Overview
- Sheffield defeated Rev. Solomon Kinloch Jr. with roughly 77% of the vote, according to unofficial tallies reported after polls closed.
- All precincts reported in-person results, but officials said absentee ballots and formal certification are still pending.
- Sheffield said she will outline first‑100‑day priorities and begin staffing a transition as she prepares to take office on January 1, 2026.
- Backed by outgoing Mayor Mike Duggan, she campaigned on expanding investment beyond downtown, reducing poverty, and treating gun violence as a public‑health crisis.
- Concurrent council races signaled a shift, with state Reps. Tyrone Carter and Karen Whitsett losing to Gabriela Santiago‑Romero and Denzel McCampbell, while at‑large incumbents Mary Waters and Coleman A. Young II held their seats.