It's time to vote! Durham's 2025 election for mayor, city council
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A polling location in Durham. Photo: Zachery Eanes/Axios
Early voting kicks off Thursday, Sept. 18, in Durham's city elections. It's the primary, and multiple contenders are hoping to unseat the sitting mayor and three city council members.
Why it matters: Whoever wins will help make development decisions in the growing city, including the fate of downtown's former police HQ. Annexations and rezonings often pass by razor-thin margins, so this is a consequential election.
- They'll also set the police and fire budgets, and decide whether to keep growing the HEART program, the 911 alternative that sends unarmed specialists to some calls.
Zoom in: Two candidates will advance from the primary in every race.
- Mayor: Leonardo Williams (incumbent) faces Anjanee Bell, Pablo Friedmann, Lloyd A. Phillips and Rafiq Zaidi.
- Ward 1: DeDreana Freeman (incumbent) faces Andrea Cazales, Elijah King, Matt Kopac, Samaria McKenzie and Sheryl Smith.
- Ward 2: Mark-Anthony Middleton (incumbent) faces Shanetta Burris and Ashley N. Robbins.
- Ward 3: Chelsea Cook (incumbent) faces Durant Long, Terry McCann and Diana Medoff.
The intrigue: Multiple controversies have popped up this election cycle, including a mysterious new nonprofit with ties to a candidate it endorsed. Another candidate was accused of poking a county commissioner during a confrontation caught on camera.
- Plus, INDY Week decided not to endorse in one of the races. Recently, INDY endorsements have been strong predictors of who ultimately wins in Durham.
My thought bubble: Same-day registration is allowed during early voting, so get out there.
- The N&O, Duke Chronicle and INDY all have good voter guides.
What's next: Primary Day — the final day to cast a ballot — is Tuesday, Oct. 7. The municipal election is Nov. 4.
- Find your closest early voting location and check if you're registered here.