
Sheldon Neeley
Incumbent Democratic candidate for Mayor in Michigan

Sheldon Neeley
Incumbent Democratic candidate for Mayor in Michigan
General Election
Voters choose the office holder.
Live Odds — Flint Mayoral Election
Current prediction-market probability for the candidate, updated as market prices change.
83%chance to win
Candidate Overview
Key details about the candidate’s background, party, office sought and current campaign.
Current roleMayor
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyProgressive Democrat
Age57 years old (Sep 20, 1968)
GenderMale
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LocationMichigan
BackgroundPolitician
EducationDelta College (AA)
Notable personal detailsSheldon Andre Neeley is an American politician who has served as mayor of Flint, Michigan since November 2019. He previously served on the Flint City Council (6th Ward) from 2005 to 2014 and represented the 34th District in the Michigan House of Representatives from 2015 until resigning in 2019 to become mayor. Before elected office, he worked as a broadcast technician at WJRT-TV12 and also worked with Flint Community Schools.
SourcesShowHide
Political Positions
Economy & Taxes
As mayor, Sheldon Neeley has prioritized balanced budgets and fiscal stability while keeping property tax rates and many fees unchanged; he has also supported improving tax administration (including a state partnership to administer the city income tax) to increase collections rather than proposing broad tax-rate increases or major cuts. His budget messaging emphasizes meeting pension obligations and sustaining city services.
Healthcare
As Flint mayor, Sheldon Neeley has supported local public-health measures and initiatives such as citywide mask distribution and COVID testing outreach, and has prioritized water-safety and in-home plumbing programs to protect residents’ health. There is no clear public record in these sources of his position on broader health‑insurance policies (for example, the Affordable Care Act, Medicare expansion, or a public option).
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Immigration & Border
Sheldon Neeley has supported measures to improve recognition and services for immigrant communities in Flint, including backing the “Count MENA In” campaign to improve federal data collection and identify needs for immigrant and language services. Available public materials emphasize facilitating access to services and outreach for immigrant populations rather than advocating enforcement-first policies.
Climate & Energy
Sheldon Neeley’s public statements and city actions emphasize water infrastructure repair, lead pipe replacement, and declaring access to safe water as a human right; he has engaged with federal EPA officials and urged congressional attention to replacing lead pipes. There is public record of infrastructure and environmental-justice focus in Flint but no clear, detailed public policy positions on broader climate policy or energy (e.g., emissions targets, fossil fuel phase-out, carbon pricing).
Public Safety & Guns
Supports proactive measures to reduce gun violence including declaring a local gun-violence state of emergency, organizing gun buyback programs with higher bounties for assault-style weapons, and directing confiscated/illegal firearms to be destroyed rather than auctioned. Focuses on removal of illegal firearms and prevention/intervention strategies while continuing to work with law enforcement.
Latest News
Sheldon Neeley has advanced to Flint’s Nov. 3 general election after leading the Aug. 4 mayoral primary, where he will face Tonya Burns. He is seeking a third term, and the city also placed three millage renewal proposals on the November ballot that were submitted by Neeley. Recent city updates tied to his administration include opening cooling centers during extreme heat and announcing anti-violence and opioid settlement initiatives. Flint officials also said the city is now free of active lead service lines after completing inspections tied to the water crisis settlement.
Endorsements
3Campaign Fundraising
Latest report: Cycle 2026Campaign finance totals from the latest available reporting period.
2024
2026
LatestCycle 2024
Cycle 2026
Source: FEC
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Polls






