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City elections in Winston-Salem, North Carolina (2020)
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| 2020 Winston-Salem elections |
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| Election dates |
| Filing deadline: December 20, 2019 |
| Primary election: March 3, 2020 General election: November 3, 2020 |
| Election stats |
| Offices up: Mayor and eight city council ward seats |
| Total seats up: 9 (click here for mayoral elections) |
| Election type: Partisan |
| Other municipal elections |
| U.S. municipal elections, 2020 |
The city of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, held general elections for mayor and eight city council ward seats on November 3, 2020. A primary was scheduled for March 3, 2020. The filing deadline for this election was December 20, 2019.
Winston-Salem is a city in Forsyth County, North Carolina. For information on 2020 elections in Forsyth County, click here.
Click here to learn more about the city's mayoral election.
Election procedure changes in 2020
Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.
North Carolina modified its absentee/mail-in voting and early voting procedures for the November 3, 2020, general election as follows:
- Absentee/mail-in voting: The witness signature requirement on completed absentee ballots decreased from two to one. The receipt deadline was extended to 5 p.m. on November 12, 2020, for ballots postmarked on or before Election Day.
- Early voting: Early voting sites were required to be open for at least 10 hours on the weekends of October 17-18, 2020, and October 24-25, 2020. Counties had to open at least one early voting site per 20,000 registered voters.
For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.
Elections
Click on the tabs below to show more information about those topics.
Candidates and results
Winston-Salem City Council general (November 3, 2020) |
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| Office |  Democratic |
 Republican |
Other |
| East Ward |
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Michael Banner (Independent) (Write-in) |
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| North Ward |
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Paula J. McCoy (Independent) (Write-in) |
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| Northeast Ward |
Gerald Fedele (Independent) (Write-in) |
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| Northwest Ward |
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Paula J. McCoy (Independent) (Write-in) |
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| South Ward |
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Paula J. McCoy (Independent) (Write-in) |
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| Southeast Ward |
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Wesley Longsdorf (Libertarian Party) |
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| Southwest Ward |
Michael Banner (Independent) (Write-in) |
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| West Ward |
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Paula J. McCoy (Independent) (Write-in) |
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Winston-Salem City Council primary (March 3, 2020) |
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| Office | Democratic |
Republican |
Other |
| East Ward |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| North Ward |
The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| Northeast Ward |
The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| Northwest Ward |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| South Ward |
The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| Southeast Ward |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
Libertarian Party  Wesley Longsdorf* |
| Southwest Ward |
The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| West Ward |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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Endorsements
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Additional elections on the ballot
- See also: North Carolina elections, 2020
What was at stake?
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Candidate survey
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About the city
- See also: Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem is a city in Forsyth County, North Carolina. As of 2020, its population was 249,545.
City government
- See also: Council-manager government
The city of Winston-Salem uses a council-manager system. In this form of municipal government, an elected city council—which includes the mayor and serves as the city's primary legislative body—appoints a chief executive called a city manager to oversee day-to-day municipal operations and implement the council's policy and legislative initiatives.[1]
Demographics
The following table displays demographic data provided by the United States Census Bureau.
| Demographic Data for Winston-Salem, North Carolina | ||
|---|---|---|
| Winston-Salem | North Carolina | |
| Population | 249,545 | 10,439,388 |
| Land area (sq mi) | 133 | 48,623 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White | 54.9% | 67.6% |
| Black/African American | 34.2% | 21.4% |
| Asian | 2.5% | 3% |
| Native American | 0.3% | 1.2% |
| Pacific Islander | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Other (single race) | N/A | 3.2% |
| Multiple | 5% | 3.6% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 15.1% | 9.5% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate | 87.9% | 88.5% |
| College graduation rate | 34.3% | 32% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income | $47,269 | $56,642 |
| Persons below poverty level | 19.2% | 14% |
| Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2020). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2015-2020). | ||
| **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Pivot Counties
- See also: Pivot Counties by state
Six of 100 North Carolina counties—6 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.
| Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County | Trump margin of victory in 2016 | Obama margin of victory in 2012 | Obama margin of victory in 2008 | ||||
| Bladen County, North Carolina | 9.39% | 1.97% | 2.07% | ||||
| Gates County, North Carolina | 9.07% | 4.11% | 5.22% | ||||
| Granville County, North Carolina | 2.49% | 4.54% | 6.58% | ||||
| Martin County, North Carolina | 0.43% | 4.65% | 4.64% | ||||
| Richmond County, North Carolina | 9.74% | 2.95% | 1.50% | ||||
| Robeson County, North Carolina | 4.27% | 17.41% | 13.78% | ||||
In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won North Carolina with 49.8 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 46.2 percent. In presidential elections between 1792 and 2016, North Carolina voted Democratic 53.5 percent of the time and Republican 25 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, North Carolina voted Republican all five times with the exception of the 2008 presidential election.[2]
Presidential results by legislative district
The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in North Carolina. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[3][4]
| In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 40 out of 120 state House districts in North Carolina with an average margin of victory of 38.3 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 44 out of 120 state House districts in North Carolina with an average margin of victory of 36.4 points. Clinton won three districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections. |
| In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 80 out of 120 state House districts in North Carolina with an average margin of victory of 22.7 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 76 out of 120 state House districts in North Carolina with an average margin of victory of 27.7 points. Trump won five districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections. |
| 2016 presidential results by state House district | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Obama | Romney | 2012 Margin | Clinton | Trump | 2016 Margin | Party Control |
| 1 | 39.07% | 59.75% | R+20.7 | 32.23% | 64.86% | R+32.6 | R |
| 2 | 45.36% | 53.77% | R+8.4 | 41.98% | 55.70% | R+13.7 | R |
| 3 | 39.50% | 59.71% | R+20.2 | 37.03% | 60.71% | R+23.7 | R |
| 4 | 34.52% | 64.80% | R+30.3 | 32.81% | 65.32% | R+32.5 | R |
| 5 | 66.40% | 33.04% | D+33.4 | 60.73% | 37.68% | D+23.1 | D |
| 6 | 41.31% | 57.70% | R+16.4 | 37.74% | 59.79% | R+22 | R |
| 7 | 61.12% | 38.34% | D+22.8 | 59.67% | 38.69% | D+21 | D |
| 8 | 44.59% | 54.67% | R+10.1 | 44.25% | 53.51% | R+9.3 | R |
| 9 | 43.79% | 55.31% | R+11.5 | 44.05% | 52.81% | R+8.8 | R |
| 10 | 32.61% | 66.71% | R+34.1 | 31.37% | 66.58% | R+35.2 | R |
| 11 | 62.10% | 35.81% | D+26.3 | 65.41% | 29.85% | D+35.6 | D |
| 12 | 57.29% | 42.15% | D+15.1 | 53.64% | 44.58% | D+9.1 | D |
| 13 | 31.14% | 67.96% | R+36.8 | 28.23% | 69.48% | R+41.2 | R |
| 14 | 39.87% | 59.05% | R+19.2 | 35.26% | 61.20% | R+25.9 | R |
| 15 | 34.90% | 63.92% | R+29 | 28.94% | 67.59% | R+38.7 | R |
| 16 | 36.25% | 62.86% | R+26.6 | 31.07% | 66.35% | R+35.3 | R |
| 17 | 36.26% | 62.94% | R+26.7 | 32.62% | 65.00% | R+32.4 | R |
| 18 | 62.39% | 36.46% | D+25.9 | 56.14% | 40.55% | D+15.6 | D |
| 19 | 40.85% | 57.94% | R+17.1 | 41.19% | 55.45% | R+14.3 | R |
| 20 | 39.49% | 59.33% | R+19.8 | 40.58% | 55.60% | R+15 | R |
| 21 | 65.25% | 34.32% | D+30.9 | 62.68% | 35.99% | D+26.7 | D |
| 22 | 43.73% | 55.60% | R+11.9 | 39.83% | 58.67% | R+18.8 | D |
| 23 | 62.89% | 36.74% | D+26.2 | 60.17% | 38.60% | D+21.6 | D |
| 24 | 74.47% | 25.04% | D+49.4 | 72.60% | 25.66% | D+46.9 | D |
| 25 | 38.23% | 60.96% | R+22.7 | 35.91% | 61.84% | R+25.9 | R |
| 26 | 38.98% | 59.91% | R+20.9 | 37.76% | 59.07% | R+21.3 | R |
| 27 | 66.33% | 33.28% | D+33 | 62.75% | 36.15% | D+26.6 | D |
| 28 | 32.52% | 66.58% | R+34.1 | 28.54% | 69.16% | R+40.6 | R |
| 29 | 85.11% | 14.02% | D+71.1 | 88.12% | 9.63% | D+78.5 | D |
| 30 | 70.85% | 28.07% | D+42.8 | 77.30% | 19.61% | D+57.7 | D |
| 31 | 82.65% | 16.65% | D+66 | 83.75% | 14.17% | D+69.6 | D |
| 32 | 65.02% | 34.58% | D+30.4 | 61.76% | 36.76% | D+25 | D |
| 33 | 81.34% | 17.53% | D+63.8 | 81.09% | 15.94% | D+65.2 | D |
| 34 | 62.78% | 35.76% | D+27 | 67.28% | 28.80% | D+38.5 | D |
| 35 | 44.44% | 54.51% | R+10.1 | 47.51% | 49.16% | R+1.7 | R |
| 36 | 44.86% | 53.90% | R+9 | 50.19% | 45.86% | D+4.3 | R |
| 37 | 42.89% | 55.76% | R+12.9 | 44.58% | 51.08% | R+6.5 | R |
| 38 | 78.90% | 20.26% | D+58.6 | 78.47% | 19.01% | D+59.5 | D |
| 39 | 57.12% | 41.74% | D+15.4 | 57.85% | 38.85% | D+19 | D |
| 40 | 46.18% | 52.52% | R+6.3 | 52.39% | 43.60% | D+8.8 | D |
| 41 | 50.04% | 48.63% | D+1.4 | 57.26% | 38.74% | D+18.5 | D |
| 42 | 73.16% | 26.19% | D+47 | 71.85% | 25.66% | D+46.2 | D |
| 43 | 67.66% | 31.73% | D+35.9 | 64.79% | 32.77% | D+32 | D |
| 44 | 51.66% | 47.45% | D+4.2 | 50.97% | 45.97% | D+5 | D |
| 45 | 43.67% | 55.55% | R+11.9 | 39.47% | 57.82% | R+18.3 | R |
| 46 | 42.45% | 56.86% | R+14.4 | 35.55% | 63.04% | R+27.5 | R |
| 47 | 58.64% | 40.32% | D+18.3 | 45.40% | 52.38% | R+7 | D |
| 48 | 67.88% | 31.42% | D+36.5 | 60.08% | 38.08% | D+22 | D |
| 49 | 46.75% | 52.19% | R+5.4 | 54.02% | 42.19% | D+11.8 | D |
| 50 | 57.85% | 40.99% | D+16.9 | 58.33% | 38.67% | D+19.7 | D |
| 51 | 40.42% | 58.52% | R+18.1 | 36.86% | 60.20% | R+23.3 | R |
| 52 | 36.18% | 63.11% | R+26.9 | 34.94% | 62.15% | R+27.2 | R |
| 53 | 40.43% | 58.68% | R+18.2 | 37.83% | 59.61% | R+21.8 | R |
| 54 | 52.55% | 46.52% | D+6 | 53.78% | 43.36% | D+10.4 | D |
| 55 | 39.63% | 59.55% | R+19.9 | 33.67% | 64.12% | R+30.5 | R |
| 56 | 76.58% | 21.93% | D+54.7 | 81.22% | 15.78% | D+65.4 | D |
| 57 | 73.72% | 25.56% | D+48.2 | 73.89% | 23.97% | D+49.9 | D |
| 58 | 77.83% | 21.42% | D+56.4 | 78.39% | 19.21% | D+59.2 | D |
| 59 | 40.94% | 58.07% | R+17.1 | 43.10% | 54.02% | R+10.9 | R |
| 60 | 78.79% | 20.56% | D+58.2 | 77.66% | 20.26% | D+57.4 | D |
| 61 | 41.22% | 57.90% | R+16.7 | 43.79% | 53.30% | R+9.5 | R |
| 62 | 43.41% | 55.66% | R+12.2 | 46.55% | 50.23% | R+3.7 | R |
| 63 | 43.77% | 55.31% | R+11.5 | 43.91% | 53.48% | R+9.6 | R |
| 64 | 41.50% | 57.66% | R+16.2 | 40.64% | 56.88% | R+16.2 | R |
| 65 | 39.24% | 59.93% | R+20.7 | 34.18% | 63.90% | R+29.7 | R |
| 66 | 50.14% | 49.07% | D+1.1 | 44.86% | 52.75% | R+7.9 | D |
| 67 | 31.16% | 67.81% | R+36.6 | 25.66% | 72.18% | R+46.5 | R |
| 68 | 36.03% | 63.07% | R+27 | 36.68% | 59.73% | R+23.1 | R |
| 69 | 36.47% | 62.53% | R+26.1 | 34.32% | 62.55% | R+28.2 | R |
| 70 | 25.89% | 73.02% | R+47.1 | 22.47% | 75.21% | R+52.7 | R |
| 71 | 73.71% | 25.48% | D+48.2 | 72.37% | 24.90% | D+47.5 | D |
| 72 | 70.87% | 28.46% | D+42.4 | 72.50% | 24.96% | D+47.5 | D |
| 73 | 25.05% | 73.49% | R+48.4 | 19.25% | 78.41% | R+59.2 | R |
| 74 | 39.29% | 59.69% | R+20.4 | 40.06% | 56.70% | R+16.6 | R |
| 75 | 42.46% | 56.51% | R+14.1 | 44.27% | 52.43% | R+8.2 | R |
| 76 | 32.63% | 66.25% | R+33.6 | 26.49% | 71.30% | R+44.8 | R |
| 77 | 37.74% | 61.25% | R+23.5 | 32.03% | 65.52% | R+33.5 | R |
| 78 | 24.09% | 74.93% | R+50.8 | 19.67% | 78.28% | R+58.6 | R |
| 79 | 33.69% | 65.34% | R+31.7 | 33.43% | 63.34% | R+29.9 | R |
| 80 | 26.50% | 72.43% | R+45.9 | 22.95% | 74.61% | R+51.7 | R |
| 81 | 31.87% | 67.00% | R+35.1 | 25.84% | 71.60% | R+45.8 | R |
| 82 | 41.86% | 57.06% | R+15.2 | 43.08% | 53.51% | R+10.4 | R |
| 83 | 40.29% | 58.67% | R+18.4 | 38.03% | 59.11% | R+21.1 | R |
| 84 | 34.47% | 64.56% | R+30.1 | 29.74% | 68.05% | R+38.3 | R |
| 85 | 29.12% | 69.71% | R+40.6 | 22.21% | 75.83% | R+53.6 | R |
| 86 | 38.15% | 60.64% | R+22.5 | 30.31% | 67.09% | R+36.8 | R |
| 87 | 31.49% | 67.12% | R+35.6 | 23.47% | 74.16% | R+50.7 | R |
| 88 | 45.63% | 53.22% | R+7.6 | 54.80% | 40.57% | D+14.2 | D |
| 89 | 32.82% | 66.05% | R+33.2 | 26.16% | 71.32% | R+45.2 | R |
| 90 | 30.65% | 68.17% | R+37.5 | 23.14% | 74.57% | R+51.4 | R |
| 91 | 35.21% | 63.69% | R+28.5 | 28.79% | 68.75% | R+40 | R |
| 92 | 52.61% | 46.42% | D+6.2 | 55.42% | 40.77% | D+14.7 | D |
| 93 | 42.77% | 55.22% | R+12.5 | 41.58% | 54.48% | R+12.9 | R |
| 94 | 29.16% | 69.58% | R+40.4 | 22.48% | 75.35% | R+52.9 | R |
| 95 | 34.05% | 64.95% | R+30.9 | 30.76% | 66.16% | R+35.4 | R |
| 96 | 36.56% | 62.36% | R+25.8 | 33.21% | 63.78% | R+30.6 | R |
| 97 | 30.07% | 68.92% | R+38.9 | 24.95% | 72.61% | R+47.7 | R |
| 98 | 43.13% | 55.96% | R+12.8 | 47.37% | 48.84% | R+1.5 | R |
| 99 | 82.32% | 17.15% | D+65.2 | 80.97% | 16.82% | D+64.1 | D |
| 100 | 73.70% | 25.10% | D+48.6 | 73.96% | 22.47% | D+51.5 | D |
| 101 | 74.92% | 24.37% | D+50.6 | 75.11% | 22.40% | D+52.7 | D |
| 102 | 83.35% | 15.90% | D+67.4 | 80.04% | 16.78% | D+63.3 | D |
| 103 | 44.46% | 54.49% | R+10 | 47.72% | 49.05% | R+1.3 | R |
| 104 | 43.47% | 55.67% | R+12.2 | 52.29% | 43.74% | D+8.5 | R |
| 105 | 42.40% | 56.77% | R+14.4 | 49.86% | 46.71% | D+3.1 | R |
| 106 | 85.84% | 13.48% | D+72.4 | 84.91% | 13.08% | D+71.8 | D |
| 107 | 80.29% | 18.93% | D+61.4 | 78.80% | 18.56% | D+60.2 | D |
| 108 | 38.42% | 60.50% | R+22.1 | 34.04% | 63.24% | R+29.2 | R |
| 109 | 40.80% | 58.27% | R+17.5 | 37.73% | 59.48% | R+21.7 | R |
| 110 | 35.30% | 63.74% | R+28.4 | 30.10% | 67.87% | R+37.8 | R |
| 111 | 35.81% | 63.24% | R+27.4 | 29.81% | 68.35% | R+38.5 | R |
| 112 | 32.80% | 66.12% | R+33.3 | 24.47% | 73.43% | R+49 | R |
| 113 | 37.58% | 61.29% | R+23.7 | 34.83% | 62.59% | R+27.8 | R |
| 114 | 73.38% | 25.18% | D+48.2 | 73.93% | 23.07% | D+50.9 | D |
| 115 | 48.12% | 50.52% | R+2.4 | 47.29% | 49.54% | R+2.2 | D |
| 116 | 43.61% | 55.12% | R+11.5 | 44.41% | 52.24% | R+7.8 | D |
| 117 | 36.77% | 62.07% | R+25.3 | 35.57% | 61.42% | R+25.8 | R |
| 118 | 41.50% | 57.02% | R+15.5 | 32.52% | 64.60% | R+32.1 | R |
| 119 | 47.93% | 50.40% | R+2.5 | 40.80% | 55.45% | R+14.7 | R |
| 120 | 30.12% | 68.56% | R+38.4 | 23.73% | 73.79% | R+50.1 | R |
| Total | 48.48% | 50.53% | R+2 | 46.76% | 50.46% | R+3.7 | - |
| Source: Daily Kos | |||||||
See also
| Winston-Salem, North Carolina | North Carolina | Municipal government | Other local coverage |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ City of Winston-Salem, "City Manager," accessed October 28, 2014
- ↑ 270towin.com, "North Carolina," accessed June 1, 2017
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
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