2019 Raleigh mayoral election

The 2019 mayoral election in the city of Raleigh, North Carolina, was held on Tuesday, October 8, 2019. Former City Council member Mary-Ann Baldwin placed first in the election, followed by attorney Charles Francis. Although Baldwin did not receive a majority of the vote, Francis declined to seek a runoff, leaving Baldwin elected as the city's next mayor.^[1]

2019 Raleigh mayoral election

← 2017 October 8, 2019 2022 →

Candidate Mary-Ann Baldwin Charles Francis Party Nonpartisan Nonpartisan Popular vote 20,755 16,910 Percentage 38.23% 31.15%   Candidate Caroline Sullivan Zainab Baloch Party Nonpartisan Nonpartisan Popular vote 11,121 3,501 Percentage 20.49% 6.45%

Mayor before election Nancy McFarlane Independent Elected mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin Democratic

Incumbent Mayor Nancy McFarlane, first elected for a two-year term in 2011 and re-elected in 2013, 2015, and 2017, was eligible to seek re-election, but announced that she would not seek a fifth term.^[2]

Candidates

Declared

• Mary-Ann Baldwin, former member of the Raleigh City Council^[3]
• Zainab Baloch, community activist and candidate for City Council in 2017^[4]
• Charles Francis, attorney and candidate for Mayor in 2017^[5]
• George Knott, musician^[6]
• Caroline Sullivan, former Wake County commissioner^[7]
• Justin L. Sutton, attorney^[8]

Declined

• Nancy McFarlane, Mayor of Raleigh since 2011

Endorsements

Mary-Ann Baldwin

Newspapers

• Indy Week^[9]

Caroline Sullivan

Local Officials

• Nancy McFarlane, Mayor of Raleigh (2011–2019)^[7]

First round results

2019 Raleigh mayoral election^[10]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Non-partisan[a]	Mary-Ann Baldwin	20,755	38.23%
	Non-partisan[b]	Charles Francis	16,910	31.15%
	Non-partisan[c]	Caroline Sullivan	11,121	20.49%
	Non-partisan[d]	Zainab Baloch	3,501	6.45%
	Non-partisan[e]	Justin L. Sutton	1,121	2.07%
	Non-partisan[f]	George Knott	737	1.36%
	Other	Write-ins	140	0.26
Turnout			54,285

Notes

1. Baldwin is registered as a Democrat.
2. Francis is registered as a Democrat.
3. Sullivan is registered as a Democrat.
4. Baloch is registered as a Democrat.
5. Sutton is registered Unaffiliated.
6. Knott is registered as a Democrat.