Voter guide 2025: What's on the ballot in Charlotte

How it works: During early voting (Oct. 16-Nov. 1), you can go to any of these voting sites during their open hours. You can also register to vote on-site if you haven't signed up already.

• On Election Day — Tuesday, Nov. 4 — registered voters must go to their assigned polling place. You can find where that is here.

City of Charlotte Mayor

• 🏛️ Vi Lyles (D) is running for a fifth, two-year term. She says there's more work to be done on affordable housing, creating economic opportunity and transportation.
• Reelection prospects are strong for Lyles, despite criticism of her leadership after the Aug. 22 light rail stabbing and the police chief settlement scandal. Charlotte has a largely Democratic voter base, with a tendency to re-elect incumbents.
• Terrie Donovan (R) is a real estate agent and political newcomer. Her top issues include safety, infrastructure, accountability and housing.
• Rob Yates (L) has run in the past, unsuccessfully, as the Libertarian candidate for mayor and North Carolina Senate. Yates says the city needs accountability. He's a staunch critic of the transportation referendum.

Charlotte City Council

Residents will elect four citywide representatives and one representative to their district. Find your district here.

At-Large

• 🏛️ Dimple Ajmera (D), an incumbent, was part of the city council millennial takeover in 2017. Ajmera chairs the city's budget committee.

• Misun Kim (R) was the Republican mayoral candidate in 2023. She lost with just 18,713 votes, compared to Lyles' 64,564.
• 🏛️ James (Smuggie) Mitchell (D) has a long history of serving on 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.
• Edwin Peacock (R) is currently serving as the District 6 representative and is one of two Republicans on council. He was appointed in May to fill a seat vacated by Tariq Bokhari, who took a role with the Trump administration. Peacock was the city's last Republican at-large council member from 2007 to 2011.
• 🏛️ LaWana Slack-Mayfield (D) was first elected at-large in 2022 and previously served District 3 from 2011 through 2018.
• 🏛️ Victoria Watlington (D) was the top vote-getter in the 2023 at-large race. Previously, she represented District 3, starting in 2019.

District 1

• 🏛️ Dante Anderson (D) is unopposed.

District 2

• 🏛️ Malcolm Graham (D) faces no challengers.

District 3

• James Bowers (R) has run unsuccessfully in this Democratic-dominant district.
• Robin Emmons (U) collected over a thousand signatures to get her name on the ballot as an independent candidate. She says she wants to serve without "partisan leanings" and answer to "neighbors, not (a) political machine."
• Emmons was recognized in 2013 as a "CNN Hero" for her work bringing fresh produce to underserved communities in Charlotte.
• Joi Mayo (D) is the founder of Transforming Nations Ford and a board member of ​Steele Creek Community Place, among other community leadership positions.
• She ousted Tiawana Brown in the Democratic primary for this District 3 seat. Brown was federally indicted this year for an alleged COVID pandemic relief funds scheme.

District 4

• 🏛️ Renee Perkins Johnson (D) is unopposed.

District 5

• Juan Diego Mazuera Arias (D) will represent District 5 after defeating councilwoman Marjorie Molina in the Democratic primary.

District 6

• Krista Bokhari (R) is the wife of former District 6 representative Tariq Bokhari. She put her name in the hat to fill her husband's open seat for the remainder of his term, but Mayor Lyles broke a tie and selected Peacock to serve instead.
• Kimberly Owens (D) is a lawyer who has served nonprofits, such as Council for Children's Rights, and advocated with Moms Demand Action and Planned Parenthood, among other organizations.

District 7

• 🏛️ Ed Driggs (R) faces no challengers.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education

School board races are nonpartisan. Residents will elect one representative to their district. Find your district here.

District 1

• 🏫 Melissa Easley is a first-term incumbent with two children in CMS. She previously taught science and social studies in the Chicago suburbs. She describes herself as an LGBTQ+ advocate who is committed to building "safe, inclusive, and equitable schools."
• Bill Fountain, a former middle and high school teacher, has previously run unsuccessfully for the school board. He says CMS has prioritized "social and political agendas over core academics."
• Charlitta Hatch, a product of CMS and a parent, is an adjunct professor who teaches "History of Racism and Psychology of the Black Experience."

District 2

• Juan Hall is a former volunteer coach at West Charlotte High School and is involved with Moms for Liberty, a conservative group championing the parental rights movement.
• Shamaiye Haynes ran previously in 2023, but she said it hurt her chances that Mecklenburg County Democrats didn't include her on their blue ballot.
• This year, though, MeckDems endorsed her, as did District 2's current rep, Thelma Byers-Bailey, who is not seeking reelection.

District 3

• 🏫 Gregory (Dee) Rankin, the sitting vice chair, faces no challengers.

District 4

• Robert Edwards is an exceptional children's teacher at CMS. He says he wants to improve in-school mental health services and ensure there's fair staff placement across District 4, which covers east Charlotte.
• Jillian King is a former teacher and stay-at-home parent. She wants to improve communication between families and the school system.
• 🏫 Stephanie Sneed, a trial lawyer, currently serves as the board's chair and formerly chaired the Black Political Caucus of Charlotte-Mecklenburg.

District 5

• 🏫 Lisa Cline, an incumbent, worked in education for 39 years, including as assistant principal at Phillip O. Berry, West Mecklenburg and Ardrey Kell high schools.
• Cynthia Stone attended, taught at, and sent her children to CMS. She says she became an educator because "education is the key to eliminating poverty."

District 6

• Toni Emehel attended CMS schools in District 6 and is an active volunteer. Her children were also CMS students. Her endorsements include former governor Pat McCrory.
• Anna London is president and CEO of Charlotte Works, Mecklenburg County's workforce development board. She won MeckDems' endorsement over Emehel, the other Democrat in this race.
• Justin Shealy is a parent who says he's increasingly concerned with "politics taking precedence over academics" and wants to restore parental rights.

Referendum: Mecklenburg County public transportation systems tax

All voters in Mecklenburg County will be asked if they are for or against: "One percent (1%) local sales and use taxes, in addition to the current local sales and use taxes, to be used only for roadway systems and public transportation systems."

• If approved, this tax would generate $19.4 billion over 30 years for new rail lines, roads, bike and pedestrian projects, and bus improvements across the county.

Yes, but: Mecklenburg County's total sales tax rate would rise from 7.25% to 8.25%. (You'd pay $8.25 on a $100 purchase.) Gas, medicine and most foods would be excluded.

Go deeper: Everything to know about the 1% transportation sales tax referendum