Forward for Ward 1.

VOTE IN THE PRIMARY ON OCTOBER 7

Meet Elijah.

Hey, neighbor—I’m Elijah King, a lifelong Durham resident, community organizer, and the proud son of a single mother who worked harder than anyone I know. I experienced firsthand the struggle for housing stability, moving 11 times before I turned 18 and often relying on the generosity of others for a place to stay. My mother's resilience and love for this city, despite its challenges, shaped my commitment to fighting for a Durham where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Since 2023, I’ve served as the Third Vice Chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party, touring over a third of the state’s counties and building relationships with community leaders. No matter where I’ve traveled, one thing is clear—Durham is a beacon of progress. But keeping that progress going takes all of us, working together.

My experience spans organizing, policy, and electoral strategy. Locally, I co-founded the Durham Neighbors Free Lunch Initiative during the pandemic, raising thousands of dollars and partnering with small businesses to serve ≈60,000 meals to individuals experiencing homelessness, DPS families, and people struggling to get by. I also co-founded the Durham Youth Environmental Justice Initiative, engaging high school students in discussions on climate change through an equitable lens. I saw the difference one person can make in the lives of children and their families. I also saw that some issues were too large for one person, one family to tackle.

Beyond my organizing work, I’ve served on the boards of organizations like InsideOut (supporting LGBTQ+ youth), Made in Durham (focused on education-to-career pathways), and the NC AIDS Action Network. My advocacy has always centered on making sure no one is left behind. That’s the same energy I’m bringing to City Council.

Durham has long been a model for progress in North Carolina. Now, we must work together to ensure that progress continues for everyone.

Let’s build a Durham for everyone.

  • Durham deserves a transit system that works for everyone—whether you drive, bike, walk, or take the bus. In 2024, GoDurham ridership exceeded national trends, with nearly 7 million riders annually. As our city expands, we must invest in safe, more frequent, and reliable public transit to connect our communities, provide access to jobs, and support local businesses. This also means investing into pedestrian and bike infrastructure should be a priority, ensuring safe sidewalks, crosswalks, and bike lanes that make Durham a walkable, livable city.

  • Small businesses are the backbone of our local economy. Through the Durham Neighbors Free Lunch Initiative, I worked with restaurants like Geer Street Garden, Gocciolina, and Chicken Hut to uplift local businesses while feeding our community. Rising rent and being priced out should not be a barrier for small businesses. Many small business owners, especially minority and women entrepreneurs, face barriers to funding. We need to expand access to low-interest loans, grants, and technical assistance to help businesses start, grow, and thrive.

  • Durham is growing, but too many of our neighbors are being priced out. The median rent in Durham has skyrocketed to over $1,500 per month, while nearly 50% of renters are considered cost-burdened—spending more than 30% of their income on housing. Homeownership is also slipping out of reach, with the median home price now exceeding $400,000. This means we need to expand Durham’s Affordable Housing Bond initiatives and leverage public-private partnerships to build and preserve thousands of affordable units, strenghten tenant protection programs, and preventing predatory evicitons, ensuring families and workers can stay in our city.

  • True public safety means prevention, intervention, and community-driven solutions—not just policing. That’s why I support expanding Durham’s HEART Program, which dispatches unarmed crisis responders for mental health emergencies, freeing up law enforcement for serious crime. We must also invest in our first responders by ensuring fair pay, better training, and mental health resources for police, firefighters, and emergency personnel to improve retention and strengthen community trust. Additionally, expanding youth programs, job training, and community centers—along with initiatives like Cure Violence Durham—can break cycles of violence before they start.