Housing, transportation on minds of Charlotte voters in Tuesday primary election
Choosing who to vote for in Tuesday’s primary election was easy for Angel Orellana: whichever candidates are focused on making sure working-class Charlotteans aren’t overburdened by taxes.
Orellana was one of nearly two dozen voters who went to Greater Galilee Baptist Church in South End to cast their ballot shortly after polls opened Tuesday morning in the primary election. The 1% sales tax for transportation projects that will be on the ballot in November was Orellana’s biggest concern.
“I grew up in the city. A lot of people have been kicked out,” Orellana said. Part of the reason, especially in places like South End, is because the light rail has driven up the cost of living, she said. She also wants to see the city put a spotlight on creating more affordable housing.
Tim Cavins, who was voting with his wife before heading to work, is also worried about how expensive the city has become. Affordable housing was also at the top of his list when voting this year.
“I’d like to see Charlotte grow in a way that is fair and equitable for everybody,” Cavins said.
Polls are open until 7:30 p.m.
Charlotte is the only city or town in the region with primary elections today.
Voters in the city will decide between several Democratic mayoral candidates, including incumbent Mayor Vi Lyles, Jaraun “Gemini” Boyd, Delter Kenny Guinn III, Brendan Maginnis and Tigress Sydney Acute McDaniel.
Ten Democrats are running for four at-large spots in Tuesday’s primary, and voters will make choices in several contested city council district primaries.
Both candidates for Charlotte City Council District 1, incumbent Dante Anderson and Charlene Henderson El, stood outside the Precinct 14 polls at Hawthorne Academy in Belmont Tuesday afternoon, waving down voters as they arrived.
“It has been a slow but steady drip,” Anderson said. She had floated around to different polling locations throughout the day and said she’d continue until polls closed. “Until the last ballot is cast,” she said.
The location had seen around 150 voters by 3 p.m. It was, according to the location’s election judge Mary Hood, “better turnout than (she) thought.”
April Benson was at Hawthorne campaigning for Henderson. She’s lived in Charlotte for nearly 40 years and said affordable housing is top-of-mind for her in this election.
“They talk about affordable housing, but where is it? You’ve got working class people sleeping in their cars,” Benson said. “We need leaders who actually care about our city.”
Benson said she also wants to see more mental health resources and investment in beautifying every part of the city — not only wealthy neighborhoods.
Marilyn Corn, a precinct official, said she has been working at Galilee Church for about 13 or 14 years. There’s been more interest in this year’s city council primary compared to the past because more people are paying attention, she said.
There were 17 voters just before 8 a.m., which Corn said was decent turnout for a primary.
“A few hundred would be a good day,” she said.
She encouraged people to check their registration and to vote early.
Sitting in a chair not far from the church, John Moore Jr. was campaigning for Warren F. Turner, who is running for incumbent Tiawana Brown’s District 3 council seat. He said he’s been a longtime supporter of Turner and believes in his campaign.
Susan Alexander, a precinct official at Sharon Presbyterian Church in SouthPark, said turnout was a bit low in the morning with about 14 voters. But the precinct also had 45 absentee voters. Alexander, who has been working as a precinct official for 16 years, said she enjoys working with people from all different political parties.
Monica Pittsenbarger has been helping run the precinct 15 polls at Midwood Baptist Church in Plaza Midwood for 20 years and has been the chief judge at the location since 2020.
“The stress was overwhelming that first time,” she said. By now, though, she has running the polls down to a science, with seven assistants per half-day shift and color-coded “cheat sheets” at each station with reminders for poll workers about each step of the process, down to not sliding chairs across the church’s brand new wood floors.
“My job is to protect the integrity of the vote and make sure that every voter who comes in has the same experience,” Pittsenbarger said.
She said this year’s turnout has been on par with past years when it comes to a municipal primary, with about 200 voters by 2 p.m.
First time voter
She and other poll workers at precinct 110 clapped for Hank Thrasher after learning the Myers Park High School senior was voting for the first time. Thrasher learned his precinct was actually across the parking lot at precinct 57.
He said that while there weren’t specific issues on his mind while voting, he felt it was his civic duty and felt excited to cast his ballot. He said he’s been looking forward to doing it since he was a kid.
Lynda Opdyke, the precinct official at 57, said they’ve had about 26 voters so far. She said she thinks press coverage of politics have driven voter interest in participating.
She said it’s been gratifying working as a precinct official for 10 years because she gets to see friends and neighbors, and meet new people.
A preschool is located inside the voting area. Opdyke said they’ve handed out stickers to the kids as they come in.
The stickers have a heart-shaped American flag and say “Future Voter!”
Precinct official Patrick Burris, at 122 in southwest Charlotte, said the location had seen about 32 voters in the morning. The precinct was located inside the Lake Wylie Elementary School gymnasium. Kids were playing in an after school program in the cafeteria next door.
“If we get 100 to 200 I would be happy,” said Burris, who has been with the Board of Elections since 1999.
Compared to other elections, this year’s appeared to be low energy and no one seemed concerned, Burris said. But he chalked it up to the primary mainly being a Democratic primary.
He said being a precinct official is a way to honor the people like civil rights activists who paved the way for voters.
Erica Reed said she was voting for candidates who not only focused on education, but early childhood education in particular.
“A lot of candidates focus on K-12,” Reed said. But as an educator who works with three-year-old children, she wants candidates who will advocate for her and others like her.
She said she also wanted candidates who would focus on reinforcing laws and ordinances to keep Charlotte safe, as well as tackling certain pockets of the city where crime rates may be higher.
Barry Pettinato, chief election judge at the precinct 12 polls at Bruns Avenue Elementary School in west Charlotte, said it’s been a slow day, with only about 75 voters by 4 p.m. But 65 people voted early, he said.
It was a stark difference from the 2024 election, when he said throngs of students from the nearby Johnson C. Smith University had come to vote in the presidential election. This time, he saw his first two JCSU students come in right around 3:30 p.m.
Hot race in east Charlotte
In east Charlotte, at Northridge Middle School, 58 people had voted just before noon. A poll worker said the flow of voters had been steady and said it was likely because the district is one of the more contested races between incumbent Democratic Council Member Marjorie Molina and Juan Diego (J.D.) Mazuera Arias for District 5.
Voter Reginald Grier Sr. wouldn’t say which candidate he voted for, but hinted it was the one who is his cousin. He said he wants to see candidates who don’t just show up at election times, but are visible and active in the community.
“I hope people get out and vote,” Grier said. “And make sure they do their homework ... read about candidates.”
Correction: The portion of this story about voter Angel Orellana’s position on the November tax referendum has been updated.
This story was originally published September 9, 2025 at 10:04 AM.
