Raleigh Councilman Bonner Gaylord forgoes runoff, concedes to Stef Mendell

Raleigh's City Council will look mostly the same come the new term, but one longtime councilman came up short against his challenger late Tuesday night when the polls closed.

Posted 10:37 p.m. Oct 12, 2017 — Updated 10:47 p.m. Oct 12, 2017

RALEIGH, N.C. — Bonner Gaylord, who represents a swath of Raleigh from Falls Lake to the North Carolina Museum of Art, has conceded that he lost his City Council seat to Stef Mendell. Although the race was close, Gaylord on Thursday told supporters he would not seek a runoff.

Gaylord was the only incumbent on the 7-member council to lose his seat. Corey Branch, Kay Crowder, Dickie Thompson and David Cox easily won re-election.

Gaylord, who works as managing director of operations for Kane Realty Corporation, pulled in 4,992 votes (45 percent) while Mendell grabbed 5,5518 (49.67 percent). Derek Walker got 535 votes (5 percent). Because no candidate got a majority, Gaylord had the right to call for a runoff election.

"I have always viewed my role as a listener and a non-partisan consensus builder, serving as a bridge between the left and the right, the conservative and the progressive, newcomers to our city and those who have a long history here. I am afraid that calling for a runoff at this time wouldn't help build bridges," Gaylord said in an email to supporters Thursday evening.

Councilman Russ Stephenson and environmental activist Nicole Stewart topped the seven-person field for the two at-large seats on the council. Stephenson finished with 28 percent, while Stewart had 23 percent, according to unofficial results. Attorney Stacy Miller, the next closest candidate with 17 percent, also declined to ask for a runoff.

About 15 percent of registered local voters cast ballots in the election.

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