Charlotte at-large council primary: Meet the candidates
A record dozen Democratic candidates are running for the four at-large seats on the Charlotte City Council.
The crowded field was attracted by the prospect of two open seats. Democratic incumbents Michael Barnes and David Howard are running for mayor. Early voting in the primary starts Sept. 3. The primary election is Sept. 15.
The candidates include two incumbents (Claire Fallon and Vi Lyles) and two former council members (James Mitchell and Billy Maddalon). Other candidates have a range of civic and volunteer experience.
The four top vote-getters who get at least 40 percent of the vote move on to the general election. There they’ll face three Republicans – Pablo Cesar Carvajal, John Powell Jr. and David Michael Rice – for the four seats. Jim Morrill
Learn more about the Democrats in September’s primary in the following profiles:
▪ Laurence Bibbs cites ‘fresh perspective’
▪ Darrell Bonapart advocates for east, west sides
▪ Bruce Clark to focus on economic mobility
▪ Julie Eiselt cites anti-crime efforts
▪ Claire Fallon pushes for public safety
▪ Sean Gautam cites civic experience
▪ Shawn Greeson focuses on environment, poverty
▪ Mo Idlibby cites legal experience
▪ Vi Lyles cites experience with city, council
▪ Billy Maddalon said LGBT vote spurred him to run
▪ James 'Smuggie' Mitchell to focus on sustainable neighborhoods
▪ Aaron Sanders would focus on services
Key dates
Here are key dates for the city’s September primary election:
Aug. 21: Registration deadline for primary.
Sept. 3: Early voting starts at Central Piedmont Community College. Other sites will be open Sept. 8-12.
Sept. 15: Primary
Oct. 6: Runoff (if needed)
Nov. 3: General election.
Candidate forums
Upcoming Charlotte candidate forums:
▪ Aug. 25: TimeWarner Cable News mayoral debate. Democrats go at 6 p.m. Republicans at 7:30 p.m.
▪ Aug. 28: 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m: Charlotte Post mayoral debate, Carole Hoefener Center, 610 E. 7th St.
▪ Aug. 31: 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., Forum on Global Leadership, Hilton Center City.
▪ Sept. 1: 6:30 p.m.: #WTFwevote/Charlotte Agenda mayoral debate, McGlohon Theater at Spirit Square.
▪ Sept. 2: 6:30 p.m.: Charlotte Observer/WBTV mayoral debate, Queens University of Charlotte Conference Center, 2229 Tyvola Road. Meet the candidates reception, 6:30 p.m.; Republicans, 7:30 p.m.; Democrats, 8:30 p.m.
▪ Sept. 9: Taping of League of Women Voters debates at WTVI for later broadcast.
▪ Sept. 10: noon to 1:15 p.m., At-large candidates at Uptown Democratic Forum, Levine Museum of New South.
This story was originally published August 22, 2015 at 2:00 PM with the headline "Charlotte at-large council primary: Meet the candidates."