Political veteran Janet Cowell wins Raleigh's mayoral race
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Janet Cowell addresses supporters in downtown Raleigh. Photo: Zachery Eanes/Axios
Janet Cowell, a former state treasurer and longtime political player in Raleigh, will be the city's next mayor, taking over the position from outgoing Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin.
Why it matters: Cowell will be tasked with guiding Raleigh through a critical period of growth that has placed stress on the city's housing prices, transit infrastructure and first responders.
Driving the news: Cowell addressed supporters at Birdie's in downtown Raleigh at around 9:30pm, declaring herself the next mayor after taking a commanding lead in the early vote counts over other candidates Paul Fitts, Eugene Myrick, Terrance (Truth) Ruth and James Shaughnessy IV.
- Cowell said that her first call tomorrow will be with the Raleigh City Manager, Marchell Adams-David. She said she'll also begin preparing to take over the City Council.
By the numbers: Cowell won the 5-way race for Mayor with 60% of the vote.
- The second-highest vote-getter was Paul Fitts, who got 18% of the vote.
- Terrance Ruth, who finished second in 2022's mayoral race, finished third with 11% of the vote.
Zoom in: Cowell, 56, is no stranger to Raleigh politics. She previously served on the council, represented the city in the General Assembly and was elected as state treasurer — a fact that she highlighted during her campaign, saying she has the connections to get things done in office.
- Her campaign was focused on promoting a diversity of housing choices in the city, boosting investments into affordable housing, and protecting green spaces and watersheds.
- She also raised the most money of any candidate running for mayor.
What they're saying: Cowell said that the election results show that Raleigh residents understand that the city is going to grow, but that it can still retain its character, support its greenways and creeks and continue to invest in affordable housing.
- "I was at the poll today, and one guy said, 'You had me a tree canopy,'" Cowell said. "I did get a lot of people come up that said I was one of the only candidates talking about the environment, talking about trees and creeks, so I think — after [Hurricane] Helene, too — all of that has become even more critical."
- She said she hopes to work early on in seeking more investments for the city's waterways and preserving its tree canopy.
- She also hopes to explore using tax increment financing, which would capture property tax increases in fast-changing areas (like around Dix Park or Bus Rapid Transit lines) and use that increased revenue to invest in more affordable housing and services for residents.
Cowell also said one of the first tasks she will have is to give more resources to the city's Citizen Advisory Councils that informally advise the City Council on topics that affect their neighborhoods.
- She added that finding ways to boost pay for the city's police department is key, as the city still struggles to keep its officers from leaving for other cities in the Triangle.
- Additionally, she wants to explore launching an alternative response unit — that might handle mental health crises instead of a police officer — independent of the city's police department.
Of note: Cowell was most recently the head of the Dix Park Conservancy, a group that raised money for Raleigh's ambitious Dix Park near downtown.
- She said the park will enter a new phase for city residents when the Gipson Play Plaza opens in the spring. But the Raleigh City Council's next challenge will be deciding what to do with the buildings that the Department of Health and Human Services leave behind as they move to a new campus.
- "There's a lot of decisions to be made on real estate, whether that's demolition, rehabilitation and how to best with a third party" on using those buildings there.