Mayor of Raleigh, North Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mayor of Raleigh, North Carolina |
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Flag of Raleigh, North Carolina
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Seal of Raleigh, North Carolina
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.jpg) Janet Cowell since December 2, 2024 |
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| Member of | Raleigh City Council |
| Seat | Raleigh Municipal Building, Raleigh, North Carolina |
| Term length | Two years |
| Constituting instrument | Act for the Regulation of the City of Raleigh |
| Precursor | Intendant of Police of Raleigh, North Carolina |
| Formation | March 2, 1795 |
| First holder | John Haywood |
The mayor of Raleigh is the main leader of Raleigh. Raleigh is the capital city of North Carolina in the United States. The mayor works with the Raleigh City Council to help run the city.
Raleigh uses a special way of governing called a council-manager system. This means the mayor is chosen in a separate election. The mayor is also the eighth member of the City Council.
How the Mayor's Job Started
In 1795, the government of North Carolina created a new job. It was first called the Intendant of Police of Raleigh. The very first person to have this job was John Haywood.
At first, a group called the Raleigh Board of Commissioners chose the intendant. Later, starting in 1803, people living in the city got to vote. These voters were called "freemen." This included free African-Americans who owned land in Raleigh. The title "Mayor" was not used until 1856.
Who is the Current Mayor?
The current mayor of Raleigh is Janet Cowell. She is a member of the Democratic Party. Before becoming mayor, she was the state treasurer for North Carolina. She was first elected mayor in 2024.
Raleigh has had some mayors who served for a long time. Avery C. Upchurch was mayor for ten years, from 1983 to 1993. Charles Meeker also served for ten years, from 2001 to 2011. Four other mayors have served for eight years each.
How Mayors are Elected
Elections for mayor happen every two years in Raleigh. The first vote is usually in October. This is called a primary election. In this election, candidates do not have their political party listed on the ballot.
If one candidate gets more than half of the votes, they win right away. If no one gets more than 50%, the top two candidates have a second election. This final vote is held in November.
For example, in the 2009 election, Charles Meeker won with 62% of the votes. This meant a second election was not needed that year.
