent of the civil rights ordinance.
Phaneuf has pushed for less regulation and more business growth in Fayetteville. Keeping the tax base strong leads to greater amenities, he has said.
Petty has been alderman for Ward 2 since 2009. He is a self-employed developer with the Infill Group.
Petty has introduced a number of amendments to the city's Unified Development Code during his time on the City Council, something he refers to as "code hacks." He also has played a key role in revising the city's Transportation Master Plan which is due for release next year.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson appointed McHenry to fill a vacant Washington County Quorum Court seat in September 2015. He is Director of education at Schmieding Center for Senior Health and Education at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
Engaging young people to become more involved in local politics was a pillar of McHenry's campaign. Developing a city mobile app and expanding the city's public transit were among his focal points.
Long, who works for Newly Weds Foods , won his City Council seat for Ward 4 in the 2012 election. He has prided himself in bringing the concerns of his constituents to City Hall.
Long serves on the city's Transportation Committee and has worked with the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department to promote walkability and connectivity in west Fayetteville.
Allen is a minister at New Heights Church who brought Christian tones to his campaign. He focused on business growth and de-regulation. Allen also advocated for a new park in west Fayetteville.
NW News on 11/09/2016