Knoop v. City of Little Rock

Frank Holt, Justice.

The issue presented here is the validity of Act 539 of 1981. Ark. Stat. Ann. § 19-704.1 et seq. (Supp. 1981). This act essentially has two operative provisions. It provides that in the 1982 general election cities having a population of 100,000 or more according to the most recent federal census and a city manager form of government must directly elect the mayor by a majority vote. Heretofore, in city manager governed cities (except Texarkana), the city directors were empowered to select the mayor from among themselves. The act further provides that each director in such…