Two-term incumbent Mayor Shirley Washington is headed for an April 2 runoff with challenger State Rep. Vivian Flowers in the 2024 Democratic primary election.
Complete but unofficial vote totals were:
Mayor
Shirley Washington 1,940
Vivian Flowers 1,913
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Joni Alexander-Robinson 1,123
Samuel Glover 263
Steven Mays Sr. 267
Charles Washington 59
It remained a close race all night between Flowers and Washington, while former council member Joni Alexander-Robinson trailed by a few hundred votes as numbers from the 33 polling sites began to come in.
Flowers is serving her fifth term in the Arkansas House. She represents District 65, which includes a portion of Jefferson County and Arkansas County. Flowers first announced she would run again for her seat before ultimately deciding she would run for the mayor of Pine Bluff.
Flowers has over 30 years of public service/policy/political experience and said previously she wanted to ensure that she prioritizes the youth, the economy, and safety in a way that ensures measurable and significant progress.
She also said she wanted to first restore the public’s trust, and that “Utilizing and expanding transparency and accountability, along with the way we communicate with the public, will be one of my day-one priorities.”
Washington has said in a previous interview with The Commercial that she would like to finish projects started under her tenure.
During Washington’s tenure, numerous projects were completed or went forward, including the acquisition of $32 million in federal funding for drainage improvements. She also said she has worked to grow the Pine Bluff business sector. She is currently working on an affordable housing development at the old Southeast School site, and she has been behind an effort to open a homeless shelter in Pine Bluff, although that effort has fallen short of her goal and is now going to become a part-time day room.
Washington has said she would not pursue renewing a Go Forward Pine Bluff-sponsored sales tax for a third time, adding that she respects the vote of the people. She also said she would gather representatives of all ages and backgrounds to participate in a planning process to determine the investments they want to see in their neighborhoods. If it is determined that future revenue initiatives are needed, Washington said, those tax dollars should be managed exclusively by the mayor and city council and not filtered through Go Forward or any other outside entity.
CITY TREASURER
Loretta Whitfield, former city clerk for 16 years, defeated the current city treasurer with 24 years of experience, Gregory Gustek.
Loretta Whitfield 3,173
Greg Gustek 2,276
CITY CLERK
Incumbent Janice Roberts, who was first elected in 2020, also defeated her competitor, Mary Liddell, a longtime teacher who has been active in various city projects.
Janice Roberts 4,160
Mary Liddell 1,276
