Johnson tosses hat in ring for a 2nd JP term

District 3 Justice of the Peace Reginald Johnson will seek reelection to the Jefferson County Quorum Court in the upcoming 2022 Democratic primary.

“My first year on the quorum court was during a time that presented unprecedented challenges for our county, including covid, social inequalities laid bare by the pandemic; small business owners and their workers were hit hard by covid,” said Johnson in a news release.

Johnson, 42, was first elected for District 3 in 2020 and serves on the Budget and Finance and Human Resources Committee.

Before being elected, Johnson was the director of technology for the Dollarway School District before the district merged with the Pine Bluff School District. Currently, he is employed within the Pine Bluff district’s technology department responsible for helping, monitoring, and maintaining computer systems and networks throughout the district, according to the release.

“When I was elected to District 3, it was my belief that as justice of the peace, I would have the opportunity to be of better service to the citizens of Jefferson County,” he said, adding that today his belief has never been stronger.

While Johnson is proud of what the county has been able to do despite many challenges, more work is yet to be done.

“If reelected, I want to focus my attention on the issues that matter most to residents; issues like equal and adequate access to public services such as public safety, health, education, and career development. We can achieve this by ensuring that as a legislative body of government for Jefferson County that we adopt good policies that encourage a greater mix of opportunities for residents and employees affected the most by the global covid-19 pandemic, thoughtful and sustainable planning for economic development, and growth that fosters a community where people have renewed quality of life,” he said.

Johnson serves on the Jefferson County Young Professionals Committee and is acting vice president of ACCESS Inc.

He is also a member of the Pine Bluff Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., William Townsend Elks Lodge, Pine Bluff Branch of the NAACP, and a former commission member of the Pine Bluff Parks and Recreation. He is a member of the Barraque Street Missionary Baptist Church.

Johnson is a graduate of Watson Chapel High School and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, where he earned a bachelor of science degree. He is also a graduate of the Leadership Pine Bluff.

Johnson is the son of Calvin and Verbie Johnson and is the father of two sons, Ryan and Rylan Johnson.