Editing 2026 Election (section)

=== Recent election-structure changes ===
On May 7, 2024, the Raleigh City Council adopted Ordinance (2024) 627 amending the city charter to change the structure of municipal elections beginning in 2026. The ordinance established four-year staggered terms for the mayor and city council and adopted a nonpartisan primary and election system.<ref name="RaleighOrdinance627">{{Cite web|url=https://cityofraleigh0drupal.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/drupal-prod/COR14/municipal-election-changes-2024-627.pdf|title=Ordinance No. (2024) 627: An Ordinance to Revise the Number and Election of Members Section of the Charter of the City of Raleigh|publisher=|accessdate=|website=City of Raleigh|date=Unknown|access-date=February 1, 2026}}</ref> The two candidates to receive the most votes in the primary will appear on the general election ballot in November.

Under the adopted transition plan, all mayoral and city council seats appear on the 2026 ballot. Certain offices are elected to four-year terms and others to two-year terms in 2026 in order to establish staggered elections in subsequent cycles.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://raleighnc.gov/government/services/vote-local-our-community-our-city-your-vote|title=Vote Local: Our Community, Our City, Your Vote!|publisher=City of Raleigh|accessdate=February 1, 2026}}</ref>