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DeDreana Freeman
DeDreana Freeman is a member of the Durham City Council in North Carolina, representing Ward 1. She assumed office in 2017. Her current term ends in 2025.
Freeman is running for re-election to the Durham City Council to represent Ward 1 in North Carolina. She is on the ballot in the primary on October 7, 2025.[source]
Freeman completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
DeDreana Freeman earned a B.A. in communication from Rutgers University and a graduate degree from North Carolina Central University.[1][2]
Freeman's experience includes work as the special assistant to the president of the nonprofit organization the East Durham Children's Initiative and service as the founder of the Durham Equitable Economic Partnership, a Durham Democratic Party precinct chair, a convention delegate and state executive board member for the North Carolina Democratic Party, a member of the Durham City and County Planning Commission, the president of the Inter-Neighborhood Council of Durham, and the chair of the Northeast Central Durham Leadership Council and the County of Durham Transportation Advisory Board.[1]
Elections
2025
See also: City elections in Durham, North Carolina (2025)
General election
The primary will occur on October 7, 2025. The general election will occur on November 4, 2025. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Durham City Council Ward 1
The following candidates are running in the primary for Durham City Council Ward 1 on October 7, 2025.
Candidate | ||
 | DeDreana Freeman (Nonpartisan)  | |
| Andrea Cazales (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Elijah King (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Matt Kopac (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Samaria McKenzie (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Sheryl Smith (Nonpartisan) | ||
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Endorsements
Freeman received the following endorsements. To send us additional endorsements, click here.
2023
See also: Mayoral election in Durham, North Carolina (2023)
General election
General election for Mayor of Durham
Leonardo Williams defeated Mike Woodard in the general election for Mayor of Durham on November 7, 2023.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Leonardo Williams (Nonpartisan) | 63.5 | 24,366 |
 | Mike Woodard (Nonpartisan) | 36.2 | 13,899 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.3 | 132 | ||
| Total votes: 38,397 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Mayor of Durham
The following candidates ran in the primary for Mayor of Durham on October 10, 2023.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Leonardo Williams (Nonpartisan) | 51.2 | 12,206 |
| ✔ | | Mike Woodard (Nonpartisan) | 29.0 | 6,902 |
| DeDreana Freeman (Nonpartisan) | 14.2 | 3,381 | |
| Marshall Williams, Jr (Nonpartisan) | 2.1 | 502 | ||
 | Sylvester Williams (Nonpartisan) | 1.5 | 348 | |
| Charlitta Burruss (Nonpartisan) | 0.9 | 225 | ||
| Nick Pettiford (Nonpartisan) | 0.8 | 202 | ||
| Jontae Dunston (Nonpartisan) | 0.3 | 66 | ||
| Total votes: 23,832 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Endorsements
Freeman received the following endorsements.
2021
See also: City elections in Durham, North Carolina (2021)
General election
General election for Durham City Council Ward 1
Incumbent DeDreana Freeman defeated Marion Johnson in the general election for Durham City Council Ward 1 on November 2, 2021.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | DeDreana Freeman (Nonpartisan) | 71.1 | 21,408 |
 | Marion Johnson (Nonpartisan) | 28.7 | 8,631 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.3 | 84 | ||
| Total votes: 30,123 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Durham City Council Ward 1
Incumbent DeDreana Freeman and Marion Johnson defeated Elizabeth Takla and Waldo Fenner in the primary for Durham City Council Ward 1 on October 5, 2021.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | DeDreana Freeman (Nonpartisan) | 69.5 | 13,658 |
| ✔ | | Marion Johnson (Nonpartisan) | 26.9 | 5,292 |
| Elizabeth Takla (Nonpartisan) | 2.1 | 413 | ||
| Waldo Fenner (Nonpartisan) | 1.5 | 297 | ||
| Total votes: 19,660 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2017
Durham, North Carolina, held a general election for mayor and the Ward 1, Ward 2, and Ward 3 seats on the city council on November 7, 2017. A primary election was held on October 10, 2017. The filing deadline for candidates who wished to run in this election was July 21, 2017.[3] DeDreana Freeman defeated incumbent Cora Cole-McFadden in the general election for the Ward 1 seat on the Durham City Council.[4]
| Durham City Council, Ward 1 General Election, 2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 DeDreana Freeman |
54.41% | 18,957 |
| Cora Cole-McFadden Incumbent | 45.44% | 15,831 |
| Write-in votes | 0.15% | 53 |
| Total Votes | 34,841 | |
| Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections, "11/07/2017 Official Municipal Election Results - Durham," accessed November 22, 2017 | ||
DeDreana Freeman and incumbent Cora Cole-McFadden defeated Brian Callaway and John Tarantino in the primary election for the Ward 1 seat on the Durham City Council.[4]
| Durham City Council, Ward 1 Primary Election, 2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| DeDreana Freeman |
48.09% | 11,858 |
| Cora Cole-McFadden Incumbent |
42.81% | 10,557 |
| Brian Callaway | 5.85% | 1,443 |
| John Tarantino | 3.24% | 800 |
| Total Votes | 24,658 | |
| Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections, "10/10/2017 Official Primary Election Results - Durham," accessed October 27, 2017 | ||
Campaign themes
2025
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
DeDreana Freeman completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Freeman's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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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 on the Durham City Council representing Ward 1 and has held leadership roles on numerous city, regional, and national boards.- I committed to building an Equitable Durham for Everyone. A people-first Durham fighting for fairness, easing the load on seniors, uplifting working families, supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs, all while keeping community voices first.
Building up People Partnerships and Possibilities!
Focused on Impact You Can S.E.E. “Social, Economic, and Environmental” Justice to create a more inclusive, thriving and welcoming Durham.
Building with people lasting partnerships and incredible Possibilities! - I'm running for re-election because our work is not done," said Council Member Freeman. "From housing affordability to environmental justice and economic inclusion and fairness, we must keep moving forward together. I remain deeply committed to lifting up voices that are too often left out and making sure every child, every senior, and every worker has a place in Durham's future.
- I’m running to co-create a thriving, resilient Durham, where families, small businesses, and communities can grow together with dignity, equity, and that unmistakable Bull City grit.
The Durham City Council is unique because it sits at the intersection of local governance and state frameworks, where decisions directly shape people’s daily lives. It’s important because we set policies on housing, development, equity, and community safety that protect historically underserved communities while ensuring Durham’s voice is strong in the broader legal and state government system.
She was a trainer with the dRworks (dismantling Racism) Training Team she continued to address the impact of racism, sexism, class-ism, hetero-sexism, homophobia that undermined work for justice.
An effective leader must be a good listener, engaging with constituents to truly understand their needs and experiences. They must approach decision-making with equity at the center, ensuring policies work for everyone, especially those historically left out of the conversation.
It also requires protecting the public’s trust, fostering collaboration between residents, businesses, and government, and addressing systemic barriers that limit opportunity. An effective council member must balance immediate neighborhood concerns with long-term planning that builds a stronger, more inclusive, and sustainable city for generations to come.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
2023
DeDreana Freeman did not complete Ballotpedia's 2023 Candidate Connection survey.
2021
DeDreana Freeman did not complete Ballotpedia's 2021 Candidate Connection survey.
2017
Freeman's campaign website highlighted the following issues:
| “ |
Create Policies that foster Economic Growth & Stability for all Neighborhoods in Durham
Develop Land Use Policies that support Equitable Development & Environmental Justice
Support Transportation Policies that ensure equitable access to housing around transportation hubs, ensuring access to transportation
Assuring Community Health & Safety for all in every Durham community
|
” |
| —DeDreana Freeman's campaign website, (2017)[6] | ||
See also
2025 Elections
External links
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Candidate Durham City Council Ward 1 |
Officeholder Durham City Council Ward 1 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Elect DeDreana Freeman - Durham City Council Ward 1," accessed October 4, 2017
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on September 8, 2025
- ↑ Durham County Board of Elections, "2017 Election Schedule," accessed July 5, 2017
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Durham Board of Elections, "Candidate Detail List," accessed July 21, 2017
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Elect DeDreana Freeman - Durham City Council Ward 1, "Leadership for an Equitable Durham," accessed October 4, 2017
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