2025 North Carolina General Election

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."

Economy

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

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

Public Services

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.

Housing & Urban Development

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.

Public Safety

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.

Transportation & Infrastructure

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."

Education

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Anjanee Bell

James Auchincloss

Buket Urgen

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.

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.

Supports new housing developments to address the housing shortage.

- Supports new housing developments to address the housing shortage.

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.

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.

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

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

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Leonardo (Leo) Williams

- 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.

Durham Mayor

Election results

Candidates (2)