JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<script src="http://ajax.microsoft.com/ajax/jquery.validate/1.7/jquery.validate.js"></script>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8.4/themes/ui-lightness/jquery-ui.css">
<select id='my_dropdown'>
    <option>1</option>
    <option>2</option>
    <option>3</option>
</select>

JavaScript

var opts = $('#my_dropdown')[0].options;

var array = $.map(opts, function(elem) {
    return (elem.value || elem.text);
});

alert(array);