List of mayors of Little Rock, Arkansas

This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources. Find sources: "List of mayors of Little Rock, Arkansas" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (November 2020)

Elections in Arkansas
Federal government Presidential elections 1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1860 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Presidential primaries Democratic 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Republican 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 U.S. Senate elections 1836 1837 1840 1843 1844 sp 1846 1848 1848 sp 1853 1855 1859 1868 1870 1876 1877 1878 1883 1885 1885 sp 1889 1891 1895 1897 1901 1903 1906 1907 1909 1913 1913 sp 1914 1916 sp 1918 1920 1924 1926 1930 1932 1932 sp 1936 1937 sp 1938 1942 1944 1948 1950 1954 1956 1960 1962 1966 1968 1972 1974 1978 1980 1984 1986 1990 1992 1996 1998 2002 2004 2008 2010 2014 2016 2020 2022 2026 2028 U.S. House of Representatives elections 1836 1837 1838 1840 1842 1844 1846 1847 AL sp 1848 1851 1852 1853 1854 1856 1858 1860 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1885 3rd sp 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 2nd sp 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1913 6th sp 1914 1916 1918 1920 1921 6th sp 1922 1923 6th sp 1924 1926 1928 1930 4th sp 1932 1933 5th sp 1934 1936 1938 1939 4th sp 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1961 6th sp 1962 1964 1966 4th sp 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2001 3rd sp 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024
State government State elections 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 Gubernatorial elections 1836 1840 1844 1848 1849 sp 1852 1856 1860 1862 (C) 1864 (U) 1868 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1913 sp 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022 2026 Lieutenant gubernatorial elections 2022 Secretary of State elections 2022 Attorney General elections 2022 Treasurer elections 2022 2024 (special) Senate elections 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 House of Representatives elections 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024
Ballot measures 1990 Amendment 3 2004 Amendment 3 2008 Act 1 2012 Issue 1 2018 Issue 5
Little Rock Mayoral elections 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022
Fayetteville Mayoral elections 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024
Fort Smith Mayoral elections 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022
Springdale Mayoral elections 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024
Jonesboro Mayoral elections 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024
Rogers Mayoral elections 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024
Conway Mayoral elections 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024
v t e

The mayor of Little Rock, Arkansas serves as the chief executive of the city government. Little Rock was first incorporated as a town in November 1831 and redefined as a city under a new charter in November 1835. During the American Civil War, Little Rock was captured and occupied by Union forces beginning September 21, 1863, leaving the city without a civilian government until December 1865. Starting in November 1869, the president of the city council presided over council meetings and signed ordinances, performing many of the duties formerly ascribed to the mayor. In accordance with new Constitution of Arkansas and new city charter, the mayor resumed duties previously split between mayor and president of the city council in March 1875. On November 6, 1956, Little Rock voters approved a move to the city manager form of government to take effect in the next year and on November 11, 1957, voters selected the first city board of directors under the city manager form of government. Under this form, the city board selected mayor from among its membership to serve for a two-year term. Beginning in 1994, mayors were elected to a four-year term by citywide election.

From October 1825 through January 1832, Little Rock was governed by an elected board of trustees. Bernard Smith presided over the board through 1828, Dr. Matthew Cunningham presided in 1829, and John McClain presided in 1830 and 1831.

Number	Person	Image	Mayor	In office	Notes	Ref.
1	1		Dr. Matthew Cunningham	January 1832 – January 1833	First mayor of the Town of Little Rock. Cunningham’s descendants continue to live in the city into the 21st century. His great-great-great-great grandson serves as pastor of Westover Hills Presbyterian Church.
2	2		Rev. W. W. Stevenson	January 1833 – January 1834
3	3		Elijah A. More	January 1834 – January 1835
4	4		David Fulton	January 1835 – November 1835
5	5		James Pitcher	November 1835 – December 1837	First mayor of the City of Little Rock
6	6		Jesse Brown	January 1838 – January 1841	From April 1839 through November 1839, Alderman Nicholas Peay acted as mayor due to prolonged absence of Mayor Brown.
7	7		Dr. Samuel H. Webb	January 1841 – January 1842
8	8		John Widgery	January 1842 – May 1842
9	9		Samuel G. Trowbridge	May 1842 – January 1843	Elevated to mayor from mayor pro-tempore upon resignation of previous mayor. Resigned upon arrest for running a counterfeit ring.
10	10		Thomas S. Reynolds	January 1843 – September 1843	Elevated to mayor from mayor pro-tempore upon resignation of previous mayor.
11	11		Eli Colby	September 1843 – January 1844	Elevated to mayor from mayor pro-tempore upon resignation of previous mayor.
12	12		William Brown, Sr.	January 1844 – January 1845
13	13		Lambert J. Reardon	January 1845 – January 1847
14	14		Dr. Roderick Lathrop (R.L.) Dodge	January 1847 – January 1848
15	(7)		Dr. Samuel H. Webb (2nd term)	January 1848 – April 1849
16	15		Roswell Beebe	April 1849 – February 1850	Elevated to mayor from mayor pro-tempore upon resignation of previous mayor.
17	16		D. J. Baldwin	February 1850 – January 1851	Elevated to mayor from mayor pro-tempore upon resignation of previous mayor.
18	17		John Elliot Knight	January 1851 – January 1852
19	18		Andre J. Hutt	January 1852 – January 1854
20	19		Thomas D. Merrick	January 1854 – January 1855
21	20		Charles (C.P.) Bertrand	January 1855 – January 1857	Stepson of first Little Rock Mayor, Dr. Matthew Cunningham.
22	21		William E. Ashley	January 1857 – January 1859
23	22		Gordon N. Peay	January 1859 – January 1861	Son of Alderman Nicholas Peay who served as Mayor Pro-Tem during absence of Mayor Brown.
24	(21)		William E. Ashley (2nd term)	January 1861 – September 1863
Little Rock was occupied by the Union Army during the Civil War and controlled by federal forces from September 21, 1863 through December 1865.
25	23		Dr. J. J. McAlmont	January 1866 – January 1867
26	24		J. W. Hopkins	January 1867 – February 1868
27	25		John Wassell	February 1868 – December 1868	Appointed by military to replace elected mayor.
28	26		A. K. Hartman	January 1869 – November 1871	The City Council suspended Hartman in February 1870; a court order overturned that in June 1870. In January 1871, he was again suspended by the Council and J. G. Botsford was declared acting mayor, though Hartman still claimed the title of mayor through the remainder of his term in November 1871.
29	27		Jefferson G. Botsford	January 1871 – November 1871	Appointed acting mayor in January 1871 and served through November 1871. Mayor Hartman was never officially removed from office, so Botsford was never technically mayor. He has been historically listed as a mayor of Little Rock, however.
30	28		Robert F. Catterson	November 1871 – November 1873
31	29		Frederick Kramer	November 1873 – April 1875
32	30		John Gould Fletcher	April 1875 – April 1881	First mayor under new city charter. Father of John Gould Fletcher (Jr.)
33	(29)		Frederick Kramer (2nd term)	April 1881 – April 1887
34	31		William G. Whipple	April 1887 – April 1891	Ran for governor, son-in-law of Mayor R. L. Dodge.
35	32		Henry Lewis (H.L.) Fletcher	April 1891 – April 1893	Brother of Mayor John Gould Fletcher.
36	33		M. G. Hall	April 1893 – April 1895
34		James A. Woodson	April 1895 – May 1900	Due to obligations with his business affairs, resigned in April 1900 to be effective upon election of his successor.
38	35		W. R. Duley	May 1900 – April 1903	Elected in a special election in May 1900. First time a special election had been used to fill mayoral vacancy.
39	36		Warren E. Lenon	April 1903 – April 1908	Due to obligations with his business affairs, resigned at first meeting of city council held in the new City Hall, which he had championed.
40	37		John Herndon Hollis	April 1908 – June 1908	Though technically only mayor pro-tempore selected by City Council to serve until special election for next mayor, he has traditionally been included in lists of mayors of Little Rock. He never gave up his alderman seat on city council and remained on council after special election.
41	(35)		W. R. Duley (2nd term)	June 1908 – April 1911	Chosen in a special election to fill vacancy created by resignation of Mayor Lenon. Due to illness, Mayor Duley took a leave of absence from February 20, 1911 through the remainder of his term. Alderman John S. Odom was selected by the council as Acting Mayor.
42	38		Charles E. Taylor	April 1911 – April 1919
43	39		Ben D. Brickhouse	April 1919 – April 1925
44	40		Charles E. Moyer	April 1925 – April 1929
45	41		Pat L. Robinson	April 1929 – April 1931
46	42		Horace A. Knowlton	April 1931 – April 1935
47	43		Richard E. (R.E.) Overman	April 1935 – April 1939
48	42		John Vines (J.V.) Satterfield, Jr.	April 1939 – April 1941	Due to illness, Mayor Satterfield took a leave of absence from January 1 through March 31, 1941. Alderman E. W. Gibb was selected by Council as Acting Mayor.
49	(40)		Charles E. Moyer (2nd term)	April 1941 – April 1945
50	45		Dan T. Sprick	April 1945 – April 1947
51	46		Sam M. Wassell	April 1947 – December 1951	Starting date for mayoral terms moved from April to January. Grandson of Little Rock Mayor John Wassell.
52	47		Pratt C. Remmel	January 1952 – December 1955	First Republican elected to the post since 1891. Mayor Remmel took a leave of absence to run for Governor from August 31 through December 13, 1954. Alderman Fred W. Parris was chosen by city council to serve as acting mayor.
53	48		Woodrow Wilson Mann	January 1956 – November 1957	Last mayor under the mayor–council form of government.
54	49		Werner C. Knoop	November 1957 – December 1962	First mayor under the city manager form of government.
55	50		Byron R. Morse	January 1963 – December 1964
56	51		Harold "Sonney" Henson, Jr.	January 1965 – December 1966
57	52		Martin Borchert	January 1967 – December 1968
58	53		Haco Boyd	January 1969 – December 1970
59	54		George Wimberly	January 1971 – December 1972
60	55		W. H. Walters	January 1973 – December 1974
61	(54)		George Wimberly (2nd term)	January 1975 – December 1976
62	56		Donald L. Mehlburger	January 1977 – December 1978
63	57		A. M. "Sandy" Keith	January 1979 – June 1979	Resigned as mayor but remained on the City Board of Directors.
64	58		Webster Hubbell	June 1979 – July 1981	Resigned as mayor but remained on the City Board of Directors.
65	59		Charles E. Bussey	November 1981 – December 1982	From July – November 1981, served as Acting Mayor. First African American mayor of Little Rock.
66	60		J. W. "Buddy" Benafield	January 1983 – December 1984	Previously had served as Mayor of England, Arkansas, in the 1970s.
67	61		Thomas A. Prince	January 1985 – December 1986
68	62		Lottie Shackelford	January 1987 – December 1988	First female mayor of Little Rock.[1] Is also the second African American mayor of Little Rock.[1]
69	63		Floyd G. "Buddy" Villines	January 1989 – December 1990
70	64		Sharon Priest	January 1991 – December 1992	Served as Arkansas Secretary of State from 1995 to 2003.
71	65		Dalton J. "Jim" Dailey Jr.	January 1993 – December 2006	First served as mayor for two years under original city manager structure, then elected to four-year terms by a citywide election in 1994, 1998, and 2002 under the new hybrid city administrator structure. Longest-serving mayor of Little Rock (14 years).
72	66		Mark Stodola	January 2007 – December 2018		[2]
73	67		Frank Scott, Jr.	January 2019 –	Incumbent mayor. Little Rock's first directly elected black mayor	[3]

• Timeline of Little Rock, Arkansas

• City of Little Rock City Manager: Mayors of Little Rock