George McGill (Arkansas politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George McGill
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| Mayor of Fort Smith | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Sandy Sanders |
| Member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from the 78th district |
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| In office January 14, 2013 – January 1, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Billy Gaskill |
| Succeeded by | Jay Richardson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 22, 1946 Fort Smith, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Residence | Fort Smith, Arkansas |
| Education | University of Arkansas (MBA) |
George B. McGill was born on August 22, 1946. He is an American politician and a member of the Democratic Party. Since January 1, 2019, he has been serving as the Mayor of Fort Smith, Arkansas. Before becoming mayor, McGill was a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives. He represented District 78 from January 14, 2013, until he became mayor. He was replaced by Jay Richardson in the state legislature. George McGill is important because he is the first Black person to serve as Fort Smith's mayor.
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Learning and Education
George McGill studied at the University of Arkansas. He earned a special degree there called a Master of Business Administration. This degree helps people learn how to manage businesses and organizations.
Becoming Mayor
How George McGill Was Elected
In 2012, George McGill decided to run for a seat in the Arkansas House of Representatives. The person who held the seat before him, Billy Gaskill, was leaving. This meant the position was open. McGill ran without anyone opposing him in the Democratic Primary election. He also had no opponents in the main election on November 6, 2012. This means he won easily. He also ran without opposition in his re-election campaigns in 2014 and 2016.
In 2018, while he was still a state representative, McGill decided to run for mayor of Fort Smith. He had two other people running against him. McGill won the election with 4,417 votes. This was about 56.63 percent of all the votes. One of his opponents, Wayne Haver, received 2,588 votes, which was about 33.18 percent. His other opponent, Luis Andrade, got 795 votes, about 10.19 percent.
Taking Office as Mayor
On August 14, 2018, George McGill was elected as the mayor of Fort Smith, Arkansas. He won with more than half of all the votes. On January 1, 2019, a large crowd gathered at the Judge Isaac C. Parker Federal Building. There, George McGill officially became the mayor. This was a historic moment because he became the first African-American mayor in Fort Smith's history.
More to Explore
- Mayors of Fort Smith, Arkansas
Online Resources
- Official page: http://www.arkansashouse.org/member/598/George%20B.-McGill at the Arkansas House of Representatives
- Mayor McGill presents Key to the City to country music singer Trey Taylor
- George McGill at Ballotpedia
