Townsend Leads Ward 2; Ward 7 Heads to Runoff
Dwight Townsend Sr. led a five-way Little Rock Board of Directors race while the Ward 7 contest is trending toward a December 1 runoff.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections
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Dwight Townsend Sr. led the five-way race for the Little Rock Ward 2 Board of Directors seat, with 2,258 unofficial votes as of 1:24 a.m. Ward 7 is trending toward a runoff on December 1 unless a candidate meets the required vote share and lead.
Why it matters
The Ward 2 seat is being vacated by Ken Richardson, who did not seek reelection and has not attended a board meeting in more than two years due to illness. A runoff in Ward 7 would extend the contest for a seat covering much of southwest Little Rock.
Unofficial returns show Townsend with 2,258 votes in Ward 2 and Benny Johnson with 2,964 votes in Ward 7, where Johnson needs 40% of the vote and a 20-point lead to avoid a runoff. Final certified totals have not yet been released.
The players
Dwight Townsend Sr.
Dwight Townsend Sr. is the senior pastor of Longley Baptist Church in Little Rock and led the Ward 2 race.
Benny Johnson
Benny Johnson held a narrow lead in the Ward 7 race for the Little Rock Board of Directors.
Ken Richardson
Ken Richardson is the current Ward 2 director who did not seek reelection in this race.
The details
Ward 2 covers much of southern Little Rock and Townsend is senior pastor of Longley Baptist Church. In October, Michael Hernandez filed a complaint with the Arkansas Ethics Commission alleging Townsend's campaign website used entity logos in a way that falsely implied official endorsements.
Timeline
October: Hernandez filed the ethics complaint against Townsend.
Tuesday, Nov. 3, 9:15 p.m.: Benny Johnson held a narrow lead in Ward 7.
Dec. 1: Ward 7 runoff election, unless a candidate meets the threshold.
Political Context
Little Rock's Ward 7 runoff rule requires a candidate to reach 40% of the vote and lead by 20 points to avoid a December runoff. The Ward 7 race is currently trending toward that second round, which would extend the contest past election night.
Ward 2 voters will see a new representative replace Ken Richardson, who has not attended board meetings in more than two years. Ward 7 residents may have to return to the polls on Dec. 1 if no candidate clears the runoff threshold.
The takeaway
Voters in Ward 7 should watch the certified count, since the runoff outcome depends on whether any candidate clears both the 40% and 20-point thresholds.
What happens next
The Ward 7 runoff election is scheduled for Dec. 1 unless a candidate meets the 40% and 20% threshold in the current count.
Further reading
For more local vote coverage, see Elections in Little Rock.
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