Goal 4 in the 2025-2030 Durham Comprehensive Aging Plan’s Civic Engagement domain is “Promote equitable voter participation and civic engagement throughout Durham.” This includes making sure that all older adults have information about voter requirements, poll locations, voting periods and deadlines. It also means Durham having accessible polling locations and that transportation is available to all older voters who need it in order to participate. What that in mind, Aging Well Durham is sharing the following resources about free rides to the polls this fall:
- GoDurham Connect is a flexible ride service that takes us where we need to go within the North or East Durham Zones. You can request a same-day ride to the polls in a sedan, minivan or 12-passenger van. Please visit the GoDurham Connect page for more information including an interactive map to check if your address is in the two zones – https://godurhamtransit.org/news/godurham-connect
- The Durham Housing Authority Durham is offering free rides to the polls for early vote and Election Day. Call 833-628-6827 (833-NC-VOTAR)
- Durham Drives works with Durham volunteers to provide free rides for everyone.
Candidates for This Year’s City Elections Share Their Visions for an Age-Friendly Durham
As a 501c3 nonprofit organization, Aging Well Durham does not endorse or oppose any political candidates. Our focus remains on our mission to promote collaborative efforts to build a safe, affordable, accessible and connected community for aging adults in Durham. Aging Well Durham engages in non-partisan activities to educate the public on policy issues relevant to our work. We do not support or oppose any political candidates or parties.
The 2025 Durham Comprehensive Aging Plan’s Community Advisory Council developed a candidate’s questionnaire during its July 2025 meeting. The Council sent an introduction and the questionnaire’s link to each individual running for the 4 municipal seats using the email addresses listed on filing applications. The questionnaire was open from August 18th -September 8th. Click this sentence to go to the Durham County Board of Elections website page to learn more about this year’s voting timeline and polling locations.
The biographical statements sent in by each candidates who answered the questionnaire can be found below. The statements are organized by the offices that are being voted-on and alphabetically by the candidates’ last names. Click on the candidate’s name to read their full responses to the questionnaire. Candidates who did not respond are listed below as well.
All of the views expressed by the candidates in their responses to the
questionnaire are their own. Aging Well Durham does not support or oppose
any political candidates or parties. Some of the candidates’ responses have
been edited for spelling.
Candidates for Ward I Council Seat
Dreana Freeman, Candidate for Ward I Council
Biographical Statement
DeDreana Freeman is a Community-Based Leader with proven results around Equity in Action. For nearly eight years on the Durham City Council, Freeman has been a bold and consistent advocate for justice. With a track record of advancing social, economic, and environmental equity, she brings the leadership experience and lived perspective needed to guide Durham into a more inclusive future. A nonprofit leader, policy strategist, and established consultant, DeDreana has also held executive roles with state and local non profits. She is an alumna of both Rutgers University and North Carolina Central University, where she earned a Master of Public Administration.
DeDreana’s lived experience fuels her passion for challenging the status quo. A mother of three, a wife, and a community based leader, she channels her advocacy into real policy change, centering the voices of those too often left out of the conversation. She currently serves in leadership roles on numerous
city, regional, and national boards.
Elijah King, Candidate for Ward l Council
Biographical Statement
I am a proud son of Durham, shaped by this community and committed to serving it. My belief has always been that politics is about service, not status. As Third Vice Chair of the NC Democratic Party, I’ve built relationships across rural and urban communities to expand access and representation. Here at home, I’ve served on boards from the NC AIDS Action Network to Made in Durham. I co-founded the Durham Neighbors Free Lunch Initiative, which delivered 60,000 meals during the pandemic, and the Durham Youth Environmental Justice Initiative, empowering the next generation at the intersection of climate and equity. I’ve organized for accountability in policing and restorative justice in schools, and was unanimously re-elected to a second term as a state party leader. As a young, Black, LGBTQ candidate
with lived experience and proven results, I know Durham’s greatest strength is its people. My campaign is rooted in service, equity, and opportunity for all.
Matt Kopac, Candidate for Ward l Council
Biographical Statement
Hi, I’m Matt – a proud husband, father, son, and long-time Durham resident with deep roots in this community. My parents taught me to work for peace and fight for justice, shaping my career in service. As a Peace Corps Volunteer, I learned to listen deeply and support grassroots community development. Advocating for federal affordable housing taught me how to develop policy and navigate complex systems. As a sustainability professional today, I help organizations develop long-term strategies and make progress on emissions reductions, waste reduction, and human rights. As a Durham Planning Commissioner, I’ve faced tough choices balancing growth with community and environmental needs. As Chair of the Environmental Affairs Board, I helped residents spur local government action, including the city’s Carbon Neutrality and Renewable Energy Plan. And I’ve also been a leading advocate for living wages and sustainable growth in Durham.
We are a community at a crossroads. Too many people are struggling, being pushed out, and finding it hard to live here. Trump and MAGA’s attacks are cutting vital programs and targeting immigrants and the diversity that makes Durham strong. We face climate threats like extreme heat and disasters like Tropical Storm Chantal. Yet, Durham is a city that looks out for one another. I believe in our city government and our community’s resilience and compassion, even as times get more difficult.
I believe now is the time for us to come together to build the Durham we all deserve. I’m running for City Council because I am a bridge builder who listens, cares, and fights for real solutions to help us realize that future. I’m running so we can work together to promote affordability, prevent displacement, invest in climate resilience, and keep each other safe. If we work together, we can make Durham a city that truly works for everyone.
Samaria McKenzie, Candidate for Ward I Council
Biographical Statement
I’m running for Durham City Council (Ward 1) to fight for community over corporations and progress through sustainability.
As an independent candidate, nonprofit founder, Marketing Director, author in social psychology, musician, and mother, I bring more than a decade of experience managing multi-million-dollar budgets and leading initiatives that put people first.
My campaign is centered on protecting tenants and land, combating crime-bred addiction with compassion, addressing the housing crisis and investing in neighborhoods too often left behind.
I strive to be a beacon of integrity in politics and to ensure Durham’s systems truly reflect and serve its people.I pursued Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Later, I moved on to get an education in Marketing and Advertising Design at Sessions College, and officially started my profession in leadership as a Marketing Director and budget consultant. Then, while pregnant with my daughter, I earned my North Carolina Real Estate license.
That background, combined with my lived experience here in Durham, drives me to approach challenges with both strategy and compassion.
Candidates for Ward ll Council Seat
Ashley N. Robbins, Candidate for Ward II Council
Biographical Statement
Ashley N. Robbins is a disability services professional in higher education. In her role as an Assistive Technology Manager, she supports college students with disabilities by connecting them with tools to enhance their educational experience and work, particularly individuals with visual impairments. She is currently completing a master’s program in Assistive Technology in Visual Impairment, building on an extensive academic foundation that includes holding a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from North Carolina Central University as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Communications, and a Bachelor of Arts in Africana Studies from North Carolina State University. Ashley’s exemplary leadership and academic excellence have been recognized by the North Carolina City County Management Association with an academic scholarship (2021–2022) and she served as President of the NCCU student chapter of the International City/County Management Association during the same period.
Ashley’s professional and community work is heavily concentrated on disability inclusion by improving accessibility in public spaces and programming. She has a wealth of knowledge and experience bridging community engagement with equitable policy development, particularly through her active involvement with the City of Durham. Some of her roles and accomplishments in this capacity include Engagement Ambassador with Engage Durham, Housing Policy Work Group facilitator, Citizens Advisory Committee board member, Community Development Partnership course graduate, and Community Leaders Pilot Program alumni.
Candidates for Ward III Council Seat
Chelsea Cook, Candidate for Ward III Council
Biographical Statement
My name is Chelsea Cook, and I am the current Ward III councilmember running for the same office. Originally, I applied for City Council because of my work in housing and my passion for keeping my community safe. I have served Durham for over 5 years as an eviction defense lawyer, representing low and middle income folks at risk of losing their housing, and this often included community elders and people on fixed incomes. I am proud to have recently started a new position at Duke Law where I will be teaching students to do the same public interest litigation. Through this work, I have seen the realities of the housing crisis in Durham, identified policy issues, and built relationships in the Durham community with people across all races, beliefs, and socio-economic backgrounds. I have been able to bring this knowledge with me to the council. Since I was unanimously appointed to this council position 1.5 years ago, I have learned a lot. However, I continue to ask a lot of question; it is important to me that I understand everything on which I vote and also that the public – our constituents – get to hear the answers. I believe in a transparent, caring, and intentional government, and particularly in the importance of local leaders listening to and really hearing their constituents. I am committed to staying open and accessible while doing my best to ensure Durham can continue to grow into a city where everyone can not only survive, but can thrive.
Terry McAnn, Candidate for Ward III Council
Biographical Statement
Terry McCann is an accomplished high school mathematics teacher & department chairperson with Durham Public Schools. He serves at J.D. Clement Early College High School on the campus of North Carolina Central University. In this role, Terry leads a team of highly effective teachers to improve the educational outcomes for all student learners by designing math curricula and pedagogy to enrich the educational process.
Diana Medoff, Candidate for Ward III Council
Biographical Statement
As a camp counselor, then teacher, now mom of three, I know a little something about bringing people together. Durham doesn’t need idealists who make perfect the enemy of good. We need folks who can find real solutions for real, everyday people.
I’m running to be a relentless problem-solver. I’m running for real results. I’m running because Durham is too expensive. I’m running because we have too many people who are struggling with the basics, and it doesn’t have to be this way. I’m running because I believe Durham deserves more.
Candidates for Durham Mayor
Lloyd Phillips, Candidate for Mayor
Provide a pathway forward to change Durham City Hall that is reflective and representative of it’s constituents.
Leonardo Williams, Candidate for Mayor
Mayor Leonardo (Leo) Williams is a visionary leader dedicated to Durham’s prosperity, drawing on his diverse background as a two-time Durham Public Schools Teacher of the Year, public school administrator, and entrepreneur. His journey from the classroom to City Hall highlights a deep commitment to community.
A proud North Carolina Central University alumnus, earning degrees in Music Education BA and Education Leadership MA, he met his wife, Zweli, at NCCU, and they are the parents of son, Izaiah, who attends Duke University.
Elected to the Durham City Council in December 2021 and sworn in as Mayor in December 2023, he leads a rapidly growing city of nearly 320,000, overseeing a $755 million city budget and championing policies that significantly enhance quality of life. His influence extends nationally; he was a featured speaker at the 2024 Democratic National Convention and has welcomed Presidents and Vice Presidents to the Greater Triangle region over 25 times, showcasing Durham’s vibrant culture of innovation and economic opportunity on the world stage.
Ward I Council Seat Candidates who did not respond to the Community Advisory Council’s questionnaire:
Andrea Cazales
Sheryl Smith
Ward II Council Seat Candidates who did not respond to the Community Advisory Council’s questionnaire:
Shanetta Burris
Mark-Anthony Middleton
Ward lll Council Seat Candidates who did not respond to the Community Advisory Council’s questionnaire:
Durant Long
Mayoral Candidates who did not respond to the Community Advisory Council’s questionnaire:
Anjanée Bell
Pablo Friedmann
Rafiq Zaidi
