Helena-West HelenaNot a ballot

Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Helena-West Helena Mayor & City Council Election 2026

5 of 6 council seats are on the ballot, with 21 candidates running. Updated Oct 20, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check

Not sure who to vote for? Answer 5 questions and see which candidates agree with you, and why.

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Nov 3Election Day

How to vote · 11 days left

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Election day (Nov 3): the election office's notice

These links go to official state and county election sites. Hours and rules differ by state; your election office has the final word.

The candidates

Listed alphabetically by last name. Every position links to its source.

Voters choose the mayor and fill five contested council positions. Monica Cartwright Davis is the only candidate for Ward 3, Position 1.

Election day · Nov 3

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Also on your Nov 3 ballot

We research city races only. For these races, go to the state's official guide or a nonpartisan one.

Official voter lookupState voter guideVote411 (League of Women Voters)

Districts come from 2020 Census blocks and the district maps for this election. Your address decides your districts.

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

Officeholders' pages compare what they've said with how they've voted, with sources.

What the next council decides

01City debt3 sourced facts

Where it standsThe city owes the IRS about $1.7 million in back payroll taxes and is working on a settlement.

What's on the tableHow fast to pay down debt and which spending and raises to put off.

02Water and sewer3 sourced facts

Where it standsThe water and wastewater systems are under state consent orders issued in 2024, and water line replacement began Sept. 10, 2026.

What's on the tableWater department staffing, pay and rates, and how the council tracks the consent-order work.

03Trash pickup3 sourced facts

Where it standsTrash pickup has fallen behind because the sanitation department lacks working trucks.

What's on the tableWhether to buy more trucks for city crews or contract trash pickup out.

04Police staffing and overtime3 sourced facts

Where it standsPolice overtime reached $199,212 through August 2026, against $110,000 budgeted for the year.

What's on the tablePolice pay, staffing and how much new equipment the city can afford.

05Blight and code enforcement1 sourced fact

Where it standsThe city's code enforcement office has filed affidavits in some 70 to 80 cases.

What's on the tableHow much staff and money to put into code enforcement and demolishing derelict buildings.

2 notes on these statements

Christopher Franklin appealed his removal from office to the Arkansas Supreme Court, the Arkansas Times reported in June 2026. Arkansas Times · Jun 23, 2026

Don Etherly served as interim mayor in 2025, before Joseph Whitfield was appointed. Arkansas Governor · Oct 2, 2025

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Who matches you?

Answer any of these questions. We compare your answers with each person's sourced record, and nothing is stored. Questions where no one has a sourced record yet are left out. Tap a selected answer again to skip it.

  1. 1. What should come first while the city owes more than it can pay?

  2. 2. How should the city fix trash pickup?

  3. 3. Should the council approve individual pay raises while the city is in debt?

  4. 4. How should water rate increases be decided?

  5. 5. How hard should the city push code enforcement against blighted property?

Seat the councilSeat the Council →Pick a winner for each open seat and see where the resulting council stands on each issue.On the recordHow the council voted4 council decisions, each member's vote side by side, with a link to the minutes.

Key dates

The seat math

1 stay (not up this year): Monica Cartwright Davis5 on this ballot

6 council seats plus a mayor who doesn't vote on council items. The council decides by a 4-vote majority.

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