Steve Schewel Elaine O'Neal The 2021 Durham, North Carolina mayoral election was held on November 2, 2021, to elect the next mayor of Durham, North Carolina.

[3] Seven candidates filed to run in this election to succeed Schewel as mayor.

[4] Schewel endorsed city council member Javiera Caballero to be his successor.

Durham's longest-serving mayor, Bill Bell, endorsed former superior court judge Elaine O'Neal.

The top two candidates from the primary, Elaine O'Neal and Javiera Caballero, advanced to the general election ballot.