GSO City Council hears from 19 applicants for the ... - Triad City Beat

The Thread: Greensboro City Council Races Are On

Akir Khan is a lifelong resident of Greensboro. He has a doctoral degree in educational leadership from High Point University. He is the board chair of the Out of the Garden project, which focuses on child hunger in the Piedmont.

LinkedIn

Akir is the chief of staff for J&A Solutions. He previously worked as a director of development and communications at the National Conference of Community and Justice, an executive at Jet It, and an adjunct instructor at High Point University. 

Greensboro's fall elections take shape with crowded fields for mayor ...

Akir Khan's campaign for Greensboro Mayor is his first entry into politics. 

Plans to focus on economic growth, food insecurity, and building trust between law enforcement and citizens.

Plans to focus on economic growth and food insecurity.

- Plans to focus on economic growth and food insecurity.

Economy

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

Public Services

Supports affordable housing and addressing homelessness.

- Supports affordable housing and addressing homelessness.

Housing & Urban Development

Wants to build trust between law enforcement and citizens.

- Wants to build trust between law enforcement and citizens.

Public Safety

Transportation & Infrastructure

Education

Akir Khan

Buket Urgen

Marikay Abuzuaiter is married to her husband, Isa. She has two children, Joey and Michael. She is on the executive committee of the Family Justice Center and a board member for several organizations, including Greensboro ArtsHub, Confident Girls Rising, and Greensboro Sports Foundation.

Marikay was previously the owner of Mahi's Restaurant for 22 years. 

Marikay Abuzuaiter Announces Run for Greensboro Mayor

Greensboro City Council names Marikay Abuzaiter as new Mayor ...

Marikay is currently a member of the Greensboro City Council. She was first elected in 2011 and has been re-elected in 2012, 2015, 2019, and 2022. She previously served as Mayor Pro Tempore. Before her election to the council, she ran for an at-large seat in 2009 and 2010 but did not win.

Supports public investment in high-impact projects based on company input.

Supports public investment in high-impact projects and workforce development based on employer input.

Supports efforts to attract new businesses, retain existing ones, and promote small business growth in Greensboro.

- Supports public investment in high-impact projects and workforce development based on employer input.
- Supports efforts to attract new businesses, retain existing ones, and promote small business growth in Greensboro.

Supports promoting and advocating for local arts and cultural organizations.

Advocates for walkable and bike-friendly communities with easy access to parks and recreation facilities.

Believes cultural experiences through venues like the Tanger Center and Carolina Theatre enhance quality of life, attract employees, and encourage businesses to settle in Greensboro.

Believes cultural experiences through venues like the Tanger Center and Carolina Theatre create the quality of life, attract employees, and encourage businesses to move to Greensboro.

Plans to support local arts and cultural organizations, including the Cultural Arts Center and the International Civil Rights Center and Museum.

- Supports promoting and advocating for local arts and cultural organizations.
- Advocates for walkable and bike-friendly communities with easy access to parks and recreation facilities.
- Believes cultural experiences through venues like the Tanger Center and Carolina Theatre create the quality of life, attract employees, and encourage businesses to move to Greensboro.
- Plans to support local arts and cultural organizations, including the Cultural Arts Center and the International Civil Rights Center and Museum.

Supports relaxing or modifying zoning requirements to allow for higher density development.

Supports the development of single-family homes, multifamily units, and rental properties across all price points.

Supports the development of single-family homes, multifamily units, and rental properties across different price points.

- Supports relaxing or modifying zoning requirements to allow for higher density development.
- Supports the development of single-family homes, multifamily units, and rental properties across different price points.

As city council member, led the initiative to raise Greensboro police officer salaries to address officer shortages.

Advocated for the Family Justice Center, which addresses domestic violence.

- As city council member, led the initiative to raise Greensboro police officer salaries to address officer shortages.
- Advocated for the Family Justice Center, which addresses domestic violence.

Believes modern, well-maintained infrastructure is crucial for economic development and supports maintaining transportation and water infrastructure.

Supports walkability, biking, and access to parks and recreation facilities.

Supports better access to public transportation.

- Believes modern, well-maintained infrastructure is crucial for economic development and supports maintaining transportation and water infrastructure.
- Supports better access to public transportation.

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

Twitter

Facebook

Marikay Abuzuaiter

Greensboro mayoral race: Mark Cummings says, 'We're stronger ...

Mark Cummings - Ballotpedia

Mark Cummings is from Greensboro, North Carolina. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of the South, Sewanee, and a law degree from Campbell University. 

Mark previously served as a judge for the North Carolina 18th Judicial District. He ran as a Judge for the Guilford County Superior Court in 2018 and for Greensboro mayor in 2022, but did not win. 

Proposes a "Learn Here, Earn Here" initiative to incentivize companies to hire recent local graduates and a grant program for start-ups founded by local educated entrepreneurs.

Proposes an initiative to encourage companies to hire recent local graduates and a grant program for start-ups founded by local educated entrepreneurs.

Supports raising the minimum wage to $20 an hour.

Said he will "will fight to bring prices down, work with state legislatures to increase the minimum wage to $20.00 an hour, and create bold new local initiatives that help ensure we all have access to health care and affordable housing."

- Proposes an initiative to encourage companies to hire recent local graduates and a grant program for start-ups founded by local educated entrepreneurs.
- Said he will "will fight to bring prices down, work with state legislatures to increase the minimum wage to $20.00 an hour, and create bold new local initiatives that help ensure we all have access to health care and affordable housing."

Guilford County judicial candidates discuss racial ... - Triad City Beat

Believes Greensboro lacks a marketable and accepting identity, saying, "That is one of the problems with Greensboro and evidence of the lack of leadership shown for years by the current and past city councils."

- Believes Greensboro lacks a marketable and accepting identity, saying, "That is one of the problems with Greensboro and evidence of the lack of leadership shown for years by the current and past city councils."

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

Opposes federal government intervention in local communities.

Said he would enact a plan to strengthen the bond between law enforcement and the community, increase the pay of officers and increase the level of oversight and accountability to ensure that “the goal of our police is truly to protect and serve everybody.”

Supports improving the relationship between police and the community, increasing the pay of officers, and increasing the level of oversight and accountability.

- Supports police reform, not defunding.
- Opposes federal government intervention in local communities.
- Supports improving the relationship between police and the community, increasing the pay of officers, and increasing the level of oversight and accountability.

Supports providing more support for teachers.

- Supports providing more support for teachers.

Resigned from the bench after a yearlong investigation into misconduct for having a clerk falsify a court document, and changing the bond amount set by a Superior Court judge.

Resigned from his judge position after an investigation into misconduct for having a clerk falsify a court document and changing a set bond amount. He denied the allegations but agreed not to run for a judicial position again.

- Resigned from his judge position after an investigation into misconduct for having a clerk falsify a court document and changing a set bond amount. He denied the allegations but agreed not to run for a judicial position again.

Ethics & Conduct

Mark Cummings

Rhino Times | Former Greensboro Mayor Robbie Perkins To Run For Mayor Again ...

Robbie Perkins is from Greensboro, North Carolina. He has a bachelor's degree and a master of business administration from Duke University.

Former Greensboro Mayor Robbie Perkins announces plan to run ...

Robbie is a commercial real estate broker. He has also served as president of the Triad Real Estate and Builders Coalition, known as TREBIC, and chaired the Economic Development Committee of the North Carolina Association of Realtors.

Former Greensboro Mayor Robbie Perkins critical of city's current ...

The Assembly |  Back in the Game

Robbie served as Greensboro mayor from 2011 to 2013. Prior to that he served on the Greensboro City Council for 16 years, starting in 1993.

Plans to focus on economic development, public safety, and infrastructure improvements.

As mayor, Perkins approved the Disparity Study to increase city contracts with minority contractors.

- Plans to focus on economic development, public safety, and infrastructure improvements.
- As mayor, Perkins approved the Disparity Study to increase city contracts with minority contractors.

As mayor, Perkins initiated a citizen involvement process to consider a downtown performing arts center, resulting in a public-private partnership with $35 million in private contributions and $30 million in city-issued bonds paid for by user fees.

Initiated a citizen involvement process to consider a downtown performing arts center, resulting in a public-private partnership with $35 million in private contributions and $30 million in city-issued bonds paid for by user fees.

- Initiated a citizen involvement process to consider a downtown performing arts center, resulting in a public-private partnership with $35 million in private contributions and $30 million in city-issued bonds paid for by user fees.

Plans to address affordable housing in Greensboro.

- Plans to address affordable housing in Greensboro.

Frames downtown safety and homelessness as interconnected, advocating solutions to preserve downtown vitality while managing social impacts.

- Frames downtown safety and homelessness as interconnected, advocating solutions to preserve downtown vitality while managing social impacts.

Believes in increasing infrastructure spending and plans to work with the council to develop a capital plan.

Emphasizes infrastructure investments—including transit, utilities, and large public venues—to support sustainable economic and community growth.

- Believes in increasing infrastructure spending and plans to work with the council to develop a capital plan.
- Emphasizes infrastructure investments—including transit, utilities, and large public venues—to support sustainable economic and community growth.

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

Instagram

Youtube

Robbie Perkins

- 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.