29 candidate packets picked up for Fort Smith municipal elections

With less than a month remaining for candidate packets with signatures to be submitted to the Fort Smith city clerk’s office, 29 candidate packets have been picked up from the city office, with 12 of those for the open mayoral seat. Fort Smith Mayor George McGill is not seeking re-election after two terms.

City positions on the November ballot are Fort Smith mayor and city director at-large positions 5, 6 and 7. Director Christina Catsavis is in position 5, Director Kevin Settle is in position 6, and Director Neal Martin is in position 7. Catsavis is running for mayor, leaving the position 5 seat open. Martin has said he is seeking re-election.

As of Monday (July 6) afternoon, there have been 12 mayor candidate packets picked up, six packets for city director position 5, eight packets for city director position 6, and three packets for city director position 7. Director Lee Kemp, the director for Ward 3, also has announced his bid for the mayoral post.

In Fort Smith’s council-manager form of government, a city administrator is the CEO, managing an annual budget of more than $300 million and more than 1,000 city employees. The mayor is not considered a full-time job, and is primarily responsible for ceremonial duties and managing city board meetings.

Each candidate must have 50 signatures from registered voters who reside in the city, according to City Clerk Sherri Gard.

“Each position is for a four-year term beginning Jan. 1, 2027,” according to a note from the city clerk’s office. “Candidates must be at least 21 years of age, a resident of the city for at least six months, and be a registered voter in Fort Smith. All candidates are required to file a statement of candidacy and submit a petition containing the signatures of at least 50 registered voters residing in Fort Smith.

“Statements of candidacy and petitions must be filed with the city clerk within the official filing period prescribed by law, which begins at 12:00 noon on July 29, 2026, and concludes at 12:00 noon on Aug. 5, 2026. Upon sufficiency, all qualified candidates will be placed on the general election ballot.”

Gard told Talk Business & Politics the number of mayoral candidate packets out are the most ever.

“For the mayor position, this has been the most (packets) that have gone out,” Gard said. “Now, I don’t foresee all of those coming back in. … But that’s the American way, so come on. All are welcome.”