Terry McCann

Terry McCann

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Nonpartisan

Candidate, Durham City Council Ward 3

Elections and appointments

Next election

October 7, 2025

Education

High school

Needham Broughton Senior High School

Associate

Durham Technical Community College, 2003

Bachelor's

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1993

Graduate

American College of Education, 2019

Personal

Birthplace

Morristown, N.J.

Religion

Christian

Profession

Educator

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

Terry McCann is running for election to the Durham City Council to represent Ward 3 in North Carolina. He is on the ballot in the primary on October 7, 2025.^[source]

McCann completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Terry McCann was born in Morristown, New Jersey. He earned a high school diploma from Needham Broughton Senior High School, a bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1993, an associate degree from Durham Technical Community College in 2003, and a graduate degree from the American College of Education in 2019. His career experience includes working as an educator. McCann has been affiliated with Life International Church.

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 3

Incumbent Chelsea Cook, Durant Long, Terry McCann, and Diana Medoff are running in the primary for Durham City Council Ward 3 on October 7, 2025.

		Candidate
		Chelsea Cook (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Durant Long (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Terry McCann (Nonpartisan)
		Diana Medoff (Nonpartisan)

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
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Endorsements

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Campaign themes

2025

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Terry McCann completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by McCann's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Having been employed with Durham Public Schools since 2006, I have not seen districtwide improvement in K-12 learning while more taxpayer funding has been allocated. Our vulnerable communities have seen violent crime increase while the Defund the Police movement was the calling card of the Durham City Council. This led to an exodus of police officers leaving our city creating the current deficit in law enforcement protection . Urban sprawl into the rural areas of the Bull City has destroyed the drinking water and transformed many parts of it into the “tomato soup” that exist today. Seniors that have worked hard to purchase and pay off the mortgages fear being subject to not being able to pay the upcoming higher property taxes that will be levied.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• A city cannot thrive when its citizens are not safe. But the Defund the Police movement in 2020 still reigns its head leaving the Bull City over 100 officers short while their is continued black-on-black, car theft and gang activity. Our people should not live in fear while they live in prisons in their homes. Without law enforcement, the criminal element is enboldened but with strong law enforcement the people are enboldened and can thrive.
• High property taxes under the new re-evaluation have hit every person in the city - renters and homeowners. The rate must be lowered to make the increase less dramatic and hold the dias accountable. Why trust them with more tax dollars when what they have had in the past was not used adequately. I also would like to propose having commercial rental propeties having a much lower property tax rate that landlord MUST flush down to renters in the form of lower rents. To qualify, properties must be to code and if so, landlord receive this lower rate set for a period of years. This will allow lower rents as well as savings for our renters while they plan next steps knowing that their rent each month and each year is set.
• Durham must not allow developers to dictate what they want our city to look like and instead build to our specifications. Citizens must decide what will be built. Durham should infill for density and rezone vacant commercial to residential and build walkable communities close to the busline.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

1. Public safety - community policing, well lit streets, safe bus stops and training for our men and women in blue that mirrors best practices and demands accountability

2. Opportunity - Provide job opportunities to justice involved and lower income citizens in the trades with a tuition reimbursement program. Qualified candidates would be full-time employees that enroll in programs at Durham Tech (or others) leading to a diploma or certiicate in vocations with security. After starting with seed money, enrollees would receive part of their tuition back upon successful completion of a course leading to graduation to be used towards the next course.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I have always looked up to my daddy. My mom and dad both raised my brother and I in the home that they purchased in 1974. My mom still lives there; my daddy passed away in February 2024. My daddy was PRESENT and taught me to be RESPONSIBLE and instructed me to always do the BEST I CAN and not settle to less. He expected QUALITY when I did chores around the house whether it was mowing the lawn or scooping up dog poop from the dog's pen. He was tough but fair and in his own way helped me to understand that NO ONE CAN HOLD YOU DOWN unless you allow it. Although my daddy was a registered Democrat, his parenting was CONSERVATIVE. I treasure that to this day and would like Durham, North Carolina and the United States to see how powerful conservatism is despite its demonization is in today's media.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

The roll of city government should be very limited - public safety, city services and effective education. There is also a place to serve those that need assistance on a limited basis while they get on their feet. An elected official's priority should be to the citizens and not outside interests. An elected official must lead with integrity even when it is hard. An elected official must stand true to his or her beliefs while trusting on the Lord God for discernment. An elected official needs to be a listener first and slow to speak but be bold and couragious in the face of individuals that are counter.

Leaders must know that they do not have all the answers but are teachable.

Leaders must remember that they are servants to the people.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Transparancy, accountability, reliablity and true to his or her word.

What legacy would you like to leave?

-people are empowered by God not government

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I remember the assination attempt of President Ronald Reagan in 1980. I was in 4th grade at the time (9 years old).

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was at Big Star as a bagger and eventually a cashier. Soon there after Big Star was bought out by Harris Teeter where I was a cashier and then front office clerk while still in high school. I began during my junior year at Broughton High School at age 16 and worked there through high school and off and on while I was home for college. When my wife and I began raising a family, I worked there again srarting in 2001 when my first child was born so that my wife, who wanted to be a stay at home mother, could leave her teaching job. I worked from 2001 to September 2024 here in several Harris Teeter stores in the dairy/frozen department. During this time I was still teaching in the classroom with Mount Zion Christian Academy for 3 years or so before employment with Durham Public Schools. I obtained by Masters in Curriculum & Instruction in May 2019 during this time, too. God is Good.

What is your favorite book? Why?

No one book is my favorite but one that most inspires me is The Odyssey by Homer. I enjoyed reading it in high school as a 9th grader and often look at it on the ROKU channel now. The main character, Odysseus, had some challenges in his life that took him away from his newborn son and kindgom of Ithaca due to his pride and hubris. Through is 20 years away from Ithaca, he grew and finally understood his shortcoming and after gaining his kingdom back had a different appreciation of who he is and his place in the world. We all fall down but it is about when we get up what we do after that.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Batman

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

People often think I am quiet and an introvert. However, i am not. I am a stutterer, so it has beeb tough to get my words out quickly like most people can. However, this kept me out of a lot of trouble and made me a greater listener while obtaining wisdom from family members growing up.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

- setting the property tax rate

-how development is done

- resolutions

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

Although it might be helpful to have experience in politics, but leaders are no different than the citizens they serve. One has to start somewhere with issues they are passionate about and the drive to make change. Unfortunately, it is special interests that control many leaders in power thwarting the change that people want.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

- spiritual discernment

- open-minded
-anti-establishment mindset/think outside of the box

- common sense

Candidates hear many personal stories from voters. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching or memorable?

I was at Harris Teeter shopping where an associate there thought I was an associate because the shirt I had on was red like their uniform. I told her I used to work at the HT in Southpointe Crossing and had left there in Septe,ber 2024. I told her I was running for City Council before the filing period began in early July 2025. She said that we need some good people there because her children cannot play in the park across the street from her because gangs set up shop there. She said she goes across town to the "white-peoples'" park so her children can be safe. I told her that she should not have to do that as a taxpayer and that the Defund the Police movement has demonized police officers.

What is an accomplishment that you are proud of?

I take personal pride every year having the highest Math I EOC scores amongst high schools ib Durham Public Schools. I use my own curriculum because our kids deserve more than the watered down chaos given to them.

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Durham City Council Ward 3

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