Raleigh councilman Russ Stephenson announces re-election bid

The city’s longest-serving council member hopes to continue his run another two years.

Russ Stephenson, elected as an at-large member of the Raleigh City Council 12 years ago, announced Wednesday that he will try to keep his seat in the October election.

Stephenson, 61, is known for scrutinizing developers and calling for careful city planning.

“We must continue to effectively plan for growth, work to alleviate traffic congestion, and develop more affordable housing options for all who live and work here,” Stephenson said in a statement.

The City Council consists of eight members who serve two-year terms: the mayor, two at-large members and five members who represent different areas of the city. The council is non-partisan, but some candidates and council members get support from political parties.

Stephenson and Mary-Ann Baldwin, both Democrats, have been the at-large representatives for a long time. Baldwin garnered 19,000 votes in the 2015 election, while Stephenson drew 18,500 and first runner-up Matt Tomasulo, a local entrepreneur, got 15,000 votes.

Stephenson is the third person to announce his intentions to run for a seat this fall. Mayor Nancy McFarlane, 60, announced last month that she will seek a fourth term, as did former councilman Stacy Miller, 52, who plans to run for an at-large seat.

Miller is an unaffiliated voter. McFarlane is also unaffiliated but has had the support of the local Democratic Party.

Stephenson also announced his campaign kickoff will be at the home of state Sen. Jay Chaudhuri on May 25. For more information, go to russforraleigh.com.

This story was originally published April 26, 2017 at 11:41 AM with the headline "Raleigh councilman Russ Stephenson announces re-election bid."