Fort Smith switches to mayor-council

Fort Smith residents will soon have an elected mayor with full executive power, after Tuesday's election results showed strong support for a new government structure. The city approved a plan to replace its current administrator-based system with a mayor-council model. Under the new rules, the mayor will run daily operations, while an eight-member council handles legislation.

Final unofficial results from Sebastian County show the proposal passed with 14,322 votes in favor. That accounts for 70.95% of the total. Only 5,863 voters, or 29.05%, voted against the change. The margin of victory was 8,459 votes.

The move follows a petition drive that gathered enough signatures to put the issue on the ballot. City Clerk Sherri Gard certified the petition on Aug. 18 after verifying it contained the required 2,607 qualified elector signatures. On the same day, the Fort Smith Board of Directors voted 7-0 to approve an ordinance for the election.

Attorney Joey McCutchen helped lead the effort to get the measure before voters. He said the result reflects the will of the people. “First, we are happy that the people of Fort Smith got the opportunity to vote and decide their form of government. It is the American way,” McCutchen said. He also noted that residents turned out in record numbers, which he described as a sign of strong civic engagement.

Currently, a seven-member Board of Directors sets policy and approves budgets. They oversee an appointed city administrator who manages day-to-day operations. The mayor presides over meetings and represents the city but does not vote on board matters. The new system changes this dynamic. The elected mayor becomes the chief executive. An eight-member City Council will hold legislative power, with two members representing each of the city's four wards. The plan also creates elected seats for the city clerk, city attorney, and city treasurer.

The new government will not start immediately. Fort Smith will operate under the old system for a two-year transition period. Elections for the new positions are scheduled for November 2028. The mayor-council system takes effect on Jan. 1, 2029. The winner of the December 2026 mayoral runoff between Christina Catsavis and Daniel Williams will serve under the existing rules first. They will not gain the expanded executive powers of the new system until 2029.

The results from Tuesday remain unofficial until the county completes the certification process.