PEXELS/SUBMITTED Larry Jointer was elected mayor on June 3, 2025.

Brookhaven has a new mayor. Or will, in less than a month.

On Tuesday, Larry Jointer — the Democrat challenger to Republican incumbent Joe Cox — won the Municipal General Election by just 37 votes.

Jointer had run against Cox four years ago, and was defeated … by 27 votes.

Totals were 1,668 votes for Cox and 1,705 ballots cast for Jointer, 49.35 percent and 50.44 percent, respectively. Seven votes were write-ins — the remaining 0.21 percent.

Jointer also makes history as the city’s first Black mayor. Since 1886, Brookhaven has had 20 mayors, beginning with E.F. Brennan. One man — W.W. Godbold Jr. — served two separate times. Cox has served as mayor for 12 years — three terms.

Neither man has released an official statement to The Daily Leader yet, but plan to do so.

Owner of Joe Cox Insurance Services, the current mayor stated in February — not long after official candidacy had begun — that the most pressing issues for the office of mayor were economic development, street paving and maintenance, and crime and safety.

Mayor-elect Jointer has been pastor of St. James M. B. Church since 1995. In February, he said the biggest issues for the city were safety and unity.

“Safety is the issue that we are most facing in this time,” he said. “Selecting a good police chief is going to be very important. My reason for running for this office is to bring about a city of unity, and encouraging all citizens to be involved in the forward movement of this great city.”

Jointer will take on the role of mayor on July 1.

The Board of Aldermen working alongside him will consist of two new members and five re-elected. The two newly-elected members are Ronald Hines, alderman-at-large, and Jennifer Howard-Tate, Ward 3 alderwoman.

Reelected were James Magee Jr., Ward 1; Shannon Moore, Ward 2; Jeff Henning, Ward 4; Fletcher Grice, Ward 5; and Andre’ Spiller, Ward 6.

Board members will step into the new term on July 1, as well.

All results are UNOFFICIAL until certified by the Secretary of State’s Office, which will be at least 10 days.