(The Center Square) – Mayoral Democrats will be leading nine of North Carolina’s largest 10 cities in 2026.
The off-year election cycle of 2025 on Tuesday included wins by five Democrats for the mayor’s offices in the state’s 10 largest cities, all of which are the only municipalities exceeding 100,000 population. One Republican was a winner, and four of the cities did not have mayoral elections this year.
All results are unofficial until the canvass certification by respective county elections boards on Friday of next week.
• Charlotte (population 944,742, according to the Office of State Budget and Management): Democrat Vi Lyles defeated Republican Terrie Donovan 70.4%-25.6%. Republican Ed Driggs won the District 7 City Council seat, and Democrats were 10-for-10 elsewhere in council races. The four at-large wins by Democrats kept Republicans winless for those seats since 2011.
• Raleigh (500,639): Municipal elections are in 2026. Democrat Janet Cowell won in 2024.
• Greensboro (306,749): Nonpartisan. Marikay Abuzuaiter defeated Robbie Perkins 60.7%-38.8%. Abuzuaiter is a registered Democrat and Perkins is registered Republican, according to the State Board of Elections.
• Durham (300,907): Nonpartisan. Leo Williams defeated Anjanee Bell 57.6%-41.9%. Each is a registered Democrat, according to the State Board of Elections.
• Winston-Salem (259,045): Democrat Allen Joines won his seventh term in 2024 running uncontested and collecting 95.7% of the votes. He’s been mayor since 2001.
• Fayetteville (211,756): Nonpartisan. Mitch Colvin, talked into running again, defeated Kathy Keefe Jensen 60%-38%. Colvin is a Democrat, according to the State Board of Elections, and has been mayor since winning in 2017.
• Cary (187,378): Nonpartisan. Harold Weinbrecht Jr. won the four-year term for mayor two years ago. He’s a registered Democrat, according to the State Board of Elections.
• Wilmington (115,459): Nonpartisan. Bill Saffo defeated Billy Craig 49.1%-30.1%. Saffo is a registered Democrat, , according to the State Board of Elections; Craig was a Republican-backed candidate. Democrat Jonathan Barfield Jr. captured 20.6% of the votes.
• High Point (117,674): Nonpartisan. Cyril Jefferson won in 2023, defeating Victor Jones. Jefferson is a Democrat, according to the State Board of Elections.
• Concord (115,053): Nonpartisan. Steve Morris (36.2%) defeated Alyce Williams (31.9%) and Lori Ann Clay (31.6%). Morris and Clay are registered Republicans and Williams a Democrat, according to the State Board of Elections.
Municipal elections were held in 91 of 100 counties across North Carolina on Tuesday. The counties of Currituck, Hyde, Jones, Stanly, Surry, Alexander, Rutherford, Polk and Henderson were not scheduled for municipal elections this cycle.
Most of the state’s 550 cities, towns and villages that administrate development, policing, trash service, local taxation and other issues were deciding leadership in this election cycle.
There were no statewide elections or referendums are on the ballot.
