Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – Dec. 3, 2024 – Mayor Harold Copenhaver has been reelected as Jonesboro mayor, winning by over 1,800 votes.
According to unofficial election results, Copenhaver received 60.41% of the vote, while challenger City Councilperson L.J. Bryant received 39.55%.
“It’s humbling from a community that I love so much. I must say it was a lot more stressful than I ever anticipated, but it’s well worth the outcome,” Copenhaver said. “The community has spoken and we’re doing the right things.”
He said he will continue to work on infrastructure improvements, as well as safety and quality of life initiatives.
“I’m really going to focus on what we need to do and how we need to invest in our junior high and high school years in our community. That’s where we see reoccurring poverty,” Copenhaver said. “I’m going to ask our industrial partners to step up to the plate.”
He added that his win will not affect him working with Bryant and that it will be “business as usual.”
Despite the loss, Bryant said he was happy with the margin of his defeat.
“This was actually nice to lose by a little bit, to know that there was nothing left that there was to do,” Bryant said. “Mayors don’t wind up in runoffs, so we accomplished something.”
While finishing out his term, which ends Dec. 31, 2026, Bryant said he plans to work on planning budgets and capital projects.
He added that after his term ends, he will not seek reelection for any other office.
Copenhaver will be sworn in on Jan. 1. No time has been set.
Nena Zimmer and Brett H. Barber contributed to this report.