Raleigh City Council is the governing body for the city of

Raleigh Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southeas ...

, the state capital of

North Carolina North Carolina () is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 28th largest and List of states and territories of the United ...

. Raleigh is governed by council-manager government. It is composed of eight members, including the

Mayor of Raleigh The mayor of Raleigh is the mayor of Raleigh, the state capital of North Carolina, in the United States. Raleigh operates with council-manager government, under which the mayor is elected separately from Raleigh City Council, of which they ...

. Five of the members are elected from the five districts that cover the city. The remaining three, including the mayor, are elected

at-large At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather than ...

. They are all elected every two years. The new council is installed in early December.

Current members, 2022-2024 Term

Mary-Ann Baldwin Mary-Ann Baldwin is an American marketing executive and politician from the state of North Carolina. She is the mayor of Raleigh, North Carolina, serving since 2019. Early life and education Baldwin grew up in Rhode Island and graduated from ...

, Mayor *

Jonathan Melton Jonathan S. Melton is an American lawyer and politician. He is one of the first two openly gay people to serve on the Raleigh City Council. He is the current Chairman of the Raleigh City Council's Economic Development and Innovation Committee. Mel ...

, 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) * Janet Cowell (2001–2004) *

Jesse Helms Jesse Alexander Helms Jr. (October 18, 1921 – July 4, 2008) was an American politician. A leader in the conservative movement, he served as a senator from North Carolina from 1973 to 2003. As chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committe ...

(1957–1961) * Neal Hunt (2001–2004) * Eric Miller Reeves (1993–1996) *

Saige Martin Saige Martin is an American artist, fund director, and politician. A Democrat, Martin was one of the first openly gay people, the first Latinx person, and the youngest person ever to sit on the Raleigh City Council. He served from 2019 until 2020 ...

(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 Thomas Wood Bradshaw, Jr. (born 1938) is a North Carolina businessman and public official. He was a member of the city council of Raleigh, and became the youngest mayor of Raleigh, serving for one term (1971-1973). Bradshaw later served as North C ...

* 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 Avery Council Upchurch (December 22, 1928 – June 30, 1994) was List of mayors of Raleigh, North Carolina, Mayor of Raleigh, North Carolina from 1983 to 1993. His term in office was the longest of any mayor of Raleigh in the 20th century and cor ...

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 Thomas Harrison Fetzer Jr. is an American politician and lobbyist who served three two-year terms as Mayor of Raleigh, North Carolina from 1993 to 1999. He was chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party from 2009 to 2011. Early life Tom Fet ...

, 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 Nancy Pletcher McFarlane is an American pharmacist and politician. She served as the 61st mayor of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. She was elected to lead the city in the 2011 election, and succeeded Charles Meeker, who had declined ...

– 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) *

– 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

{{Raleigh, North Carolina

City Council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural coun ...

North Carolina city councils