The mayor of Winston-Salem is Allen Joines, who has held the office since December 2001 and was most recently re-elected in November 2024 to a term running through December 2028.1City of Winston-Salem. Person Details – Allen Joines Winston-Salem uses a council-manager form of government, so Joines leads the City Council and represents the city publicly, while a professional city manager hired by the council runs daily operations.
Who Allen Joines Is
Joines is not a newcomer to city hall. He joined Winston-Salem’s city government in 1971 as an assistant to the city manager and spent 29 years working through roles that included Director of Development and Deputy City Manager before retiring from the staff side.2City of Winston-Salem. Allen Joines He won his first mayoral election later that same year and has been re-elected repeatedly since, defeating challenger JoAnne Allen in the 2024 general election.1City of Winston-Salem. Person Details – Allen Joines His stated priorities as mayor have centered on economic development and community unity.
What the Mayor Actually Does
Under North Carolina law, the mayor presides over all City Council meetings and votes only to break a tie.3North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina General Statutes 160A-69 – Mayor to Preside Over Council With eight ward-based council members, tie votes are possible, so the tiebreaker is a real power rather than a formality.
What the mayor does not do is run the city. The city manager, not the mayor, appoints and removes city employees, directs all departments, prepares the annual budget, and ensures state law and council policies are carried out.4North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina General Statutes 160A-148 – Powers and Duties of Manager That leaves the mayor’s day-to-day work largely ceremonial and representational: attending public events, issuing proclamations, meeting with business and community leaders, representing Winston-Salem at state and regional functions, and serving as the city’s official spokesperson for council priorities.
Mayor Pro Tempore and Who Fills In
The City Council selects one of its members to serve as mayor pro tempore, a role currently held by North Ward council member Denise D. Adams. When the mayor is absent from a meeting, the mayor pro tempore presides, and if both are absent the council can elect a temporary chair from the remaining members.5North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina General Statutes 160A-70
Contacting the Mayor’s Office
The Mayor’s Office is at 101 North Main Street, Suite 150, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, and the office phone number is 336-727-2058.6City of Winston-Salem. Staff Directory – Mayor’s Office
If you want the mayor to issue a proclamation, send the request to the Mayor’s Office at least one week before the event. You can also ask the mayor to present it in person, subject to his schedule.7City of Winston-Salem. Honoring Citizens Include what the proclamation is for, the date of the event, and your contact information. For event invitations, include the time, location, and what role you would like the mayor to play.
Running for Mayor of Winston-Salem
To run for the office, North Carolina requires that you be at least 21 years old by election day, registered to vote, and qualified to vote in the election you are entering.8North Carolina State Board of Elections. General Candidate Requirements The Winston-Salem city charter also requires the mayor to be a city resident, and the mayor is elected citywide rather than by a single ward.9North Carolina General Assembly. H523 Ratified – Winston-Salem City Charter
The term is four years.9North Carolina General Assembly. H523 Ratified – Winston-Salem City Charter Municipal elections were held in odd-numbered years until the General Assembly moved them to even-numbered years in 2016.10City of Winston-Salem. Timing of Elections The pay reflects the part-time nature of the role: as of the most recent publicly available data, the mayor’s annual salary was $13,000, among the lowest for North Carolina cities of comparable size.