DETROIT — Election Night 2025 brought change to the City of Detroit as a new mayor was elected for the first time since 2013 and new members of the City Council were elected.
In the election to replace outgoing mayor Mike Duggan, Mary Sheffield became Detroit’s first ever woman Mayor with an impressive victory over her opponent Solomon Kinloch Jr. Sheffield received 88,292 votes, earning 77.4% of the vote. Kinlock Jr. was held to 22.6% of the vote. For Sheffield, the 55-point victory earned her a mandate as incoming Mayor. In the primary, Sheffield scored a similar margin with 43,572 votes compared to 14,893 for Kinloch Jr.
“This victory belongs to the people — to every Detroiter who believes in a shared vision for a city that works for everyone. I am deeply grateful to the residents of Detroit for your support, prayers, trust, and confidence. Whether you voted for me or not, I am here to listen, to fight, and to serve. Because at the end of the day, we all want the same thing: a Detroit that lifts up every resident and every neighborhood,” Sheffield said at her victory party held at MGM Grand in Detroit.
“As we add a new chapter to Detroit’s 324-year history, I am humbled to stand as the first woman ever elected to lead this great city. I stand on the shoulders of the women who came before me and carry the responsibility to ensure I will not be the last. To every little girl watching tonight — know that you are gifted, powerful, and capable of achieving anything you believe in. No mountain is too high, no dream too big,” she continued.
City Council Sees Changes; State Representatives Suffer Losses
The races for the City Council produced some big wins for incumbents, a newcomer in District 7 and major losses for two sitting state representatives.
In the At-Large race for council, incumbents Mary Waters and Coleman Young, Jr. both were easily re-elected. Mary Waters was the highest vote getter with a total of 70,983 votes while Coleman Young, II received 65,796. They win the two at-large seats on the council while Janee Ayers received 38,506 and James Harris got 20,655 in losing efforts.
District 1
James Tate, Jr. ran unopposed and will serve another four year term on Detroit City Council.
District 2
Angela Whitfield Calloway bested Roy McCallister Jr. with a total of 14,751 votes to MCallister’s 7,457.
District 3
Scott Benson earned another term on the Detroit City Council winning a landslide victory over his opponent Cranstana Anderson. Benson got 8,526 votes compared to 3,656 for Anderson.
District 4
Latisha Johnson will serve another four year term on the City Council after winning election running unopposed.
District 5
Renata Miller bested Detroit Police Commisioner Willie Burton. Miller, a UAW retiree, got 9,730 votes compared to 7,534 for Burton.
District 6
Gabriela Santiago-Romero easily won another four year term on the City Council. Santiago-Romero faced a tough race against State Representative Tyrone Carter – who was a powerful force in Lansing politics in 2023 and 2024 when Democrats held the majority in the State House of Representatives and Carter was an ally of then-Speaker of the House Joe Tate. However, Santiago-Romero won in a landslide receiving 6,208 votes to Carter’s 3,493.
District 7
Denzel Anton McCampbell will join Renata Miller as a freshman member of the Detroit City Council. McCampbell faced off in the open seat – left vacant by Fred Durhal, III who ran for Mayor – against State Representative Karen Whitsett. Whitsett was seen as a formidable vote getter in her races for the State House. However, detractors pointed out that Whitsett was often absent in her role as State Representative and she caught backlash for her scheme in late 2024 to thwart the will of the people as she refused to attend sessions to block Democrats from passing legislation that would help Detroiters. Detroit voters took notice and sent a resounding message. McCampbell would win big with 8,027 votes while Whitsett was only able to get 5,436 people to show up and vote for her.
