Durham election filing ends with 7-way race for mayor, contested council races

Filing for Durham mayor and the City Council’s ward seats ended Friday with a surprise entry in the now seven-way race for mayor.

Steve Schewel, who has served as mayor since 2017, announced in May that he wouldn’t seek a third term.

On Friday, City Council member Javiera Caballero, the council’s first Latina member, filed to succeed him, joining candidates Charlitta Burrus, Sabrina Davis, Jahnmaud Lane, Elaine O’Neal and Daryl Quick, who all had previously filed to run.

Also joining the mayoral race Friday was Rebecca Barnes, the director of youth and children’s ministry at Durham’s Mt. Bethel Presbyterian Church.

There will be contested races for each of the council’s three ward seats, as well.

The City Council has seven positions: mayor, three at-large members and three members representing different wards. Durham’s municipal elections are nonpartisan. The mayor’s term lasts two years, while council members have staggered 4-year terms.

The top two finishers in the Oct. 5 primary races for mayor and Wards 1 and 2 will go on to the Nov. 2 general election.

Since there are only two candidates in Ward 3 their names will advance automatically to the November ballot.

Early voting begins Sept. 16 for the primary and Oct. 14 for the general election, according to the Durham County Board of Elections website.

MAYOR

• Rebecca Barnes
• Charlitta Burrus
• Javiera Caballero
• Sabrina Davis
• Jahnmaud Lane
• Elaine O’Neal
• Daryl Quick

WARD 1

• Waldo Fenner
• DeDreana Freeman*
• Marion Johnson
• Elizabeth Takla

* incumbent

WARD 2

• Robert Curtis
• Mark-Anthony Middleton*
• Sylvester Williams

* incumbent

WARD 3

Pierce Freelon, who holds the seat now, chose not to run for election. He was appointed to finish Vernetta Alston’s term when Alston moved to the state legislature.

• AJ Williams
• Leonardo Williams

This story was originally published August 13, 2021 at 4:07 PM.