Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Raleigh Mayor & City Council Election 2026

8 of 8

council seats up

7 contests

15 candidates

Updated Oct 2, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check →

The candidates

Listed alphabetically by last name. Every position links to its source.

Find a candidate

Mayor · 1 seat

Ashleigh Heath ArmstrongCandidate for Raleigh mayor. The Carolinian reported that she has no campaign website or public social media presence.3sourced
Janet CowellIncumbentMayor of Raleigh, elected 202413sourced

City Council At-Large · Vote for up to 2

City Council District A · 1 seat

City Council District B · Unopposed

Megan PattonIncumbentDistrict B council member13sourced

City Council District C · 1 seat

City Council District D · 1 seat

City Council District E · 1 seat

Every voter picks the mayor and up to two at-large members; each voter also picks one member for their district (A–E).

4 notes on these statements

All eight council seats are on the ballot; no current member serves past 2026 without winning this election. The News & Observer · Dec 3, 2025

At-large council member Jonathan Lambert-Melton is not seeking re-election. The News & Observer · Dec 3, 2025

District B incumbent Megan Patton is running unopposed. The News & Observer · Mar 3, 2026

The March 3 primary narrowed the at-large race from six candidates to four and the District C race from four to two. The News & Observer · Mar 3, 2026

Start here

Match quiz4 questions · answers stay on your phone Seat the CouncilPick winners, see the council What council decidesHousing and transportation bonds, Data centers, Growth and rezoning Key datesDeadlines and vote centers

Next date

Voter registration deadline (5 p.m.)

Fri, Oct 9, 2026

In 4 daysAll key dates

What the next council decides

Housing and transportation bonds

Where it standsVoters will decide two $101.5 million bond questions on Nov. 3: one for affordable housing and one for transportation.

What's on the tableIf voters approve, the next council decides how the bond money is spent; if not, it decides whether to fund the projects another way.

The affordable housing bond includes $57.6 million for housing development and preservation and $12 million for homelessness response. City of Raleigh
The transportation bond includes $51.5 million for three road projects and $40 million for transportation plans and programs adopted by the council. City of Raleigh
The city says no additional property tax increase is required to pay for the 2026 bonds. City of Raleigh
The council voted 8-0 on May 19, 2026, to call the bond referendum. Raleigh City Council minutes, Regular Session, 2026-05-19 · May 19, 2026

Data centers

Where it standsThe council holds a public hearing Oct. 6 on a six-month pause on development approvals for major data centers.

What's on the tableThe next council will decide the permanent rules for data centers and whether any pause should be extended.

On Sept. 15, 2026, the council directed the city attorney to draft an ordinance pausing development approvals for major data centers for six months. City of Raleigh · Sep 24, 2026
Mayor Cowell said the pause would apply to data centers larger than 10,000 square feet. The News & Observer · Sep 15, 2026
The proposal followed an annexation request tied to a 100,000-square-foot data center on Jones Sausage Road, which was submitted and withdrawn in August. The News & Observer · Sep 15, 2026
Under current rules, a data center on industrial land also needs a special-use permit from the Board of Adjustment. The News & Observer · Sep 15, 2026

Growth and rezoning

Where it standsThe council decides rezoning requests nearly every month, and several 2026 cases passed on split votes.

What's on the tableThe next council will rule on rezoning requests and shape Raleigh's next Comprehensive Plan.

Mayor Cowell said 70 percent of developers' requests are to rezone established areas of the city. WRAL · Sep 23, 2026
The council approved the North Hills rezoning at I-440 and Six Forks Road 6-2 in January 2026. Raleigh City Council minutes, Regular Session, 2026-01-20 · Jan 20, 2026
In October 2025 the council voted 8-0 to approve the remit for a Raleigh Civic Assembly on the next Comprehensive Plan. Raleigh City Council minutes, Regular Session, 2025-10-07 · Oct 7, 2025

Budget and property taxes

Where it standsThe council unanimously adopted a $1.77 billion budget for fiscal 2027 that raised the property tax rate 1.7 cents.

What's on the tableThe next council will adopt the fiscal 2028 budget and set the property tax rate.

The 1.7-cent increase adds about $67 a year for a median-priced $450,000 home. WRAL · Jun 8, 2026
The city manager said the city closed a $13 million base budget gap before proposing the tax increase. City of Raleigh
The council adopted the fiscal 2026-27 budget ordinances 8-0 on June 8, 2026. Raleigh City Council minutes, Budget Work Session, 2026-06-08 · Jun 8, 2026

Police technology

Where it standsIn January 2026 the council voted 6-2 to accept donated police equipment, including StarChase GPS trackers for fleeing vehicles.

What's on the tableThe next council will set the police budget and decide on new police equipment and technology.

The donation from the Raleigh Police Department Foundation, worth $441,776, also included two mobile surveillance trailers and gym equipment. The News & Observer · Jan 21, 2026
Police Chief Rico Boyce said the department does not share data with federal law enforcement agencies. The News & Observer · Jan 21, 2026
Council members Megan Patton and Christina Jones voted against accepting the donation. Raleigh City Council minutes, Regular Session, 2026-01-20 · Jan 20, 2026

Who matches you?

Answer any of these questions. We compare your answers with each person's sourced record, and nothing is stored. Questions where no one has a sourced record yet are left out. Tap a selected answer again to skip it.

1. How should Raleigh respond to homelessness?
2. Should Raleigh pause approvals for large data centers?
3. Should Raleigh allow more homes in existing neighborhoods?
4. Should Raleigh police add new technology such as drones and GPS trackers?

Seat the Council →

Pick a winner for each open seat and see where the resulting council stands on each issue.

Key dates

Primary electionWake County Board of Elections · Mar 25, 2026Mar 3, 2026
Voter registration deadline (5 p.m.)NC State Board of ElectionsOct 9, 2026
In-person early voting begins (same-day registration available)NC State Board of ElectionsOct 15, 2026
In-person early voting ends (3 p.m.)NC State Board of ElectionsOct 31, 2026
Election DayNC State Board of ElectionsNov 3, 2026

The seat math

0 stay (not up this year): 8 on this ballot

8 council seats. The council decides by a 5-vote majority.

The City Council has eight members: the mayor and two at-large members elected citywide, and five members elected by district (A–E). City of Raleigh
The council appoints a city manager to oversee day-to-day operations. City of Raleigh
The mayor votes on council items as one of the eight members. Raleigh City Council minutes, Regular Session, 2026-06-02 · Jun 2, 2026
In 2026 the mayor, Districts A and B, and the at-large candidate with the most votes win four-year terms; the at-large runner-up and Districts C, D and E win two-year terms. City of Raleigh
City elections are nonpartisan; a March primary is held when a race has more than two candidates, or more than four for the two at-large seats. The News & Observer · Dec 3, 2025

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