Livable Raleigh is urging voters to write in former District B City Councilor David Cox rather than choose either name printed on Raleigh’s mayoral ballot. Cox is not formally running, and the group describes the effort as a protest over the direction of Mayor Janet Cowell’s administration ahead of Tuesday’s election.
Livable Raleigh said many voters plan to write in Cox, whom the group believes served well on the council, according to the Raleigh News & Observer. The group has not endorsed either candidate listed on the ballot: incumbent Janet Cowell or challenger Ashleigh Heath Armstrong.
Cox served three terms representing District B, from 2015 through 2022. In an interview with the News & Observer on Monday, he said he would serve if the write-in effort succeeded: “If enough people wanted to and that long shot paid off, I would honor that, and I would serve.” He also acknowledged the odds were against him and said he is not actively campaigning.
Why Cox Isn't Officially on the Ballot
Cox told the News & Observer that his wife died shortly before the mayoral filing period opened, and that he decided not to run because of her death. He said he is open to voters writing him in and still has supporters from his time on the council. The article reported that, because he is not actively campaigning, Cox is exempt from forming a candidate committee or reporting campaign finances to the Wake County Board of Elections.
Armstrong, the challenger whose name does appear on the ballot alongside Cowell's per the Wake County Board of Elections candidate list, told the News & Observer she filed primarily because no one else had, and that Cox had told her he wasn't interested in running. Despite being on the ballot herself, Armstrong said she wholly supports Cox as a write-in candidate and as mayor. She did not respond to the newspaper's questions Monday.
Cox's Case Against Five Districts
Cox told the News & Observer he favors expanding Raleigh’s council from five districts to 10, arguing that the current districts each represent roughly 100,000 people and that more districts could increase minority representation across the city.
Cox also told the paper he believes residents should have more involvement in city decisions. He said he would welcome a broader discussion of community engagement, regardless of whether the write-in effort succeeds.
A Lingering Fight Over Neighborhood Advisory Councils
Cox cited Raleigh’s Citizen Advisory Councils (CACs), neighborhood groups created as a city-funded way to advise the city on local issues. The city ended its funding and support in 2020, although some councils continued meeting independently. Cox and Corey Branch were the two council members who voted against ending city support for the program.
Raleigh restored support for the councils in 2024, as the News & Observer previously reported. The councils have less authority than before to review proposed development in their areas. Cox told the paper he was disappointed that Cowell had not worked to restore their former powers.
What Raleigh Restored for Advisory Councils
The 2024 restoration brought official city support back to the Citizen Advisory Councils. According to INDY Week, the City Council voted unanimously to restore that support, with the motion calling for free community-center space, live meeting technology and funding if needed.
What North Carolina Law Says About Write-Ins
North Carolina permits voters to write in a preferred name, though write-ins can be used as protest votes or jokes, including for candidates such as Mickey Mouse. The News & Observer cited a historical example of a successful write-in: Strom Thurmond won a U.S. Senate seat in South Carolina in 1954 as a Democrat through a write-in campaign.
Whether a write-in vote for Cox would be counted is a separate question. State law, according to the North Carolina General Assembly’s elections statute, says votes for write-in names other than qualified write-in candidates are not counted. Early voting in Raleigh’s mayoral race ran from October 15 through October 31, with Election Day on Tuesday.
