DETROIT — For nearly 100 years, since 1918, Detroiters have been electing their entire city council, which serves as the City’s legislative body, at large. However, this year, as a result of the passage of the City’s new charter, seven members of the nine-person council will be elected by district. 

The charter divided Detroit into seven geographical electoral districts, whose populations are similar in size.  Two councilpersons will be elected at large, by and for, the entire City.

Petitions were filed and verified by 68 candidates. Twelve candidates are running for the two at-large seats, while 58 candidates are unequally distributed over the seven districts. 

Five current council members will not be running for reelection, including Council President Charles Pugh. Pro Tempore Gary Brown, who acts as the Council’s vice president, along with members Kenneth Cockrel, Kwame Kenyatta and JoAnn Watson have also opted not to run.

Below is a list of City candidates:

District One (the northwest corner of the City): Darryl Brown, Marc Cayce, Wanda Jan Hill, Ulice Sherman and James Tate (I).

District Two (the north part of the City): Ervin Bassett, Richard Bowers Jr., John W. Cromer, George Cushingberry Jr., Barbara Herard, Leslie Love, Derrick Muhammad, Carron Pinkins, Kenneth L. Scott, Mark Slater and Hollie Tugwell.

District Three (the northeast side of the City): Francine Adams, Russell Bellant, Myron Benford, Scott Benson, Melia Howard, Adam R. Mundy, Wanda Redmond, Eugene Slappy and Dorthea Thomas.

District Four (the east side of the City): Albert Aaron, Helena Blakemore, Bettie Cook-Scott, Ronald D. Diebel, Jessie Lee Fennie, Corey Josef Gilchrist, Khalil Ligon and Andre Spivey (I).

District Five (includes Downtown and Midtown): Naomi Anderson, Adam Hollier, Willie McLeod, Attie Pollard, Yusef Shakur, Mary Sheffield, DaNetta Simpson, Brian White and Bonnie Warmack.

District Six (the southwest side of the City): Tyrone Anthony Carter, Nina Fawaz, Vincent Keenan, Raquel Castaneda-Lopez, William I. Robinson, Davonte Sherard, Suneil Singh and Mary Waters

District Seven (the West Side of the City): John Bennett, Rob Bennett, Dustin Campbell, William Scott Phillips, Regina Ross and Tonya Renay Wells.

At-Large: Cedric Banks, David Bullock, George Cunningham, Lucinda Cindy Darrah, Angles Lisa Hunt, Saunteel Jenkins (I), Brenda Jones (I), Beverly Kindle-Walker, Monica Lewis-Patrick, Johnathan Meade, Roy McCalister and Jessica Rayford-Clark

The next Detroit mayor will be stripped of some of his traditional executive powers, as the City is currently under State control, and the state-appointed emergency manager has the final say on financial issues. 

Current Mayor Dave Bing announced that he will not be running for reelection only hours before May 14’s final deadline to file petitions. 

Below is the list of the 21 candidates who are contending for the City’s mayoral post:

Tom Barrow, Angelo Brown, Tawanza Brown, D’Artagnan M. Collier, Krystal A. Crittendon, Michael E. Duggan, Fred Durhal Jr., Cheryl Franklin, Herman Griffin, Willie Lipscomb, Lisa Howze, Raymond J. Lile Jr., Benny Napoleon, John Olumba, Sigmunt Szczepkowski, Jean Vortkamp, Delores Scott, Mark Murphy, Velina Patterson-Dockery, Deneshea Richey and Percy Ross III. 

The top two candidates in the primary elections, which will be held on August 6, will face off in the general elections on November 5. 

According to a poll by Mitchell Research and Communications, former prosecutor Mike Duggan and Wayne County Sherriff Benny Napoleon have the lead in the mayoral race.