Voters will likely return to the polls on Nov. 7 to decide the mayor of Raleigh, as none of the three candidates running received the required majority of votes to win outright in Tuesday’s municipal election.
Incumbent Mayor Nancy McFarlane (Independent) garnered approximately 6,000 more votes than challenger Charles Francis (Democrat) and 18,000 more than challenger Paul Fitts (Republican).
“I think they [voters] appreciate that local government really is about local issues,” McFarlane said. “The more we can work together, the better it is for the city.”
Raleigh hasn’t had a mayoral runoff election since 2001, when Charles Meeker (Democrat) defeated incumbent Paul Coble (Republican).
“‘Live to fight another day’ is the quote of the day here,” Francis said at his watch event.
McFarlane, who is seeking her fourth term in office, received 61 percent of the vote in 2011, 72 percent in 2013 and 74 percent in 2015.
Francis raised $231,000, approximately $30,000 more than McFarlane, who raised $202,000.
In the City Council At-Large race, incumbent Russ Stephenson (Democrat) secured his seventh term in office, while challenger Nicole Stewart (Democrat) failed to receive the 25 percent necessary for outright victory, and will likely face Stacy Miller (Unaffiliated) in a runoff election.
“It’s time for new ideas and new energy, it’s time for us to come together as a community and bridge the gap with the partisanship going on,” Miller said. “That’s what our campaign is about. Bringing people together and caring for things like affordable housing, or transportation or bringing economic development to parts of the city that hasn’t enjoyed it. We can recruit the Amazons and we can also recruit local jobs too.”
Runoff elections are set to be held on Nov. 7.
Alex Zachman contributed reporting for this story.
Nancy McFarlane is the current Mayor of Raleigh.
