The Friends of Durham focuses primarily on local elections: City Council, County Commissioners, District Attorney, Sheriff, and School Board. We do NOT endorse for national elections.
The Friends of Durham Support Candidates who will move Durham forward again
We are proud to announce our 2026 Municipal Election Endorsements
District Attorney: Jonathan Wilson
Sheriff: Clarence Birkhead
Clerk of Superior Court: Aminah Thompson
School Board District 1: Dilcy Burton
School Board District 2: Bettina Umstead
School Board District 3: Pete Crawford
School Board District 4: Xavier Cason
The Friends of Durham Endorse Jonathan Wilson for District Attorney
After interviewing both candidates for District Attorney, the Friends of Durham have chosen to endorse attorney Jonathan Wilson. It is our contention that Wilson, also our choice 4 years ago, will bring credibility back to the office of District Attorney that has been under increasingly critical scrutiny over the last several years, and particularly this past year. The FOD feels that Public Safety in Durham is suffering from the low case file clearance rate compared to peer communities, and too many violent crimes being committed by offenders who have been arrested but then released out on the street due to poor judgement on the part of the DA’s office on what constitutes a punishable offense in their first (or first several) encounters with law enforcement. We are confident that Wilson will review these cases with a stronger view of keeping these folks off the street and from committing more egregious offences once released.
The Friends of Durham Endorse Clarence Birkhead for Sheriff
After interviewing both candidates for County Sheriff, the Friends of Durham have chosen to endorse current Sheriff Clarence Birkhead. Sheriff Birkhead has ably served the citizens of Durham County for 8 years now, and we see no reason why his exemplary management of all the County enforcement tasks under his umbrella should come to a close. His 40 plus years of law enforcement experience have greatly benefited Durham, and we strongly believe that he can continue to manage his department in a professional manner and keep the residents of Durham safe.
The Friends of Durham Endorse Aminah Thompson for Clerk of Superior Court
Ms. Thompson currently serves in this position professionally and competently, and we see no need to change course. Therefore, we strongly support her re-election to this seat.
The Friends of Durham Endorse Dilcy Burton, Bettina Umstead, Peter Crawford and Xavier Cason for Durham County Board of Education
There is a critical need to bring management proficiency, professionalism and fiscal accountability back to the Durham Board of Education. For too many years Durham Public Schools has bounced from crisis to crisis. DPS has continued to ask for ever increasing budgets, with no discernable positive effect on student outcomes. It is time to leverage the recent hiring of the new Superintendent with a re-thinking of the role and skillsets of the Board Members. Therefore, the FOD, after interviewing all the candidates for School Board, has selected the one person in each of the four districts that we believe can work together as a team and guide the Superintendent in a critical evaluation of the system, and then make a course correction to put it on a more successful path forward
Dilcy Burton in District 1 has articulated an impressive 6-point platform that will stress student success, fiscal transparency and management responsibility, safe schools and efficient governance.
Bettina Umstead in District 2 is the only one of the 4 potential incumbents who chose to run again, we think that positively speaks to her character in wanting to “stick it out” for another term and use the lessons learned from her tenure to work with this new team and lead DPS to success.
Pete Crawford in District 3 impresses us as being the total package. His operations expertise from his time in the military, hands-on experience with financial planning, organizational health, and strategic oversight in the private sector, and engagement with DPS through having children in the system makes him uniquely qualified in knowing how to get DPS back on the right track.
Xavier Cason in District 4 served on the Board of Education in the past, and we think his background as a former educator, 30 years of experience with DPS and organizational skills are reasons why we think he should return to the Board.
The Friends of Durham Support Candidates who will move Durham forward again
We are proud to announce our 2026 Municipal Election Endorsements
District Attorney: Jonathan Wilson
Sheriff: Clarence Birkhead
Clerk of Superior Court: Aminah Thompson
School Board District 1: Dilcy Burton
School Board District 2: Bettina Umstead
School Board District 3: Pete Crawford
School Board District 4: Xavier Cason
The Friends of Durham Endorse Jonathan Wilson for District Attorney
After interviewing both candidates for District Attorney, the Friends of Durham have chosen to endorse attorney Jonathan Wilson. It is our contention that Wilson, also our choice 4 years ago, will bring credibility back to the office of District Attorney that has been under increasingly critical scrutiny over the last several years, and particularly this past year. The FOD feels that Public Safety in Durham is suffering from the low case file clearance rate compared to peer communities, and too many violent crimes being committed by offenders who have been arrested but then released out on the street due to poor judgement on the part of the DA’s office on what constitutes a punishable offense in their first (or first several) encounters with law enforcement. We are confident that Wilson will review these cases with a stronger view of keeping these folks off the street and from committing more egregious offences once released.
The Friends of Durham Endorse Clarence Birkhead for Sheriff
After interviewing both candidates for County Sheriff, the Friends of Durham have chosen to endorse current Sheriff Clarence Birkhead. Sheriff Birkhead has ably served the citizens of Durham County for 8 years now, and we see no reason why his exemplary management of all the County enforcement tasks under his umbrella should come to a close. His 40 plus years of law enforcement experience have greatly benefited Durham, and we strongly believe that he can continue to manage his department in a professional manner and keep the residents of Durham safe.
The Friends of Durham Endorse Aminah Thompson for Clerk of Superior Court
Ms. Thompson currently serves in this position professionally and competently, and we see no need to change course. Therefore, we strongly support her re-election to this seat.
The Friends of Durham Endorse Dilcy Burton, Bettina Umstead, Peter Crawford and Xavier Cason for Durham County Board of Education
There is a critical need to bring management proficiency, professionalism and fiscal accountability back to the Durham Board of Education. For too many years Durham Public Schools has bounced from crisis to crisis. DPS has continued to ask for ever increasing budgets, with no discernable positive effect on student outcomes. It is time to leverage the recent hiring of the new Superintendent with a re-thinking of the role and skillsets of the Board Members. Therefore, the FOD, after interviewing all the candidates for School Board, has selected the one person in each of the four districts that we believe can work together as a team and guide the Superintendent in a critical evaluation of the system, and then make a course correction to put it on a more successful path forward
Dilcy Burton in District 1 has articulated an impressive 6-point platform that will stress student success, fiscal transparency and management responsibility, safe schools and efficient governance.
Bettina Umstead in District 2 is the only one of the 4 potential incumbents who chose to run again, we think that positively speaks to her character in wanting to “stick it out” for another term and use the lessons learned from her tenure to work with this new team and lead DPS to success.
Pete Crawford in District 3 impresses us as being the total package. His operations expertise from his time in the military, hands-on experience with financial planning, organizational health, and strategic oversight in the private sector, and engagement with DPS through having children in the system makes him uniquely qualified in knowing how to get DPS back on the right track.
Xavier Cason in District 4 served on the Board of Education in the past, and we think his background as a former educator, 30 years of experience with DPS and organizational skills are reasons why we think he should return to the Board.
