2025 Detroit Voter Guide

Age: 40

Occupation: Businessman, founder and CEO of The WKND Company and the Family Action Network

Why he’s running: Jonathan Barlow is a lifelong Detroiter and a graduate of Wayne State University. He says the city’s next leader needs to focus on supporting families and legacy Detroiters, “because no one should have to lose while trying to win in this city.”

“I’m recreating the family fabric; I want to make Detroit [a] community again, and make sure that we ensure that every home has what it needs to get by,” Barlow told WDET’s The Metro.

Key priorities:

• Supporting Detroit businesses – Making Detroit “the most competitive business city in the Midwest” by launching a $500 million public-private fund to support businesses that hire locally; major infrastructure improvements like an EV public transit system; tax incentives for businesses that reinvest in the community and more.
• Job creation – A reinvestment in workforce development programs within high-growth industries like advanced manufacturing, EV technology, and tech; as well as subsidized transportation for workers.
• Affordable housing – Expanding affordable housing & mixed-income developments; Zero or low-interest loan programs for first time homebuyers; housing support like  emergency rent assistance, rapid rehousing programs and more.

Age: 40

Occupation: Businessman, founder and CEO of The WKND Company and the Family Action Network

Why he’s running: Jonathan Barlow is a lifelong Detroiter and a graduate of Wayne State University. He says the city’s next leader needs to focus on supporting families and legacy Detroiters, “because no one should have to lose while trying to win in this city.”

“I’m recreating the family fabric; I want to make Detroit [a] community again, and make sure that we ensure that every home has what it needs to get by,” Barlow told WDET’s The Metro.

Key priorities:

• Supporting Detroit businesses – Making Detroit “the most competitive business city in the Midwest” by launching a $500 million public-private fund to support businesses that hire locally; major infrastructure improvements like an EV public transit system; tax incentives for businesses that reinvest in the community and more.
• Job creation – A reinvestment in workforce development programs within high-growth industries like advanced manufacturing, EV technology, and tech; as well as subsidized transportation for workers.
• Affordable housing – Expanding affordable housing & mixed-income developments; Zero or low-interest loan programs for first time homebuyers; housing support like  emergency rent assistance, rapid rehousing programs and more.

Age: 68

Occupation: Former Detroit police chief (2013 to 2021)

Why he’s running: After retiring from law enforcement, Craig ran for governor in 2022 on the Republican ticket, but was removed from the ballot due to alleged fraudulent signatures on his nominating petitions. He also ran for a Michigan U.S. Senate seat last year, but suspended his campaign after it failed to gain momentum.

Now, Craig is the only Republican candidate running for mayor of Detroit, and he says he’d use his experience rooting out waste in government to increase efficiency and utilize city resources better. 

Key priorities:

• Reinvestment in public safety and outreach – Strengthening relationships between law enforcement and residents through community outreach; increased resources for first responders; tough approach on violent crime.
• Economic development – Cutting red tape for businesses and entrepreneurs; promoting job growth by attracting new industries and businesses to the city; workforce development and career pathways for Detroiters.
• Education and youth empowerment – Expanding vocational and technical training programs to prepare students for careers in growing industries; strengthening after-school mentorship programs; partnering with local schools and businesses to create unique opportunities for growth in specific fields.

Age: 41

Occupation: Detroit City Councilman – District 7; former state legislator 

Why he’s running: Durhal says Detroit is at a “critical moment in its history,” with the city electing new leadership for the first time in a decade. He says he wants to build upon the momentum of what he’s accomplished on city council to help Detroit businesses and communities thrive.

“I’ve said it throughout this entire campaign, I want to cut more red tape so we can cut more red ribbons, and that is going to be my focus.”

–Detroit City Councilmember and mayoral candidate Fred Durhal III told All Things Considered Detroit Host Russ McNamara

Key priorities:

• Economic and business reform – Making more capital available for small businesses and local developers by leveraging state resources; promoting local investment and improving transparency; cutting red tape for businesses by streamlining regulatory processes.
• Tax relief for homeowners and businesses – Implementing a blight accountability tax 25 times the property tax millage; establishing a Property Tax Relief Fund for residents; exploring diverse and sustainable revenue streams to fund city services and future growth.
• Improving public safety – Opening Detroit’s first Office of Violence Prevention to address systemic and social determinants of health that can lead to violence; increased police presence in the streets and continuing robust investments in Community Violence Intervention (CVI) programs; 

Age: 73

Occupation: Businessman, entrepreneur

Why he’s running: Haashiim says he wants to stop billionaires like Dan Gilbert and the Ilitch family from controlling local politics, and wants to put power into the people’s hands. To do this, he says he wants to bring back “Citizens’ District Councils,” and start a public bank. 

“I’ve watched the city council and the mayor’s office gentrify our community. I have watched our people lose faith in the political system, and so in order for us to change that, we need someone who isn’t a [career politician]. They can’t solve our problems,” Detroit mayoral candidate Joel Haashiim told The Metro.

Key priorities:

• Government accountability – Restoring integrity and trust in city government; ordering a forensic audit of city finances and budget; discontinuing Detroit’s Community Benefits Ordinance (CBO) and creating a “true” policy for community benefits agreements.
• Economic equity and development – Creating a Detroit Municipal Bank; promoting and supporting Black and women-owned businesses; encouraging international trade delegations; improving relationships with Detroit corporate entities.
• Education – Creating a partnership between the city of Detroit and Detroit Public Schools Community District; assisting in reducing the district’s “inequitable education achievement gap”; creating a city of Detroit Career Academy, a Detroit Child Care Program and a “comprehensive” Adult Continuing Education Program.

Age: 54

Occupation: Former CEO of The Heat and Warmth Fund (THAW); former Detroit City Council president

Why she’s running: Jenkins says her experience as CEO of THAW for the last decade and her time served on the Detroit City Council has prepared her for the role of mayor and informed her priorities for the future of Detroit.

“Our next mayor has to be someone who will invest in Detroiters from cradle to career and beyond. They need experience in nonprofit, for profit, government and executive experience. The mayor is the CEO of the city of Detroit. I’ve been a CEO for the last 10 years, I know how to deliver, and I’ve been delivering for Detroiters my entire adult life,” Jenkins told WDET’s Russ McNamara.

Key priorities:

• Stronger neighborhoods – Lowering property taxes and prioritizing housing affordability; creating a “Strategic Master Plan” for each of the city’s seven districts that takes input from the community; investing in “common sense zoning fixes” and neighborhood beautification.
• Public safety – Investing in community policing and community violence intervention (CVI) programs; fostering stronger relationships between residents and police.
• Supporting small business – Providing resources and capital to help sustain and scale local small businesses; cutting red tape and “revolutionizing the business licensing process” to make it simpler and more cost-effective.

Age: 51

Occupation: Pastor of Triumph Church in Detroit

Why he’s running: Kinloch is one of the only candidates in the mayoral race who has not held an elected position. He views that as one of his strengths, and believes residents are tired of career politicians leading the city. He says his campaign’s message is rooted in service, leadership and intentional change, which he hopes will set him apart from other candidates.

“As mayor, I believe that the mayor is fueled and funneled by the same thing that drives me — your love and your concern for people. And people just want to be seen, people just want to be heard, and people who just want to receive and have access to the resources that this life and this government promises to give,” Kinloch told WDET’s Cary Junior II at the 2025 Mackinac Policy Conference.

Key priorities:

• Supporting healthy families – Funding food as medicine initiatives to fight food insecurity and reduce health risks; creating the Department of Opportunity and Empowerment (DOE) to coordinate all financial assistance programs across the city; partnering with Detroit schools to address social barriers to education.
• Creating safer neighborhoods – Investing in youth violence prevention to address the root causes of violence; expanding community violence intervention (CVI) programs; launching the “Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design” (CPTED) strategy to reduce serious property crimes; expanding services for re-entry and rehabilitation programs to prevent recidivism; improving mental health support for law enforcement.
• Investing in affordable housing – Building 10,000 affordable housing units across the city; prioritizing development on vacant and underutilized land owned by the city and land bank; expanding rental assistance programs for the city’s most vulnerable residents; protecting existing Detroit homeowners by reducing property taxes, preventing foreclosures and expanding financial assistance programs; eliminating barriers for affordable housing development.

Age: 55

Occupation: Attorney; founder and CEO of Perkins Law Group

Why he’s running: Running on the campaign slogan “Better Days Ahead,” Perkins believes his experience as a lawyer and his deep connections with residents of the city makes him the perfect candidate for mayor.

“I’m excited for what’s to come. I’m excited about leading, and working as a partner with other cities, as the mayor, as a servant to the citizens of [the] city of Detroit, and I just believe better days are ahead with the right leadership,” Perkins said.

Key priorities:

• Investment in neighborhoods – Creating small business empowerment zones in the neighborhoods; building 8,000 new quality homes and townhomes, and rehabilitating 2,000 vacant properties; creating policies that ensure long-time residents are not displaced.
• Improving public safety – Increasing “boots on the ground,” and adding more closed-circuit TV cameras in high crime areas; improving equipment for law enforcement and incentivizing police officers and firefighters to live and work in Detroit.
• Fiscal accountability – Conducting a comprehensive audit of the city’s finances to ensure fair assessment and spending; reducing the tax burden for residents.

Age: 37

Occupation: Detroit City Council President

Why she’s running: Sheffield believes that at such a critical time for Detroit, her voice and expertise would help ensure that the city’s resurgence is both inclusive and equitable for all.

“I am excited about the opportunity to really create a Detroit that works for everyone, to ensure that the marginalized, those who oftentimes are left out of the conversation, feel empowered and that we’re addressing those social issues like poverty, making sure that Detroiters are getting a living wage and investing in those that have been here in Detroit,” Sheffield told WDET’s Russ McNamara.

Key priorities:

• Economic empowerment – Bringing higher livable wage jobs to Detroit; reducing red tape for businesses; Exploring Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and expanding the M1 rail to improve speed and further service/
• Social services ‘safety net’ – Building a system of connected household resources that are easy to find and qualify for; targeting under-represented, low-income and seniors with new initiatives to address household needs; addressing homelessness through strong prevention strategies and partnerships that improve services, outreach and outcomes.
• Neighborhood restoration – Prioritizing investments in neighborhood infrastructure, from streets, sidewalks and alleyways to energy efficiency and home repair; creating Neighborhood Opportunity and Empowerment Hubs that bring city departments, essential programs, and community partner resources directly to residents,

Age: 53

Occupation: Retired cosmetologist

Why she’s running: This is DaNetta Simpson’s third time running for mayor of Detroit. As a lifelong resident, she says know what it will take to help everyday Detroiters “rise and shine.”

“I wanna take the city to another level and I wanted to keep my promises that I had in 2021,” Simpson told WXYZ. “Those promises were neighborhoods, crime prevention and protecting city assets.”

Key priorities:

• Revitalizing neighborhoods – Establishing a citywide insurance program for eligible residents and businesses.
• Crime prevention – Establishing more robust gun reform policies and building upon existing community violence intervention (CVI) programs 
• Affordable housing – Grandfathering property taxes for residents who have lived in Detroit for 20 years or more; offering tax rebates for new builds; retooling the Detroit Land Bank and create regular reports to ensure transparency and accountability.

Age: 45

Occupation: Founder of the Student Transportation Services Co.

Why he’s running: 

“I’m running for mayor because I feel the city…all too often we vote for people that have name recognition or people that are career politicians. It’s time for the city to vote for people that come from their own,” Boyd told WDET’s The Metro.

Key priorities:

• Restoring community trust in police – Building stronger relationships between the police and the community by fostering open dialogue, investing in training.
• Improving public transit – A reliable and safe public transportation system that ensures every student, worker, and resident can move freely around the city without barriers.

  Arnold’s experience growing up with unreliable transportation fuels his commitment to ensuring that every child, especially those in underserved neighborhoods, can access a safe way to get to school and beyond

Age: 71

Occupation: Longtime political activist and president of PerformancED, a technology education company

Why he’s running: Landin says he’s running to use his extensive experience in workforce development, community activism and venture capital funding to help solve some of Detroit’s biggest problems, from population loss and insufficient mass transit to the lack of affordable housing. He believes Detroit must expand its boundaries to recover economically.

“This isn’t just about redrawing lines. It’s about making Detroit more inclusive, economically vibrant, and future-ready,” Landin told WDET’s The Metro.

Key priorities:

• Expanding Detroit’s boundaries – Annexing 28 nearby “distressed” communities to reverse Detroit’s population loss and expand opportunity by combining resources; investing in a seamless regional transit system.
• Economic development – Revamping the Detroit Intermodal Freight Terminal (DIFT) — a key trade hub — to reduce pollution and save time and costs for shippers; making Detroit a “viable World Trade Center.”
• Education reform – Implementing an education equity resource model to help close the achievement gap in Detroit schools; bringing the Detroit Public Schools Community District under the mayor’s control.