Editing Cotter, Arkansas (section)

== Government ==
=== Mayor–City Council ===
Cotter operates within the mayor–city council form of government. The mayor is elected by a citywide election to serve as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the city by presiding over all city functions, policies, rules and laws. Once elected, the mayor also allocates duties to city employees. Mayors serve two-year terms and can serve unlimited terms. The city council is the unicameral legislative of the City, consisting of six aldermen. Also included in the council's duties is balancing the city's budget and passing ordinances. The body also controls the representatives of specialized city commissions underneath their jurisdiction. Two aldermen are elected from each of the city's four wards.

==== Current Mayor and Council ====
'''MAYOR:''' McGeorge "Mac" Caradine<br>
'''Ward 1 Position 1:''' Carolyn Gill<br>
'''Ward 1 Position 2:''' Sheila Wingard<br>
'''Ward 2 Position 1:''' Charles "Chuck" Sugg<br>
'''Ward 2 Position 2:''' Linda McCarthy<br>
'''Ward 3 Position 1:''' Mertice Kray<br>
'''Ward 3 Position 2:''' Vacant

==== List of Mayors ====
{| class="wikitable"
|+Cotter Mayors
!
!Mayor
!Years Served
!Years Lived
|-
|1
|Charles B. Eaton
|1909-1922
|1861-1923
|-
|2
|Roderick M. Ruthven
|1922-1935
|1885-1962
|-
|3
|Hiram C. Lonon
|1935-1943
|1884-1970
|-
|4
|B.R. Pratt
|1943-1947
|    TBD-1949
|-
|5
|Hiram C. Lonon
|1947-1953
|1884-1970
|-
|6
|R.Howell Freeman
|1953-1963
|1903-1964
|-
|7
|Frank G. Wallick
|1963-1965
|Unknown
|-
|8
|Rex S. Bayless
|1965-1987
|1918-2010
|-
|9
|Lewis “Cajun” Dennis
|1987-1991
|TBD-2011
|-
|10
|Rex S. Bayless
|1991-1995
|1918-2010
|-
|11
|W.R. "Bill" Jennings
|1995-1999
|1926-2012
|-
|12
|J.D. Pratt
|1999-2003
|Unknown
|-
|13
|W.R. "Bill" Jennings
|2003-2005
|1926-2012
|-
|14
|Elwood "Mo" Monsley
|2005-2007
|1935-2015
|-
|15
|David J. McNair
|2007-2010
|Unknown
|-
|16
|Steven Raines
|2010-2010
|Unknown
|-
|17
|Peggy Hammack
|2011-2019
|Living
|-
|18
|McGeorge "Mac" Caradine
|2019–Present
|Living
|}

==== List of Police Chiefs ====
{| class="wikitable"
|+Cotter Police Chiefs
!Police Chief
!Years Served
|-
|John W. Hall
|1905-1906
|-
|Oscar Massey
|1906-1908
|-
|Sam Mankins
|1908-1910
|-
|M. Tanksley
|1910-1920
|-
|Sam Mankins
|1920-1924
|-
|Hez Robertson
|1924-1936
|-
|Roy Nesbit
|1936-1938
|-
|Freeman Martin
|1938-1943
|-
|C.E. Wyland
|1943-TBD
|-
|'''''Unknown'''''
|'''''TBD-1970'''''
|-
|Chris Bland
|1970-1970
|-
|Harold DePriest
|1970-1971
|-
|Ray Kirby
|1971-1972
|-
|William Green
|1972-1973
|-
|Elvin Weaver
|1973-1978
|-
|Melvin Weaver
|1978-1980
|-
|Frank DePriest
|1980-1986
|-
|Jack Burkhart
|1987-2005
|-
|Ronald Weaver
|2005-2006
|-
|Joe Robison
|2006-2006
|-
|Scott Thrasher
|2007-2010
|-
|Clinton Tilton
|2010-2017
|-
|Travis Hopson
|2017–Present
|}