Who is Durham Mayor Leo Williams?

Leonardo (Leo) Williams - Duke Community Affairs

Leonardo Williams has a bachelor’s degree in music education and a master’s degree in educational leadership from North Carolina Central University. He lives with his wife, Zweli, and their son, Izaiah, in Durham.

Leo is a restaurant manager. He manages two restaurants in Durham with his wife. He previously worked in public education as a high school classroom teacher and band director. He also served as an education consultant.

Leo is currently the mayor of Durham. He was elected in 2023 and is serving his first term. Before becoming mayor, Leo served on the Durham City Council from 2020 to 2023. 

New Durham mayor Leonardo Williams delivers 'robust and ...

Supports developing the city's marketability and branding to attract tourism and hopes a new convention center will drive economic growth.

Supports building relationships with employers and Research Triangle Park to help the city attract and retain talent in the workforce.

- Supports developing the city's marketability and branding to attract tourism and hopes a new convention center will drive economic growth.
- Supports building relationships with employers and Research Triangle Park to help the city attract and retain talent in the workforce.

Economy

Believes in investing in people and places that support Durham's artistic, cultural, and civic vibrancy.

- Believes in investing in people and places that support Durham's artistic, cultural, and civic vibrancy.

Public Services

Supports new housing developments to address the housing shortage.

- Supports new housing developments to address the housing shortage.

Housing & Urban Development

Believes safety requires "prevention, care, and connection."

Supports the use of ShotSpotter technology, which detects the sound of gunshots, in order to improve community safety.

- Believes safety requires "prevention, care, and connection."
- Supports the use of ShotSpotter technology, which detects the sound of gunshots, in order to improve community safety.

Public Safety

Supports public transportation policies that reduce car dependency, such as the Bus Rapid Transit system.

- Supports public transportation policies that reduce car dependency, such as the Bus Rapid Transit system.

Transportation & Infrastructure

Supports investing in the city's youth and young ethnic minorities.

- Supports investing in the city's youth and young ethnic minorities.

Education

Twitter

Instagram

Facebook

Leonardo (Leo) Williams

Buket Urgen

Angela Reddick - Ballotpedia

Angela Reddick's campaign for Durham Mayor is her first entry into politics. 

As of July 31, 2025, Angela (Janie Love) Reddick did not have a website or any information online.

LinkedIn

Angela (Janie Love) Reddick

Matthew Tomas

Anjanée Bell, daughter of former mayor Bill Bell, announces Durham ...

[Election 2025] Anjanee Bell Files to Challenge for Durham Mayor ...

Anjanee Bell is from Durham, North Carolina, and is the daughter of former Durham mayor Bill Bell (2001-2017). She has a bachelor of arts in dance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a master of fine arts in dance from North Carolina Central University. She is a single mother of three.

Anjanee is the director of Arts in the Parks for the North Carolina State Parks system. She previously served as the director of dance and outreach for the North Carolina Arts Council and taught dance classes at Durham Public Schools from 2001 to 2016. Anjanee founded Bellan Contemporary Dance Theatre, a local nonprofit dance organization that provided performance training and artistic opportunities. She has also worked as a driver for Uber and Lyft.

Anjanee Bell - Ballotpedia

Anjanee Bell's campaign for Durham Mayor is her first entry into politics. 

Plans to change procurement and development practices to increase city contracts for local, small, and minority-owned businesses.

Supports investing in community-rooted entrepreneurship and creative infrastructure, including storefront grants, permitting reform, public art, and shared cultural space.

Wants to expand paid workforce pipelines into civic, trade, and creative sectors.

Wants to create new pathways to ownership through cooperatives, community trusts, and first-look purchasing rights.

Wants to align education, employers, and nonprofits to connect residents, especially youth, to "real careers, not just classroom promises."

- Plans to change procurement and development practices to increase city contracts for local, small, and minority-owned businesses.
- Supports investing in community-rooted entrepreneurship and creative infrastructure, including storefront grants, permitting reform, public art, and shared cultural space.
- Wants to expand paid workforce pipelines into civic, trade, and creative sectors.
- Wants to create new pathways to ownership through cooperatives, community trusts, and first-look purchasing rights.
- Wants to align education, employers, and nonprofits to connect residents, especially youth, to "real careers, not just classroom promises."

Supports reinvesting in public spaces, such as parks, greenways, and creative venues.

- Supports reinvesting in public spaces, such as parks, greenways, and creative venues.

Supports strong tenant protections and anti-displacement measures to prevent unjust eviction, sudden rent hikes, and discriminatory practices.

Supports protecting seniors and homeowners from being "taxed out" of their neighborhoods by expanding homestead protections, targeted relief tools, and age-in-place programs.

Supports prioritizing public land for deeply affordable and mixed-income housing.

Supports partnering with community-based developers and directing city resources toward projects that protect legacy, preserve affordability, prevent displacement, and build long-term community wealth.

- Supports strong tenant protections and anti-displacement measures to prevent unjust eviction, sudden rent hikes, and discriminatory practices.
- Supports protecting seniors and homeowners from being "taxed out" of their neighborhoods by expanding homestead protections, targeted relief tools, and age-in-place programs.
- Supports prioritizing public land for deeply affordable and mixed-income housing.
- Supports partnering with community-based developers and directing city resources toward projects that protect legacy, preserve affordability, prevent displacement, and build long-term community wealth.

Plans to strengthen recruitment and retention strategies for law enforcement, EMS, and fire.

Supports expanding non-police crisis response programs, such as the HEART program, and investing in violence interrupters, peacebuilders, and reentry partners.

Supports tracking and sharing public safety data transparently.

- Plans to strengthen recruitment and retention strategies for law enforcement, EMS, and fire.
- Supports expanding non-police crisis response programs, such as the HEART program, and investing in violence interrupters, peacebuilders, and reentry partners.
- Supports tracking and sharing public safety data transparently.

2025 Candidate Questionnaires - People's Alliance PAC

Plans to improve sidewalks, lighting, and school zone infrastructure.

Prioritizes flood control, shaded streets, and preservation of wetlands, open space, and tree canopy.

- Plans to improve sidewalks, lighting, and school zone infrastructure.
- Prioritizes flood control, shaded streets, and preservation of wetlands, open space, and tree canopy.

Plans to strengthen Durham's learning environment by improving school zones, investing in afterschool programs and neighborhood libraries, and designing infrastructure that treats schools as "sacred civic ground."

- Plans to strengthen Durham's learning environment by improving school zones, investing in afterschool programs and neighborhood libraries, and designing infrastructure that treats schools as "sacred civic ground."

Anjanee Bell

Lloyd Phillips - Ballotpedia

Lloyd's campaign for Durham Mayor is his first entry into politics.

As of July 31, 2025, Lloyd A. Phillips did not have a website or any information online.

Lloyd A. Phillips

Here's who is running for Durham City Council in 2025 | Raleigh ...

Pablo Friedmann is the director of the Durham Public Schools' Multilingual Resource Center.

Pablo Friedmann - Ballotpedia

Pablo's campaign for Durham Mayor is his first entry into politics.

2025 Candidate Questionnaires by People's Alliance PAC

Supports taxing "billion-dollar corporations" and wants a housing system that works.

Supports increasing taxes on wealthy institutions.

Believes the property tax increase by city council should have been smaller.

- Supports taxing "billion-dollar corporations" and wants a housing system that works.
- Believes the property tax increase by city council should have been smaller.

Supports inclusive decision-making that considers community input, public school impact, and sustainability.

Said, "The City needs to prioritize sustainability from beginning to end... I will fight to ensure the development process incorporates sustainability."

Supports expanding the city's composting pilot program.

Supports increasing funding for the arts and offering small-dollar grants to local artists.

- Supports inclusive decision-making that considers community input, public school impact, and sustainability.
- Said, "The City needs to prioritize sustainability from beginning to end... I will fight to ensure the development process incorporates sustainability."
- Supports expanding the city's composting pilot program.
- Supports increasing funding for the arts and offering small-dollar grants to local artists.

Supports requiring developers to contribute to affordable housing.

Supports modifying Area Median Income rules for affordable housing loans, and increasing oversight of the Durham Housing Authority.

Supports using city-owned real estate and local partnerships to provide housing for vulnerable populations.

- Supports requiring developers to contribute to affordable housing.
- Supports modifying Area Median Income rules for affordable housing loans, and increasing oversight of the Durham Housing Authority.
- Supports using city-owned real estate and local partnerships to provide housing for vulnerable populations.

Supports the HEART program, which "provides services to individuals who have been convicted of a crime and are returning to the community."

Supports the HEART program, which creates a care response team of mental health professionals that work with police, fire, and EMS.

Supports competitive salaries for public servants, including the Durham Police Department.

Supports the Vision Zero action plan to enhance child safety during school commutes and advocates for Durham's enforcement of speed limits near schools.

Supports the Vision Zero action plan to improve child safety during school commutes and advocates for better enforcement of speed limits near schools.

- Supports the HEART program, which creates a care response team of mental health professionals that work with police, fire, and EMS.
- Supports competitive salaries for public servants, including the Durham Police Department.
- Supports the Vision Zero action plan to improve child safety during school commutes and advocates for better enforcement of speed limits near schools.

Supports building more sidewalks and protected bike lanes.

- Supports building more sidewalks and protected bike lanes.

As of July 31, 2025, Pablo Friedmann’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Pablo Friedmann

Rafiq Zaidi - Ballotpedia

Rafiq Zaidi's campaign for Durham Mayor is his first entry into politics. 

As of July 31, 2025, Rafiq Zaidi did not have a website or any information online.

Believes in prioritizing community input over developers and outsiders in decision-making.

- Believes in prioritizing community input over developers and outsiders in decision-making.

Supports offering monetary rewards for information to help combat crime.

- Supports offering monetary rewards for information to help combat crime.

Rafiq Zaidi

- The mayor leads the executive branch of local government, presiding over city council meetings, making sure city departments run smoothly, and providing services to citizens. 
- The mayor attends and runs City Council meetings, serving as an important leader for how local laws get set. These laws affect local services, such as Police, City Planning, Parks & Recreation, and Transportation.  
- The Mayor in some circumstances may vote to break a tie in council meetings. They do not have veto power.