Council elects Cindy Edwards mayor pro tem after 3–3 split and mayor's tiebreak

Cindy Edwards was elected mayor pro tem of the Jacksonville City Council after council members were evenly split 3–3 and Mayor Phillips cast the tie-breaking vote in favor of Edwards. The decision came during the council’s organization meeting at Jacksonville City Hall.

The contest for mayor pro tem narrowed to Edwards and Jerome Willingham. Speaker 2 delivered an extended endorsement of Willingham’s decades of service and leadership while Edwards emphasized her 25 years of local business ownership and experience on civic boards. Council members indicated support by raising hands; the presiding official announced a three-to-three split and cast the deciding vote: “So I’m gonna cast my vote in favor of Miss Edwards as mayor pro tem,” the mayor said.

The outcome formalizes Edwards’ role as the council’s acting presiding officer in the mayor’s absence. During her acceptance remarks Edwards thanked nominators and highlighted her civic involvement: “I’m accessible and available and willing to take it on,” she said. Willingham and others offered congratulations and renewed pledges to pursue consensus-building on council business.

No roll-call vote tally by member name was recorded in the meeting transcript; the body used a show-of-hands method and the mayor’s verbal tiebreak was the deciding action. The council moved on to advisory appointments and committee business after the election.