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

Anjanee Bell, daughter of former Durham Mayor William Bell, on Monday officially filed to challenge Leonardo Williams for the job of leading the City Council.

She enters the race running on an agenda labeled Durham is H.O.P.E – clearly throwing a bit of shade at incumbent Mayor Leonardo Williams’ “Durham is Dope” slogan.

Bell’s H.O.P.E. stands for Housing and Healing, Opportunity and Ownership, People’s Safety and People’s Trust, and Environment and Education.

“Durham, North Carolina is a city full of brilliance, resiliance, and care,” Bell said in a news release on her campaign site. “Too many of our neighbors are being priced out, pushed out, or left behind. I am running to lead with clarity and compassion—and to help build a Durham that truly works for the people who already call it home.”

Her campaign commitments include:

Expanding tenant protections and keeping people housed.
Investing in local businesses, artists, and youth.
Reimagining public safety.
Treating schools, libraries, parks, and neighborhoods as sacred civic ground.

“Every block tells a story,” she said. “Every neighborhood deserves respect. Every artist, child, elder, and worker deserves a real stake in Durham’s future. “This is not just about policy. It is about people. It is about building a Durham where everyone is seen, safe, heard, and supported – no matter their ZIP code.”

She’s 48, and an alum of Jordan High School, UNC Greensboro, and N.C. Central University.

DeDreana Freeman, the incumbent representative for Ward 1 on Durham City Council, also filed paperwork for the upcoming election.