2021 Durham mayoral election explained

Election Name:	Durham mayoral election, 2021
Flag Image:	Flag of Durham, North Carolina.svg
Type:	Presidential
Ongoing:	no
Previous Election:	2019 Durham mayoral election
Previous Year:	2019
Next Election:	2023 Durham mayoral election
Next Year:	2023
Election Date:	November 2, 2021
Image1:	File:Elaine O'Neal.png
Candidate1:	Elaine O'Neal
Color1:	c0c0c0
Popular Vote1:	25,936
Percentage1:	84.6%
Candidate2:	Javiera Caballero
Color2:	c0c0c0
Popular Vote2:	4,463
Percentage2:	14.6%
Mayor
Before Election:	Steve Schewel
After Election:	Elaine O'Neal

The 2021 Durham, North Carolina mayoral election was held on November 2, 2021, to elect the next mayor of Durham, North Carolina.

Mayor Steve Schewel was elected with 59.5% of the vote in 2017,^[1] and was reelected with 83.4% in 2019.^[2] On May 27, 2021, he announced that he would not seek a third term.^[3] Seven candidates filed to run in this election to succeed Schewel as mayor.^[4]

Schewel endorsed city council member Javiera Caballero to be his successor. Durham's longest-serving mayor, Bill Bell, endorsed former superior court judge Elaine O'Neal. Caballero and O'Neal were considered the two frontrunners in the election.^[5]

A nonpartisan blanket primary was held on October 5, 2021. The top two candidates from the primary, Elaine O'Neal and Javiera Caballero, advanced to the general election ballot.^[6] O'Neal garnered 84.6% of the vote in the general election, thus becoming mayor.

Candidates

Declared

• Rebecca Barnes
• Javiera Caballero, member of the Durham City Council since 2018^[7]
• Bree Davis, research coordinator at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill^[8]
• Jahnmaud Lane
• Elaine O'Neal, former superior court judge and former interim dean at the North Carolina Central University School of Law^{[9] [10]}
• Daryl Quick

Withdrew

• Charlitta Burruss, advocate and candidate for city council in 2019 (remained on ballot)^[11]

Declined

• Steve Schewel, mayor since 2017

External links

• Bree Davis campaign website
• Jahnmaud Lane campaign website
• Elaine O'Neal campaign website

Notes and References

1. News: Vaughan . Dawn . Eanes . Zachery . Johnson . Joe . Steve Schewel to be Durham's next mayor . 8 September 2021 . Durham Herald-Sun.
2. News: Griffin . Matthew . Morrion . Maria . Olivia . Wivestad . Durham election results: Mayor, city council, housing bond all decided . 8 September 2021 . The Chronicle . 5 November 2019.
3. News: Innis . Charlie . Durham Mayor Schewel will not seek re-election in 'rough and tumble political town' . 8 September 2021 . The News & Observer . 27 May 2021.
4. News: Durham election filing ends with 7-way race for mayor, contested council races . 8 September 2021 . The News & Observer . 13 August 2021.
5. News: Blackwell . Penelope . Is one of these women the next mayor of Durham? . 8 September 2021 . The News & Observer . 3 September 2021.
6. https://www.wral.com/former-judge-councilwoman-to-square-off-for-durham-mayor/19910533/ WRAL.com
7. Web site: Javiera Caballero Durham, NC . durhamnc.gov . City of Durham . 8 September 2021.
8. News: Bey . Nadia . Here are the names you'll see on the ballots for the 2021 Durham municipal elections . 8 September 2021 . The Chronicle . 25 July 2021.
9. News: Innis . Charlie . Elaine O'Neal, retired judge and racial equity leader, will run for mayor of Durham . 8 September 2021 . The News & Observer . 25 January 2021.
10. News: Elaine O'Neal to run for mayor of Durham . 8 September 2021 . WRAL.com . 26 January 2021 . en.
11. Web site: Councilwoman drops out of race for Durham mayor, leaving former judge in top spot. 5 October 2021.