Durham Holds Municipal Election Primary Tuesday

graphic image of a ballot being cast in front of the NC state flag

Durham voters will choose candidates for mayor and three at-large city council seats Tuesday in one of several municipal primaries across North Carolina.

Eight candidates are on the ballot for the Durham mayor seat currently held by Elaine O’Neal. O’Neal announced her retirement earlier this year after two years in the position. Primary voters will also choose three at-large candidates for city council. There are 12 council candidates on the ballot. The top two mayoral candidates and top six council candidates will move forward to the general election on Nov. 7.

Polling places in Durham are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. On Election Day, voters must cast their ballots at their assigned polling location. For more information, visit the Durham County Board of Elections website.

Beginning with the 2023 municipal elections, all North Carolina voters will be asked to provide photo identification when voting in-person or by absentee ballot. Acceptable forms of ID include:

  • North Carolina driver’s license
  • State ID from the NCDMV for NC residents (also called “non-operator ID”)
  • Driver’s license or non-driver ID from another state, District of Columbia or U.S. territory (only if voter registered in North Carolina within 90 days of the election)
  • U.S. Passport or U.S. Passport card
  • North Carolina voter photo ID card issued by a county board of elections
  • College or university student ID approved by the State Board of Elections
  • State or local government or charter school employee ID approved by the State Board of Elections

The NC Board of Elections recently approved Duke University’s Student Voter ID Card as a valid form of identification when voting. The Duke Student Voter ID Card is a physical card, separate from the DukeCard, and will be provided to Duke students for free upon request. Several opportunities remain for students to request and pick up a voter ID card. A full list of card request deadlines and pickup events can be found here. Additional information on registering to vote, voting, and voter ID requirements can be found on the NC Board of Elections website or the Duke Votes website.

Duke University is committed to ensuring every member of the community who is eligible to vote has the opportunity. More information can be found online on the university voting policy.