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Axios
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Who's running for Charlotte City Council in 2025
Candidate filing has wrapped for the 2025 municipal elections, and the races are on. This year, Charlotte residents will elect a mayor, four at-large members and one person to represent them from their district. Why it matters: Local elections are often overlooked, but city council members make consequential decisions related to affordable housing, transportation, police and more. Primary Election Day is Tuesday, Sept. 9. Early voting starts Thursday, Aug. 21. The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 4. Mayor Democrats: Vi Lyles is running for a fifth term. She's on the verge of cementing a legacy with the push to pass the 1-cent transportation sales tax. She says there's more to accomplish on affordable housing, safety and creating opportunities for Charlotteans. Jaraun (Gemini) Boyd is a former prison inmate turned community activist. He founded Project BOLT, an organization dedicated to improving "the quality of life for marginalized citizens in our community." Delter Kenny Guin III Brendan K. Maginnis lost to Pam Genant in the 2024 Democratic primary for North Carolina's 14th Congressional District, the role now held by former state House Speaker Tim Moore. Tigress Sydney Acute McDaniel has vied unsuccessfully over the years for mayor, county commission, state house and soil and water conservation district supervisor. Republican: Terrie D. Donovan Libertarian: Rob Yates has run in the past as the Libertarian candidate for mayor and North Carolina Senate. At-Large Voters will elect four people to the at-large seats, representing the entire city. Democrats: Dimple Ajmera is an incumbent who was part of city council's millennial takeover in 2017. Ajmera chairs the city's budget committee. James (Smuggie) Mitchell has a long history of serving on city council dating back to 1999 as a District 2 representative. He reclaimed his at-large seat in 2022 after resigning, briefly, over a potential conflict of interest. Victoria Watlington was elected to her at-large seat as the top vote-getter in the 2023 general election and, before that, represented District 3 starting in 2019. She has been at the center of the police chief settlement controversy this year after she suggested the city government engaged in "unethical, immoral, and, frankly, illegal activities." Her statements, made in a May email to supporters, prompted an investigation by the city attorney. LaWana Slack-Mayfield was first elected at-large in 2022 and previously served District 3 from 2011 through 2018. Matt Britt chairs Smart Start of Forsyth County and co-chairs NC Pre-K. Roderick Davis Will Holley is a mental health advocate who owns a construction business. His campaign website states he's running because he "knows what it feels like to have his voice ignored" after his oldest son died by suicide. J.G. Lockhart Emerson Stoldt is an architect and self-described urbanist whose platform includes smart growth and development. Namrata (N.Y.) Yadav describes herself as "a mother, a corporate executive, and a proud Charlottean" on her campaign website. Republicans: Misun Kim was Mayor Lyles' Republican challenger in 2023. She lost with just 18,713 votes, compared to Lyles' 64,564. Edwin Peacock is currently serving as the District 6 representative. He was appointed in May to fill the seat Tariq Bokhari vacated in April. Peacock was the last Republican at-large council member from 2007 to 2011. District 1 📍 Southeast (Dilworth, Plaza-Midwood, Grier Heights, Freedom Park, Myers Park, Eastover, Elizabeth, Chantilly and Windsor Park) Democrats: Dante Anderson is Charlotte's mayor pro tem. Charlene Henderson El serves on the city's Community Relations Committee and as vice president on the board of S.A.V.E., a nonprofit that strives to make "children job-ready instead of jail-ready." District 2 📍 North (Third and Fourth Wards, Wesley Heights) Malcolm Graham is an incumbent council member and former state senator. He chairs the Jobs and Economic Development Committee, which makes recommendations on decisions like contributing money to the Panthers' stadium and the Eastland Yards redevelopment. He published a book this year about the 2015 massacre at Mother Emanuel AME Church. His sister — Cynthia Graham Hurd — was one of nine people killed. District 3 📍West Democrat: Tiawana Brown is one of the newer faces on city council, elected in 2023. Earlier this year, she was federally indicted for allegedly securing $124,000 in pandemic loans in 2021 and spending the funds on personal and luxury items. Brown served four years in federal prison in the '90s for felony fraud charges and later founded a nonprofit to prevent the incarceration of women and girls. Montravias King is on the boards of EnergizeNC, Keep Charlotte Beautiful and Southeastern Wind Coalition, among other roles listed on his campaign website. Joi Mayo is the founder of Transforming Nations Ford and a board member of Steele Creek Community Place, among other community leadership positions. Warren Turner was one of Brown's opponents in 2023. Republican: James Bowers ran for the same seat in the last election but lost to Brown. District 4 📍Northeast (University) Democrats: Renee Perkins Johnson is an incumbent and founded Triumph Services, an organization providing services to survivors of trauma, including those with acquired brain injuries. Wil Russell is an affordable housing construction manager, endorsed by Vi Lyles in the most recent election. The mayor's attempt to oust Johnson failed by 450 votes. District 5 📍 East (Areas near portions of North Sharon Amity Road, Albemarle Road, Rama Road and Idlewild Road) Democrats: Marjorie Molina is a bilingual council member representing this diverse district. Much of her first two terms have been focused on executing the vision for the Eastland Mall redevelopment. Juan Diego (J.D.) Mazuera Arias chairs the Hispanic Democratic Caucus of Mecklenburg County and founded the North Carolina Latino Political Caucus, according to his campaign website. District 6 📍 South (SouthPark) Tariq Bokhari left the District 6 seat earlier this year as he took a role with the Federal Transit Administration under President Trump. Republican Edwin Peacock, a former council member, was appointed to finish out his term. This is one of the most competitive districts in Charlotte. It's one of only two seats held by a Republican on the 11-member council. Registered voters are 43% unaffiliated, 28% Democrat and 28% Republican. Democrat: Kimberly Owens is a lawyer who has served nonprofits like Council for Children's Rights and done advocacy work with Moms Demand Action and Planned Parenthood. Republicans: Krista Bokhari is the wife of former council member Tariq Bokhari. She came close to being appointed to fill her husband's vacated seat for the remainder of his term, but Mayor Lyles broke a tie and selected Peacock instead. Bokhari entered politics last year with an unsuccessful campaign for state House. Sary Chakra was one of the applicants who sought to fill Tariq Bokhari's seat. District 7
Axios
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Mayor Lyles' reelection campaign might already be a slam dunk
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles headed to the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections Wednesday to officially file for reelection, setting the stage for what could be a rather snoozy mayoral race. Why it matters: Her signature likely means that Charlotte will continue for another two years with the same leader it's had since 2017. No strong candidates have emerged to run against Lyles. She'd be difficult to beat, with her deep campaign coffers and powerful name recognition. Filing ends Friday at noon. Zoom in: The only other Democrat in the primary so far is Tigress Sydney Acute McDaniel, a recurring candidate who's vied unsuccessfully over the years for mayor, county commission, state house and even soil and water conservation district supervisor. No Republicans have filed, but the party's chances in Charlotte's mayoral race are slim, anyway. Just under 20% of Mecklenburg County voters are registered Republicans. Zoom out: Before Lyles filed, rumors swirled about who might enter the race if she stepped aside. Jennifer Roberts, who served as Charlotte's mayor from 2015 to 2017, hinted that she'd run. "Waited until filing was halfway through to announce," Roberts wrote on X. "Charlotteans should have choices. It's a challenging time for our city and country. Maybe I should sign up to run again." As of Wednesday, Roberts has not made an announcement. She did not respond to requests for comment. What they're saying: During her press conference at the board of elections office, I asked Lyles about Roberts' comment. "I thought it was kind of a cute little game," Lyles laughed. "You have to find some joy in this work at some point." Flashback: Lyles has dominated her last three primaries, capturing roughly 85% of the votes each time. "No other Democratic candidate has won as large and as consistently as Vi," says Dan McCorkle, a political consultant in Charlotte. Yes, but: Charlotte has what's known as a " weak mayor" form of government, which means the city manager (Marcus Jones) runs the city like a CEO. The city council and the mayor set policy, and the manager carries it out day-to-day. The mayor only votes in the event of a tie among council. Between the lines: Lyles' decision to run for a fifth term comes as she's on the verge of cementing a legacy with the push to pass a 1-cent transportation sales tax. The revenue would fund a transformative, multi-billion-dollar mobility plan with several new rail corridors. Asked if she still felt passionate about the role as she initially did, Lyles said, "I still feel like this is really the right time and the right place." That same morning, she joined the announcement that Charlotte is hosting the 2026 MLS All-Star Game. Wins like that, she said, keep her excited about continuing to serve. She added that her goals, if reelected, would be to continue working on affordable housing, safety, creating opportunity for people and mobility. The other side: Lyles' filing follows a streak of controversial decisions. She recently cast a tie-breaking vote, halting a potential study on improving airport work conditions. Also, the city's recent settlement with its retiring police chief raised transparency concerns and exposed fractures within council. Lyles said one of her focuses this term would be to reunite city council. "You all have been talking and printing all the stories about how the council members and I don't necessarily always get along," she told reporters. "That is something that bothers me as much as it bothers them." The bottom line: City hall dysfunction doesn't "affect people at the kitchen table level," says McCorkle, the political consultant. Voters are more likely to elect a different candidate when there's overwhelming economic distress or concerns that affect their daily lives, like roads.
Axios
10-06-2025
- Axios
Carolina Wedding Confessionals: Hurricane Helene changed everything except the "I do's"
Last September, Charlotteans Lauren and Stephen Dye set out for an adventurous elopement in North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains. But a catastrophic hurricane changed nearly all of their plans. Context: This is the latest edition of Carolina Wedding Confessionals, where we highlight the stories (and breakdown the budgets) behind weddings in the Carolinas. Catch up quick: Lauren and Stephen, who had their first date at Olde Mecklenburg Brewery in 2020, got engaged in August 2024. Originally, they planned an intimate elopement weekend in Brevard, N.C., filled with outdoor excursions and celebrations with family. Instead, the couple had to pivot their timeline three times in 48 hours, ultimately getting married on the patio of their Airbnb as Hurricane Helene loomed. The original timeline A week out from their ceremony, set for Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, Lauren says the weather wasn't looking great. "Nothing could have prepared us for the devastation that would occur," she adds. The big day was supposed to begin with a sunrise hike, followed by a ceremony on the Blue Ridge Parkway and lunch at the Pisgah Inn. Their family, who planned to travel from Charlotte and Knoxville, Tennessee, would join them for dinner later that night. A series of pivots As the big day drew closer, the forecast became more grim. 48 hours ahead of the big day, they decided to move the ceremony timing earlier, and if possible, have their hike and photoshoot afterward. As they drove to Brevard, plans for the hike and a Blue Ridge ceremony were dropped altogether — a decision that was partially made for them as the section of the parkway had already closed. Plan B turned to Plan C. They would get married at the Airbnb and have lunch at nearby Brevard Brewing. Reality check: On the day, it was clear that the weekend they had imagined was no longer happening. The Biltmore House, which the two planned to visit, emailed to say they would be closed for the weekend. The restaurant where they planned to have dinner also canceled their reservation. "At this point, we did not know what was going to happen next, but we were going with the flow to get married," Lauren says. The downpour stopped for just enough time for them to marry on the back patio of the Airbnb. "We even saw a famous Brevard white squirrel at the end of the ceremony," says Lauren. After a quick Champagne toast, cookies and lunch, the couple quickly drove home to Charlotte. Stephen's parents, who stayed in their hotel, were stuck in Brevard for a few days until they could safely drive back to Knoxville. One day later, Helene struck western North Carolina as a tropical storm, leaving behind widespread devastation that the region is still recovering from. A full-circle reception This past March, roughly six months after their elopement weekend, Lauren and Stephen hosted a reception with friends and family at Olde Mecklenburg Brewery — the spot of their first date. Because their elopement was limited to immediate family, the two threw a much larger reception with around 80 guests. "It felt like a full-circle moment," Lauren says. The budget breakdown Lauren and Stephen were just under their $15,000 budget. Here's the financial breakdown, combining both the ceremony and reception. Venue (Airbnb): $500 Bridal dress and accessories: $500 The dress was $85 from Lulu's, and the alterations were the bulk of the cost. Groom's outfit: $250 Lauren rewore her wedding dress and Stephen donned the same suit at the reception. Wedding hair and makeup: $750 Lauren says this was a splurge. Elopement accessories: $80 A ring box, Champagne and custom coffee mugs. Officiant: $0 Stephen's great-uncle married them. Florals: $190 Fake flowers were reused at the reception. Elopement lunch: $0 Covered by family. Custom cookies: $450 Instead of a wedding cake, they ordered custom sugar cookies from Mayhem Confections in Rock Hill. Photographer: $3,950 Asheville-based wedding photographers Wilder Wedding Co. took photos for both the elopement and reception. Reception venue and food/beverages (OMB): $6,600. Appetizers, a buffet dinner and an open bar for roughly 80 guests. Reception hair and makeup: $225 Reception DJ: $0 Covered by family. Reception decor: $250 Lauren spent approximately $500 on decor but says she has recouped about half of the cost from selling most of the items. Total cost: $13,745. The takeaways I chatted with Lauren about what she learned from the experience and what advice she has for other brides planning adventurous elopements or outdoor ceremonies. Editor's note: Answers have been lightly edited for brevity. Work with vendors who know how to pivot. " Our photographer specializes in outdoor elopements and helped us rearrange our plans. She had already photographed several couples who moved their ceremony to an Airbnb due to weather." Don't be afraid to ask for help. "We reached out to Brevard Brewing at 9pm asking if they could host us for lunch the next day. ... The owner, Kyle, was beyond welcoming and even offered to open early for us." Weddings come with a lot of opinions. Remember, it's your big day. "I always tell people to do what you want to do. Your family will have a blast just getting to celebrate with you." What's next: Lauren says she and Stephen are planning to return to Brevard for their anniversary this year. And this time, they're planning to stay the whole weekend.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Hugo, Florence, and Cape Verde: Why we name hurricanes
Thirty-five years ago, the worst storm to hit the Queen City made landfall. Even though Hugo was a category one hurricane by the time it hit Charlotte, it carried winds close to 100 mph with it. The winds were so strong they wiped out almost the entirety of the city's tree canopy and left 85% of Charlotte's residents without power. Four people in the metro were killed, it took months before life for most Charlotteans went back to normal. Duke Energy told us last fall that since Hugo, their storm response team has grown -- communication, technology and meteorology have all improved. But they face one problem: so many people are moving to Charlotte. So while emergency responders prepare to keep up with the boom, there's more people that will need protection from storms like Hugo, which was what's called a 'Cape Verde storm.' When we get to the months of September and October, we arrive at our most dangerous time. Not only is it prime time for hurricanes, more start forming off of the coast of Africa. These Cape Verde storms develop near those islands and travel across the entire warm ocean, strengthening with each mile they travel. By the time they reach the U.S. mainland, they are monsters. Hurricane Florence in September of 2018 was also known as a Cape Verde storm, and the Carolinas are still dealing with the impacts from that. Florence is a good reminder that each storm has its own characteristics - that there is no single specific type of storm. They come in all shapes and sizes and each offer different kinds of deadly threats. Consider this - in that year of 2018 we also had Hurricane Michael that slammed into Florida as a category five storm. Florence was a 'mere' category one when it hit Wrightsville Beach. Who claimed more lives? Florence. Why? Michael raced through the south. Florence moved through our region at an astonishingly slow two miles per hour. That's why they get a name, each storm is different: different sizes, different shapes, different speeds, and many different ways they can threaten your family and your property. And all it takes is just one. The time to be ready is now. (VIDEO: Asheville-based businesses struggle to recover months after Hurricane Helene)
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Group says increase of ICE arrests in Charlotte is leading to more calls for help
The Carolina Migrant Network says they've received a big influx of calls after a recent ICE operation in the Charlotte area. The group says they've received 133 calls in just the past week. That's compared to them getting five to 10 calls during a normal week. Dozens of people attended a conference on Monday to speak out against ICE arrests, including Stefania Arteaga, the co-founder of the Carolina Migrant Network. 'What is happening is harassment, it's an attack, and it's absolutely violent at every level,' Arteaga said. 'We know that community members are scared to take their kids to school, go to the grocery store, to do everything we take for granted ... we've seen detentions in close proximity to schools, not just one, but a couple.' Last week, Channel 9 heard from parents at Charlotte East Language Academy upset about a video they say shows an arrest near the school drop-off line. PREVIOUS STORIES: PTA says student's parent was detained near school in east Charlotte ICE releases information on arrest made near east Charlotte school drop-off line Man accused of threatening to kill CMPD, ICE officers, referencing deadly Charlotte ambush The daughters of Jose Martinez Hernandez spoke out of Monday and said ICE arrested him last week on his way to a construction job. She says she now has to work in construction to support her 10 brothers and sisters. "For the first time in my life, I saw my father cry. The man who had always been our rock, our provider, was reduced to tears -- and it shattered our hearts," Joanna Martinez said. Carolina Migrant Networks says the issue affects all Charlotteans, not just immigrants who are here illegally. 'We don't feel safe when unmarked vehicles with undercover agents who do not state who they are are stopping our neighbors,' Arteaga said. Channel 9 has repeatedly asked ICE for information about the arrests near the language academy, but we've not gotten clear answers. We're also asking about Hernandez's arrest, how many arrests ICE has made in Charlotte over the past week, and whether the perception of the uptick is real. We'll bring you an update when we hear back. (VIDEO: ICE releases information on arrest made near east Charlotte school drop-off line)
