Who’s running—and what to know before you vote Nov. 3.
Election season is officially upon us—and this time, Raleigh’s ballot carries some serious weight.
The rules are shifting, the terms are changing, and the outcomes will stick. So to cut through the noise of yard signs and campaign mailers flooding your mailbox, inbox and phone, we’re breaking down who’s running, what’s changing and why it actually matters.
On Nov. 3, voters will choose a mayor and City Council members who will help steer a rapidly growing Raleigh through some of its biggest questions: housing and development, public safety, transit, Downtown’s future, and more.
And some of those choices will stick around longer than Raleigh voters are used to: Raleigh is moving to four-year staggered terms for mayor and City Council (see sidebar), with half of the council seats expiring every two years. Also vying for your vote: $203 million in proposed housing and transportation bonds. Voters will weigh two $101.5 million measures—which the city says can be issued without an additional property-tax increase—putting even more of the city’s future directly in voters’ hands.
So, yes, local elections matter—a lot. Before you head to the polls, we’re making the homework easy. Here’s your district-by-district snapshot of who’s running—and everything else you need to know to cast your ballot. See you at the polls, Raleigh.
Election day: Tue., Nov. 3, 6:30am—7:30pm, at your assigned polling place
New Ballot, New Terms 4-year terms: Mayor, Districts A & B and the top-finishing at-large candidate
2-year terms: Districts C, D & E and the second-finishing at-large candidate, before moving to four-year terms in 2028
Show Face:
Accepted photo ID: driver’s license, student ID, state ID card, passport, tribal enrollment card or government ID. The address on the ID doesn’t have to match voter registration records.
You can still vote by filling out an ID Exception Form or taking valid photo ID to WCBE by noon on the third business day following Election Day.
Voting by mail? That too—a photocopy + the Absentee Photo ID Exception Form provided with your absentee ballot materials.
Find My District: Not sure which district you live in? We’ve got you covered. Type in your address here, where it says “Find Your Council Member and District.”
Ballot Preview: Want to preview your ballot? Registered voters can enter name/birth year here to search voter details, including jurisdictions, polling place, sample ballot when available, absentee ballot information and voter history. See the sample ballot for District E below.
Here are the highlights of City Council’s last meeting for over a month.
Raleigh’s City Council needs an occasional break too—but before they were able to get away, they had a hefty agenda stacked for July 1, the last session until Aug. 19… and a lot went down. Here are some of the biggest highlights.
With no ability to overcome the huge budget deficit the project faced, City Council canceled the Six Forks Road Improvement Project. The initial plans included a six-lane road with a median and bike and pedestrian paths with a budget of $60.1M.
After the cost escalated to $93.5M, Council found no feasible way to move forward. Opting to keep the money in the district, the project’s budget will now go toward closing the sidewalk gap in front of Carroll Middle School and funding design of the Midtown multi-modal bridge, followed by completing the Lake Wheeler Road and Barbell Road projects, and lastly, improving Old Wake Forest Road. $9.3M had already been spent on over a decade of work surrounding Six Forks.
RFD revealed only 54% of units made the first due NFPA target time—or arrived within 240 seconds to 90% of incidents—in 2024. Performance was highest in DTR (81%) and lowest near Station 23 in Northwest Raleigh (31%). To combat this low stat, station replacements and relocations were recommended to City Council, plus four new stations, more ladder trucks and strong recruiting strategies.
Newsworthy Notes
Red Hat Amphitheater is working toward a final design with utility work already underway, with the aim for a 2027 opening.
The Convention Center expansion is in the design phase with an anticipated 2029 opening.
Updated terms surrounding the Convention Center Hotel (Omni Hotel & Resorts) include additional rooms, a room block agreement of 50 years, a projection completion guarantee, and a land sale to yield property tax.
The new City Hall is 25% complete at Floor 8, with a final completion aimed for March 2027.
Fire Station No.1 is in its concept design phase with an amendment forthcoming for a safety-themed playground.
The Chavis-Dix Strollway honoring and uplifting the Fourth Ward is in the final design process with a detailed project design expected summer 2026.
Design is underway for pedestrian safety improvements for Downtown and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
Each year, the Triangle’s top leaders explore a rising city, gathering inspo and intel via the Raleigh Chamber’s Inter-City Visit & Leadership Conference. With sights set on sparking Raleigh’s own evolution, the 2025 crew touched down in Kansas City—home to 2.2M+ and a ~1.2M-strong workforce, with average single- family home values hovering just under $300K. More than a conference, it was a deep dive into KC life— from hot spots to development insights to sports as a major economic driver. Here’s what stood out.
“The benefits of having headquarters locations in the city, including bold leadership and significant community investments.” —Katherine Thomas, VP of Business Development & Marketing, Alfred Williams & Company
“Touring the new Kansas City women’s soccer stadium was a standout moment—a powerful example of how thoughtfully designed sports venues can serve as anchors for broader economic development and placemaking. It reinforced how intentional investment in community-centered spaces can drive vibrancy and growth.” —Shelley R. Curran, Cary Assistant Town Manager
“Regional cooperation is critical for residents to prosper. It was obvious that siting a city in two different states creates issues. We need to work as a region! Also, I was blown away by the beautiful and significant public spaces that enhanced the function and vibe of the city.” —Matt Smith, VP of Development & Strategic Partnerships, Wake Tech Foundation
“Kansas City was determined to build a streetcar system—and accomplished their goal, funded with a combination of federal funds, special obligation bonds, a Transportation Development District, a utility contribution and local advertising revenue.” —Mitchell Silver, Raleigh City Councilor District A
“I was most impressed to see the women’s soccer stadium in Kansas City—very relevant given the NC Courage stadium needs an upgrade.” —Mayor Janet Cowell
“Biggest takeaway: Raleigh needs to build a stadium for our women’s soccer team, NC Courage, in Downtown Raleigh with views of our skyline.” —Nicole Stewart, Director of Engagement, A.J. Fletcher Foundation
“The need for a children’s hospital in our region. Mercy Children’s Hospital showed us the difference this can make in providing care with empathy.” —Mary-Ann Baldwin, Executive Director, Cooper Charitable Foundation
“We learned so much from our friends in KC, especially about the power of sports to drive local economic growth, as seen in the transformational CPKC Stadium—the first built specifically for professional women’s sports. And, no, the BBQ wasn’t better than NC!”—Mary Heath, Chief Administrative Officer, McAdams
With Election Day in hindsight, Raleigh readies for its next chapter.
Election Day has—thankfully—come and gone, and Raleigh’s next City Council is slated to be sworn in Dec. 2 at Memorial Auditorium, with six council members returning, alongside the addition of familiar faces: former City Planner Mitchell Silver (District A) and Mayor Janet Cowell, replacing Mary Black and Mary-Ann Baldwin, respectively.
Now the Cap City’s third-consecutive—and fourth-ever, behind Baldwin (2019–2024), Nancy McFarlane (2011–19) and Isabella Cannon (77–79)—female mayor and the first new mayor in five years, former Dix Park Conservancy President and CEO Cowell returns to govern. Having previously served as Raleigh city councilor (2001–05), state senator (2005–09) and state treasurer (2009–16), Cowell comes ready to serve.
“I look forward to working with all of you on the first 100 days, the first year,” said a Cowell on Election Night, after winning in a landslide, adding: “and planning that transition to get really good things done for Raleigh—and make it a city that works for everyone.”
Now, Cowell takes the helm over a city council—save Silver—who has been much maligned during Baldwin’s tenure for its apparent lack of respect and professionalism (e.g. sass and eye rolling at meetings, etc.), as well as issues arising from a voting block by three or four council members. When asked what management style she would employ to both foster collaboration and get stuff done, Cowell is clear she means business.
“Voters made clear in the city election that they want candidates who are respectful of each other, city staff and residents of the city,” the mayor-elect tells Raleigh Mag. “They want candidates who focus on strategic priorities—not personal conflicts. As part of the transition, I will be sitting down with councilors and staff and talking about rules of engagement, how we want to work together, etc. I know and have a good working relationship with city councilors and city staff. I want us to all work together and support each other to accomplish city priorities.”
Cowell cites housing/housing affordability as the biggest issue facing Raleigh and says she plans to address it head on with such early actions as accelerating city affordable housing projects like the old NC DMV site and the renovation of Heritage Park, inventorying city land that might be used for housing, and partnering with the faith community to pursue innovative models of affordable housing.
Beyond providing more housing and affordable housing, Cowell names “giving police and firefighters the resources they need to keep our community safe,” as another priority, as well as “working with Wake County to provide alternative response to those suffering from mental illness and housing the unhoused.”
The campaign is over—and the first 100 days start now. January’s first City Council meeting will serve as a good barometer for where we are headed. “Raleigh is a great place to be,” says Cowell. “As mayor, I will build on past efforts to make it a city of inclusion and belonging, opportunity and empowerment, collaboration and innovation, and nature and green spaces.”
Term Changes Everybody elected this November is serving a two-year term that will end in December 2026. Mayor, one at-large seat, and Districts A and B will run for four-year terms in 2026. The other at-large seat, and Districts C, D and E will run for two years in 2026 and run again in 2028 for four years, creating staggered four-year terms.
Whatever you may think of Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin, you likely think something—strongly. We look back at the “notorious” city leader’s provocative tenure.
Love her or loathe her, the one thing everyone can agree on is Mary-Ann Baldwin has struck a chord in Raleigh. And she loves it.
Dubbed “Notorious MAB” by INDY Weekwhen she announced her run for mayor with the intent to “lead the city into a bold progressive future” on the heels of the “Council of No,” Baldwin retorted by proudly—albeit facetiously—splashing the “notorious” moniker across T-shirts. Five years later, the two-peat mayor has boldly fulfilled that promise every day since. And, now, as she’s set to pass the baton as the Cap City’s second-consecutive—and third-ever, behind Nancy McFarland (2011–19) and Isabella Cannon (77–79)—female mayor, she opens up to Raleigh Magazine about her time at the helm.
The blunted “moonshot” mayor began with so much hope. Elected on the heels of her already notorious five-term run as at-large Raleigh City Council member (think “Drunktown,” pro-development, etc.), she famously dreamed 2020 would be Raleigh’s shot for the stars. That is, until a pandemic ~90 days in turned the town—and the world—upside down. A handful of years later, the mayor of COVID, social unrest, development starts and stalls, and Citizen Advisory Council (CAC) conflict cedes a city that looks far different than its prepandemic persona.
And it is arguably the pandemic that has most shaped her public perception. But despite the economic and social upheaval, Baldwin—alongside an initial-term “pro-development” council—made good on plenty.
From the jump, Mary-Ann Baldwin publicly devoted herself to zoning reform and solving what she calls “the missing middle” by allowing Accessory Dwelling Units and increasing housing supply to level the homeownership playing field in response to rapid growth. But that commitment was met with an all-out war from residents wanting to “Save Our Neighborhoods” from an influx of townhomes and duplexes, specifically in Five Points, famously dubbed “ground zero for Raleigh’s housing fight” by Axios. Essentially, the public feared the price of housing volume would come at the cost of character.
“Townhouses are usually somebody’s entree to homeownership,” explains Baldwin of her push. “When I was first elected, you could only build a townhome in 20% of our city. I talked a lot about housing choice. It’s not affordable housing. It’s really about housing affordability and choice—quads, duplexes, etc.”
One of the stats she says she is most proud of is, over the past two years, about one-third of the building permits issued are missing middle. “The whole missing middle—while some people consider it controversial—it’s for the better of our city. And it’s also what you see trending as a way to address the housing shortage in cities across the country,” she maintains. “Bottom line is we don’t have enough supply. … And what I’m proudest of is what we’ve done with affordable housing. It’s been pretty amazing.”
She cites the $80 million affordable housing bond greenlit by voters on her watch, and projects like the ~$1.5 mill Idlewild, city-owned historic land sold for a dollar to make way for the city’s first cottage court permanent affordable housing. “And, just the other day, we approved $5 million for a new program that will help our unsheltered. We’re looking at getting 40 unsheltered families into permanent housing.”
Add to that a handful of historic bonds, including $275 million for parks and rec that paves the way for McFarland’s and mayoral candidate and former Dix Park Conservancy President and CEO Janet Cowell’s Dix vision, and, of course, the now-extended four-year terms and staggered two-year elections.
When it comes to passion, “I’m really focused on sports as an economic driver,” says Baldwin. “There’s been a lot of talk about Major League Baseball coming here. We have one of the best women’s soccer teams in the world, and our men’s soccer team is also great. So how can we leverage that and ensure this opportunity comes together?”
Baldwin reflects on her role in what is the city’s largest economic development project to date via the expansion of Lenovo Center (formerly PNC Arena) and the surrounding Entertainment and Sports District development. “I want to give the state—as well as Wake County—a lot of credit because they really stepped up and partnered to help make this happen,” says Baldwin.
Often compared to Atlanta’s The Battery, which brings in a behemoth ~$3 billion a year, the sports and entertainment buildout is expected to be a boon unlike any other the Cap City has ever seen.
Taken all together, love it or loathe it, Raleigh’s roster with Baldwin at the helm points to progress. “There’s not one thing I could single out,” Baldwin says when asked what stands out during her time as mayor. “I think it’s everything—getting things done is what keeps me going. Part of what makes me notorious is that I do move things forward. I’m not somebody who’s going to sit around—making a difference is what keeps me charged.”
Turning a hundred or so pages, people will remember landing the Omni Raleigh Hotel and securing the Convention Center expansion and renovation. They will remember a government that finally approved BRT and the Civic Tower (unifying the civic entities on one campus) after 10 years of talk, thus serving to ignite a region, improve efficiency, and enable better communication and collaboration.
And in what was easily the most contentious council vote in modern history, we could write a master’s thesis on the differentiator initiating, retaining and relocating Red Hat Amphitheater has been—and thankfully will continue to be—for Downtown, as well as for the city as a whole, both in terms of economic impact and urban appeal for residents and visitors alike.
But people will also remember a pandemic, civil unrest, mask mandates, economic upheaval, her push to disband CACs, and the horrific tragedies that occurred during her tenure: a mass shooting and the death of local 11-year-old Hailey Brooks as a result of a parade tragedy. Still a contentious topic regarding the city’s handling, the 2024 Veterans Day Parade has just been canceled, and the Brooks family is now suing the City of Raleigh.
Pointing more specifically to people’s direct dislike of Baldwin, they will also remember her fingerprints on the skyline. For every pro-development constituent, there are arguably more who have publicly condemned the mayor of having her hands in developers’ pockets—so much so that she stepped down from her day job at Barnhill Contracting Co. due to speculation.
“If we want to continue to be a desirable city, we have to be bold,” says Baldwin. “We’re not going to stop growth—and we can’t just sit back. We have to have a vision for where we’re going. And whoever the next mayor is needs to be able to articulate that vision and get people behind it so we can move forward.”
Beyond her growth mindset, Baldwin’s favor fell drastically in response to the ongoing mask mandate and her handling of the upheaval that all but deemed Downtown unrecognizable after businesses were set aflame and ransacked—and the curfew that could have helped prevent it. While it was then-Raleigh Police Chief Cassandra Deck-Brown who was obliterated for her now infamous quote saying she “would not put officers in harm’s way to protect property and insurance,” many DTR business owners and residents hold Baldwin just as accountable for not stepping in sooner to instill a curfew.
“Bless her little heart. I know she wanted that job [of mayor] for a long time, but she flunked the very first test,” said Clyde Cooper’s BBQ owner Debbie Holt in the aftermath—one of many DTR business owners who didn’t feel protected by the decisions Baldwin made.
“What you learn is there’s always going to be people who are unhappy with the decisions you make,” says Baldwin. “As I’ve said publicly when asked if I regret [not calling a curfew]—absolutely. But I learned a really valuable lesson from that. My gut was telling me to call for a curfew. The bottom line is we didn’t know paid protesters from out of state were coming here. … I was told at the time, if you call for a curfew, we won’t be able to enforce it. And I regret it. But the lesson I learned from it was to always trust your gut. Don’t let that happen again.”
But, as they say, first impressions are everything. For many, the trust lost to that failed first test couldn’t be reconciled. Never mind the devastating scene is one DTR is still recouping from economically and socially to ameliorate public perception and bring Downtown back.
Now, as Raleigh again sits at a crossroads between NIMBYs and YIMBYs; yesterday and tomorrow; growth and conformity; status quo and progress—between then, now and what’s next—a new leader looks to take the helm.
When asked what—or who—needs to be next for Raleigh, Baldwin’s answer is simple. “Janet Cowell is the only candidate with experience—both on the state and local level,” she says, nodding to the vision Cowell has shown in her role at Dix Park, and as a former Raleigh city councilor, state treasurer and state senator. “Other people running have good intentions, but they lack the experience. I firmly believe a city of almost 500,000 people needs an experienced leader who has vision.”
Cowell, she explains, understands we need housing affordability and choice, that transit is crucial to our future, and that parks and recreation are critical to our physical and mental health. “She understands how our state government works and will seek out partnerships that move our city forward—she is the clear choice to be our next mayor of Raleigh,” maintains Baldwin.
Reflecting on her own experience as mayor, she adds: “When I was elected, COVID hit, followed by social unrest. If I had needed to have a learning curve—if I didn’t know the city or budget or staff—combined with a learning curve of holding office, it would have been a disaster. People say to me, you picked a great time to be mayor—and actually I did because that’s where I was supposed to be. I was the person with experience, and if it had been any other way, it could’ve been a disaster.”
It all stacks up to what you could easily call a self-fulfilling prophecy that germinated from that playful, snarky pre-mayoral nickname. When asked if she still embraces “The Notorious MAB,” she talks openly about how women in leadership are perceived—and attacked—across the country, something their male counterparts openly admit they don’t face.
“While I might be notorious, if I were a man, it might be said, ‘Oh, he’s a great leader,’” she postulates. “Misogyny is alive and well in our country, and women are treated very differently than men,” she adds, nodding to infinite messages she’s received calling her every derogatory name you can fathom—and some you can’t.
“So what I would say about ‘notorious’? Hell, yeah, I embrace it,” she admits. “I’m going to own it and go with it. But that also has a lot to do with being a leader. People were ready for change—we want more housing; we want more density. They were tired of the NIMBY and controlled. … The fact is our city is going to change.”
“It is changing. I had an agenda. There were things I wanted to get done. And we’ve done it.”
When asked how she feels about not running again, in a word, “conflicted.” She says getting to this decision was extremely difficult. “After my breast cancer and everything I went through, I was more notorious than ever. It brought out all the strength. And I was like, I’m doing this again.” Then, her husband, Jim, had a heart attack, and she started to reflect on spending time with her family and granddaughter.
And as for what’s next for “The Notorious MAB”—likely something a little less notorious: time to be a wife, a mother, a grandmother, and time to travel, all while fostering her careerlong commitment to affordable housing via her role at Cooper Charitable Foundation.
“I just came to the conclusion that, at this point, some other things are more important,” Baldwin emphasizes.
And starting my new job at Cooper Charitable Foundation has really helped solidify my decision because I recognize I could still work in an area that’s important to me and make a difference. My heart will still be filled.”
So, as her chapter as mayor comes to an end, one thing is for certain—Raleigh will definitely never forget her.
