I completed this for AP English Language, for Ms. Kacie Kress. The assignment was to create a journalist-style report regarding any piece of news we were interested in, at least 2 pages long. I chose to research and report about North Carolina's recent municipal elections, since they had just happened and I had personal experience.

As you can tell, Ms. Kress creates a variety of interesting assignments for us to complete, which is part of what I love about this class! We've done everything from book clubs to photojournalism, and the new and different work she gives keeps me interested in the subject.

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In North Carolina’s recent municipal elections, voters showed up to the polls in droves. The NC Public Board said that the “turnout (was) strong for (an) off-year” (WUNC).  Voter turnout across the state is at a high, with 19.75% of eligible constituents voting in this last election. This percentage is up by 3.75% from the 2021 municipal elections (NC), which means that more North Carolina residents are voting. 

Along with this high voter turnout came tension-ridden changes in many state districts. It appears that the constituents of NC are pushing for progress, or at least a difference in their government structure.

 In Durham, there was a narrow race for mayorship as voters began to look for a new plan for the city. The top candidates were incumbent Leonardo Williams and educator Anjanée Bell, both of whom presented an agenda for change in the city. With Williams winning 26,398 votes and Bell winning 19,292, the incumbent held onto his seat by only 16% of total votes (ABC).

Shortly after winning the election, Williams laid out his plan earnestly and carefully. He first said that, “We’re going to reduce crime by positively investing in our young people,” and detailed his other priorities as technology efficiency, controlled housing, and an increase in sales tax revenue (WRAL).

As a former teacher (City of Durham), Williams has shown  passion for the youth of Durham. In 2024, he created the Bull City Future Fund (ABC) , a program which “prevent(s) youth violence and provid(es) alternative environments for Durham’s youngest residents” (CBS17). Williams earned the “Teacher of the Year” award multiple times  (City of Durham) when he served as an Educational Consultant for the NCDPI and a chairman in the Board of Directors for the NCPS (LinkedIn) , and this translated to his mayorship in his focus on the youth of Durham. During his previous term, Williams was also elected to the board of trustees for the African American Mayors Association (AAMA).  

Despite this, Anjanée Bell came quite close to unseating Mayor Williams this year. Self-described as an “educator, entrepreneur, and grants leader” (Indy), this was Bell’s first year running for office. Despite being a relative novice to elections, she still raised $37,793 and seriously challenged Williams’ incumbency (Indy).  

A legacy of politics could be behind her unexpected success. She is the daughter of Bill Bell, who served as Durham’s mayor for 16 years, and in state government for 47 (NCCU). Bell thinks that this experience “informed (her) in many, many rich ways” (ABC) but holds that “(her) leadership is (her) own” (Indy). 

Both candidates place a focus on safety in Durham, but their agendas look slightly different. While Williams emphasizes youth development and housing, Bell adheres to an acronym; H.O.P.E. This stands for Housing & Healing, Opportunity & Ownership, People’s Safety & People’s Trust, and Environment & Education (Indy). Her plan for Durham, like Williams’, focuses on the  personal level,  emphasizing small businesses and neighborhoods. She aims to lead a Durham where “opportunity is built with people” (Indy). 

Both candidates harbored inspiring designs for Durham, resulting in an "unusually high” voter turnout (Indy). Approximately 45,826 ballots were cast for the mayoral election (NCSBE). This number means that about 3% more eligible voters cast ballots than in November 2023 (Indy). 

A Durham voter said that “I feel like by … voting, I'm … voting for candidates who are actually going to do something” (WRAL), and another said “I just think that there needs to be some changes in Durham.” (ABC11). 

And it’s not just in Durham that changes have been made.

In Greensboro, the only incumbent City Council member was Tammi Thurm, who won in District 5 (WUNC). Six new city council members were introduced to the position, presenting a new agenda for the city (Greensboro, Greensboro, WFMY). Denise Roth, one of the new members, said that they “need to be strategic and set a direction … this is a major moment of transition” (The Thread).Voters said they wanted action on “property taxes, affordable housing and bringing business to Greensboro” (WUNC).

Likewise, the town of Cary has also seen changes since the election. Two new members were elected to Town Council; Brittany Richards and Bella Huang (Indy). Ashley Scheibis, a Cary resident, said that “I think if you can make a difference anywhere, you have to start at home … (voting) has to be a priority” (ABC).

North Carolinians have also spoken about their reasons for voting. Kendra Pressley, a voter in Durham, says that municipal elections have “more direct impact on (her) daily life”. Similarly, another voter says that “we have got to be smart about how to plan for all the growth that’s going on” (CBS). North Carolina has been expanding rapidly, now the eighth fastest-growing state in the nation (OSBM). Such a new population to work with could be a reason that more citizens are racing to the polls.

The voter participation, and the close call between candidates could mean that current North Carolina cares about development. When interviewed about municipal elections, one voter said “You can make so much change in your community at a smaller scale.” (WRAL). Could one state’s passion for change make the rest of America feel, and vote, similarly?