Raleigh 2026 General Election – What’s Changing?

• • • The Mayor
    • 2 At-Large Councilors who represent the entire city
    • 5 District Councilors who represent individual Districts A, B, C, D & E

The City Council made two big changes to the way City Elections are run.

CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS  

• • • now has Non-Partisan Primaries – the primary was held March 3, 2026
    • will move to 4-year term lengths

4-YEAR TERM LENGTHS

Raleigh is moving to 4-year staggered terms for the Mayor and City Council.

When fully implemented half of the City Council will be elected every 2 years.

This will allow all Raleigh Residents to vote for at least one member of City Council every 2 years.

In order to implement this change the 2026 election will elect half the members of council to 2-year terms and half to 4-year terms.

The Mayor, 1 At-Large member and Districts A & B will be elected to 4-year terms.

The other At-Large member and Districts C, D & E will be elected to 2-year terms. These members will run again in 2028 for 4-year terms.

In the 2026 election, the At-Large councilor who receives the most votes will be assigned a 4-year term. The other At-Large winner will be assigned a 2-year term. This will end the current practice of both At-Large council seats running in a single election where voters vote for 2 candidates.

Once fully implemented the council election will be split into 2 cycles:

• • • • Cycle 1 – Districts C, D & E, 1 At-Large member starting in 2028
      • Cycle 2 – Mayor, Districts A & B, 1 At-Large member starting in 2030

IMPORTANT DATES

Voter Registration Deadline – October 9 (you can also register and vote during the Early Voting period)

Early Voting – October 15 through October 31

General Election – Tuesday, November 3, 2026