Preceded by Efrem Elliott Name Mark McElroy Political party Democratic Role Farmer | Spouse(s) Information missing Party Democratic Party Children Two children | |
Residence Tillar, Desha County
Arkansas, USA Alma mater Delta High School
University of Southern Mississippi Education University of Southern Mississippi | ||
Mark D. McElroy (born c. 1955) is a farmer and former justice of the peace and county judge from Desha County, Arkansas, who is a Democratic member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for District 11, which includes Desha, Chicot, and Ashley counties in the southeastern portion of his state. He has held his legislative seat since January 2013.
Contents
Background
McElroy graduated from the since defunct Delta High School in Desha County and attended the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He is the president of Desha County Fair Association and is a former Desha County "Family Man of the Year." He has two children. He is a member of the Church of Christ denomination. In addition to his work as a farmer, he is an auctioneer and a member of the Chamber of Commerce
Political life
McElroy was first elected to the House in 2012 to succeed Efrem Elliott, an African-American, who ran instead unsuccessfully for the Arkansas State Senate. McElroy faced no opposition in either the primary or the general election in both 2012 and 2014.
Representative McElroy holds these committee assignments: (1) Joint Committee on Energy, (2) Education, (3) Legislative Joint Auditing, and (4) Agriculture, Forestry, and Economic Development. In February 2015, McElroy was one of twenty legislators who opposed House Bill 1228, authored by Republican Bob Ballinger of Carroll County in northwestern Arkansas, which sought to prohibit government from imposing a burden on the free exercise of religion. Representative Camille Bennett, his fellow Democrat and a lawyer from Lonoke, called for a reworking of the legislation. She claimed the Ballinger bill would establish a "type of religious litmus test" which could impact nearly any law under consideration by the legislature. The measure was subsequently passed by a large margin in the House and signed into law in revised form, SB 975, by Governor Asa Hutchinson. McElroy voted for the budget for the Department of Human Services.