Raleigh City Council

Raleigh City Council
Raleigh City Council
Type
Type	Unicameral
Structure
Seats	8
Political groups	Nonpartisan (de jure) (8);
Elections
Last election	November 8, 2022
Next election	2024

Raleigh City Council is the governing body for the city of Raleigh, the state capital of North Carolina.

Raleigh is governed by council-manager government. It is composed of eight members, including the Mayor of Raleigh. Five of the members are elected from the five districts that cover the city. The remaining three, including the mayor, are elected at-large. They are all elected every two years. The new council is installed in early December.

History

In 2021, municipal elections in Raleigh—including those for city council—were moved from odd-numbered years to even-numbered years.^[1]

Members 2022–2024 term

Mary-Ann Baldwin, Mayor
Jonathan Melton, at-large
Stormie Forte, at-large
Mary Black-Branch, District A
Megan Patton, District B
Corey Branch, District C
Jane Harrison, District D
Christina Jones, District E

Notable former members

Ralph Campbell (1985–1991)^[2]
Janet Cowell (2001–2004)^[3]
Jesse Helms (1957–1961)^[4]
Neal Hunt (2001–2004)^[5]
Eric Miller Reeves (1993–1996)^[6]
Saige Martin (2019-2020)

Previous Raleigh City Councils

1947 – 1949

P. D. Snipes, Mayor
Miss Ruth Wilson
Fred B. Wheeler
Hobson I. Gattis
John F. Danielson
Fred Fletcher
Joe S. Correll

1949 – 1951

P. D. Snipes, Mayor
James E. Briggs, Mayor Pro Tem
Miss Ruth Wilson
Joe S. Correll
John F. Danielson
Hobson I. Gattis
Fred B. Wheeler

1951 – 1953

James E. Briggs, Mayor
Fred B. Wheeler, Mayor Pro Tem, Chairman of Law & Finance Committee
B. B. Benson
John F. Danielson, Chairman of Public Works Committee
W. W. Merriman, Jr.
W. D. Martin, Sr.
Martin K. Green

1953 – 1955

Fred B. Wheeler, Mayor
John F. Danielson, Chairman of Public Works Committee
B. B. Benson, Mayor Pro Tem
W. D. Debnam
William G. Enloe, Chairman of Law & Finance Committee
Martin K. Green
W. D. Martin, Sr.

1955 – 1957

Fred B. Wheeler, Mayor
John F. Danielson, Mayor Pro Tem, Chairman of Public Works Committee
W. E. Debnam (resigned 7/20/57 – Wade Lewis appointed)
Charles W. Bradshaw
Martin K. Green
Frank M. Jolly
William G. Enloe, Chairman of Law & Finance Committee

1957 – 1959

Wililam G. Enloe, Mayor
Guy W. Rawls, Mayor Pro Tem
John N. Coffey, Chairman of Public Works Committee at death of Fred B. Wheeler
Joe S. Correll
Jesse Helms, Chairman of Law & Finance Committee
James D. Ray, Jr.
Fred D. Wheeler (died in office 12/11/57 – John E.Treadwell appointed)

1959 – 1961

William G. Enloe, Mayor
James W. Reid, Mayor Pro Tem
John N. Coffee, Chairman of Public Works Committee
Joe S. Correll
Jesse Helms, Chairman of Law & Finance Committee
Robert S. Sessoms, Jr.
Paul A. Hoover

1961 – 1963

Wiliam G. Enloe, Mayor
James W. Reid, Mayor Pro Tem
John N. Coffee, Chairman of Public Works Committee
Paul A. Hoover, Chairman of Law & Finance Committee
William L. McLaurin
Travis H. Tomlinson
John W. Winters

1963 – 1965

James W. Reid, Mayor
Wiliam L. McLaurin, Mayor Pro Tem
Earl H. Hostetler
William H. Worth
Travis H. Tomlinson, Chairman of Law & Finance Committee
John Winters, Chairman of Public Works and Planning Commission
Charles W. Gaddy

1965 – 1967

Travis H. Tomlinson, Mayor
William L. McLaurin, Mayor Pro Tem
Earl H. Hostetler
William H. Worth
John W. Winters
Charles W. Gaddy
William M. Law

1967 – 1969

Travis H. Tomlinson, Mayor
Earl H. Hostetler, Mayor Pro Tem
Clarence E. Lightner
William H. Worth
William M. Law
Seby B. Jones
George B. Cherry

1969 – 1971

Seby B. Jones, Mayor
George B. Cherry, Mayor Pro Tem
Clarence E. Lightner
Jesse O. Sanderson
Thomas W. Bradshaw
A. L. Strickland
Robert W. Shoffner

1971 – 1973

Thomas W. Bradshaw, Jr. – Mayor
Clarence E. Lightner, Mayor Pro Tem
Michael Boyd
Jesse O. Sanderson (resigned 2/29/73 – Paul Hoover appointed)
William G. Enloe (died 11/22/72 – Edith Reid appointed)
A. L. Strickland
Robert W. Shoffner

1973 – 1975

Clarence E. Lightner, Mayor
Jack B. Keeter, Mayor Pro Tem
Ronald I. Kirshbaum
Thomas G. Bashford
Miriam P. Block
William R. Knight
James T. Quinn
J. Oliver Wililams

1975 – 1977

Jyles J. Coggins, Mayor
Jack B. Keeter, Mayor Pro Tem
Ronald I. Kirschbaum
Thomas G. Bashford
Miriam P. Block
Randolph T. Hester, Jr.
William R. Knight
James T. Quinn

1977 – 1979

Isabella W. Cannon, Mayor
Jack B. Keeter, Mayor Pro Tem (died 12/2/78 – James B. Womble appointed)
Miriam P. Block
William R. Knight
Edward A. Walters
William H. Wilson
George Smedes York
S. Tony Jordan

1979 – 1981

G. Smedes York, Mayor
Edward A. Walters, Mayor
James B. Womble
Miriam P. Block
John A. Edwards, Jr.
Arthur J. Calloway
S. Tony Jordan
Avery C. Upchurch

1981 - 1983

G. Smedes York, Mayor
Edwards A. Walters, Mayor Pro Tem
Sandra P. Babb
Walter M. Keller
John A. Edwards, Jr.
Arthur J. Calloway
S. Tony Jordan
Avery C. Upchurch

1983 – 1985

Avery C. Upchurch, Mayor
Edward A. Walters, Mayor Pro Tem
Sandra P. Babb
Walter M. Keller
Miriam P. Block
Arthur J. Calloway
Mary C. Cates
O. Morton Congleton

1985 – 1987

Avery C. Upchurch, Mayor
Edward A. Walters, Mayor Pro Tem
Mary C. Cates
O. Morton Congleton
Perry Safran
Charles C. Meeker
Ralph Campbell, Jr.
Norma DeCamp Burns

1987 – 1989

Avery C. Upchurch, Mayor
Mary C. Cates, Mayor Pro Tem
Charles C. Meeker
Ralph Campbell, Jr.
Norma DeCamp Burns
Geoffrey Elting
Anne S. Franklin
Mary Watson Nooe

1989 – 1991

Avery C. Upchurch, Mayor
Ralph Campbell, Jr., Mayor Pro Tem
Mary C. Cates
Anne S. Franklin
Mary Watson Nooe
Frank L. Turner
E. Julian Ford
J. Barlow Herget

1991 – 1993

Avery C. Upchurch, Mayor
Anne S. Franklin, Mayor Pro Tem
Mary C. Cates
Mary Watson Nooe
Ralph Campbell, Jr. (elected State Auditor – Charles Francis appointed)
Charles C. Meeker
Geoffrey Elting
J. Barlow Hergett

1993 – 1995

Tom Fetzer, Mayor
Mary Watson Nooe, Mayor Pro Tem
Charles C. Meeker
Geoff Elting
John H. Odom
Brad Thompson
Eric Reeves
Paul Y. Coble

1995 - 1997

Tom Fetzer, Mayor
Julie Shea Graw
Marc Scruggs
Kieran Joseph Shanahan
John H. Odom
Brad Thompson
Eric Reeves (elected to State House of Representatives 12-96 – Stacy Miller app’t 1-97)
Paul Y. Coble

1997 – 1999

Tom Fetzer, Mayor
Julie Shea Graw
Stephanie Fanjul
Kieran Joseph Shanahan
John H. Odom
Brad Thompson
W. Benson Kirkman
Paul Y. Coble

1999 – 2001

Paul Y. Coble, Mayor
John H. Odom, Mayor Pro Tem
Julie Shea Graw
O. Morton Congleton
Kieran Joseph Shanahan
James West
W. Benson Kirkman
Marc Scruggs

2001 – 2003

Charles C. Meeker, Mayor
W. Benson Kirkman, Deputy Mayor
John H. Odom, Deputy Mayor
Janet R. Cowell
K. Neal Hunt
Philip R. Isley
Kieran Joseph Shanahan
James P. West

2003 – 2005

Charles C. Meeker, Mayor
James P. West, Mayor Pro Tem – District C
Janet Cowell replaced by Joyce Kekas 2/1/05 -Cowell elected to NC Senate - At Large
Neal K. Hunt replaced by Tommy Craven 2/1/05 – Hunt elected to NC Senate- At Large
Mike Regan – District A
Jessie Taliaferro – District B
Thomas Crowder – District D
Philip Isley – District E

2005 – 2007

Charles C. Meeker
Russ Stephenson – At Large
Joyce Kekas – At Large
Thomas Craven – District A
Jessie Taliaferro – District B
James P. West – District C – Mayor Pro Tem
Thomas G. Crowder – District D
Philip Randolph Isley – District E

2007 – 2009

Charles C. Meeker, Mayor
James P. West, Mayor Pro Tem - District C
Mary Ann Baldwin – At Large
Russ Stephenson – At Large
Nancy McFarlane – District A
Rodger Koopman - District B
Thomas G. Crowder – District D
Philip R. Isley – District E

2009 – 2011

Charles C. Meeker – Mayor
James P. West, Mayor Pro Tem – District C (Resigned to become Wake County Commissioner 9/21/10)
Mary-Ann Baldwin – At Large (Mayor Pro Tem 10/19/10 – 4/30/11)
Russ Stephenson – At Large
Nancy McFarlane – District A (Mayor Pro Tem 5/1/11 – 12/5/11)
John Odom – District B
Eugene Weeks – District C (October 19, 2010)
Thomas G. Crowder – District D
Bonner Gaylord – District E

2011 – 2013

Nancy McFarlane – Mayor
Russ Stephenson – At Large; Mayor Pro Tem 12/6/11 – 12/03/12
Eugene Weeks – District C; Mayor Pro Tem 12/04/12 – 12/03/13
Mary-Ann Baldwin – At Large
Randall Stagner – District A
John Odom – District B
Thomas Crowder – District D
Bonner Gaylord – District E

2013 – 2015

Nancy McFarlane – Mayor
Mary-Ann Baldwin – At-Large
Russ Stephenson – At-Large
Wayne Maiorano – District A
John Odom – District B
Eugene Weeks – District C
Thomas Crowder – District D
Bonner Gaylord – District E

2015-2017

Nancy McFarlane – Mayor
Mary-Ann Baldwin – At-Large
Russ Stephenson – At-Large
Dickie Thompson – District A
David Cox – District B
Corey Branch – District C
Kay Crowder – District D
Bonner Gaylord – District E

2017-2019

Nancy McFarlane (Mayor)
Nicole Stewart (at-large)
Russ Stephenson (at-large)
Dickie Thompson (District A)
David Cox (District B)
Corey Branch (District C)
Kay Crowder (District D)
Stef Mendell (District E)

References

^ Eanes, Zachary (March 20, 2024). "Raleigh City Council considering a move to 4-year terms". Axios Raleigh. Axios Media. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
^ Staff reports (12 January 2011). "Ralph Campbell Jr. dies at age 64". Raleigh News & Observer. Archived from the original on 1 October 2012. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
^ Beckwith, Ryan Teague (13 August 2007). "Janet Cowell". Raleigh News & Observer. Archived from the original on 12 February 2012. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
^ Christensen, Rob (4 July 2008). "Jesse Helms dead at 86". The News & Observer. Archived from the original on 2008-07-13. Retrieved 2008-07-14.
^ "Alumnus Profile: State Senator Neal Hunt '60". Ravenscroft School. 1 May 2009. Retrieved 14 December 2011.
^ Governments, Council of State (June 1999). Directory II Legislative Leaders. Council of State Government. p. 307. ISBN 978-0-87292-853-4. Retrieved 31 March 2011.

[1] Eanes, Zachary (March 20, 2024). "Raleigh City Council considering a move to 4-year terms". Axios Raleigh. Axios Media. Retrieved March 23, 2024.

[2] Staff reports (12 January 2011). "Ralph Campbell Jr. dies at age 64". Raleigh News & Observer. Archived from the original on 1 October 2012. Retrieved 18 December 2011.

[3] Beckwith, Ryan Teague (13 August 2007). "Janet Cowell". Raleigh News & Observer. Archived from the original on 12 February 2012. Retrieved 18 December 2011.

[helms-4] Christensen, Rob (4 July 2008). "Jesse Helms dead at 86". The News & Observer. Archived from the original on 2008-07-13. Retrieved 2008-07-14.

[ravenscroft-5] "Alumnus Profile: State Senator Neal Hunt '60". Ravenscroft School. 1 May 2009. Retrieved 14 December 2011.

[Governments1999-6] Governments, Council of State (June 1999). Directory II Legislative Leaders. Council of State Government. p. 307. ISBN 978-0-87292-853-4. Retrieved 31 March 2011.

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