North Carolina reacts to Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles’ resignation announcement
Elected officials, former political leaders and community figures weighed in Thursday after Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles announced plans to step down this summer, ending a nearly decade-long tenure leading the city.
Lyles announced Thursday she will step down June 30 and will not seek reelection in 2027, ending her time leading one of the nation’s fastest-growing cities. The five-term Democrat became Charlotte’s first African-American female mayor in 2017 and went on to become the city’s second-longest-serving mayor.
Her tenure included the COVID-19 pandemic, protests over policing and racial justice, explosive growth, contentious debates over transit and, most recently, criticism about public safety and transparency.
As news of her resignation spread Thursday morning, people across North Carolina reflected on Lyles’ long tenure, her influence on Charlotte politics and challenges now facing the city as it prepares for a leadership transition.
Past Charlotte mayors praise Lyles
Former Republican Gov. Pat McCrory, who also served as Charlotte mayor for 14 years, described Lyles as a steady and respected public servant whose leadership came at an important moment for the city.
“I want to thank her for public service, her attributes of her incredible professionalism and maturity and dignity came at a time when our city needed it most, and I totally respect her decision to spend time with her family. She deserves it and ... as a friend, I wish her nothing but the best,” McCrory told The Charlotte Observer.
He said one of Lyles’ defining accomplishments was helping advance the 1-cent regional sales tax referendum for transportation funding. He also pointed to her decades of work inside Charlotte government before becoming mayor, noting she served as assistant city manager and budget director during his own time leading the city.
“Maybe City Hall ought to be named after her for all the commitment she had in that building,” McCrory said. “Even though we were on different sides of the political aisle and didn’t agree on some issues, I always had respect for her, and I do consider a friend.”
Former Mayor Harvey Gantt, Charlotte’s first Black mayor, said he was sorry to hear of Lyles’ leaving office and praised her record leading the city through a period of rapid growth and change.
“Obviously I think very highly of her... she has served us very well in this community, and we’re proud of what she’s accomplished,” he said.
Gantt pointed to several efforts he said would shape Lyles’ legacy including work on affordable housing, neighborhood investment and economic growth. He also praised Lyles’ ability to work with the Republican-controlled North Carolina legislature, calling her successful in advancing Charlotte’s transportation agenda despite political divides.
“She managed to get approval for us to go forward with the referendum on the 1-cent sales tax, which, in my opinion, is going to be the defining thing of her tenure as mayor ... a tax that we need to have to support a massive and comprehensive transportation system,” Gantt said.
State leaders weigh in on Lyles’ resignation
“I’ve had the privilege of working with Mayor Lyles for many years. Her steady leadership has guided Charlotte to an even better place,” Gov. Josh Stein said in a post on X. “The city is stronger for her leadership, and I wish her well in her next chapter. Thank you, Vi.”
In a post on X, Republican NC Senate Leader Phil Berger wished Lyles well in her retirement and thanked her for her work.
“Mayor Lyles has been a guiding force for Charlotte,” Berger wrote. “She was a steadfast leader who worked collaboratively with local and state officials to address the city’s pressing needs.”
Current and former local leaders react to Lyles’ departure
The news came as a surprise to Lyles’ friends and colleagues, though it wasn’t entirely unexpected. Those who work closely with the mayor speculated she might step down early.
City Council member Kimberly Owens was driving to the government center for a meeting Thursday morning when somebody sent her a social media post about the mayor’s announcement. It was news to her.
“I am not surprised by her decision, but I was surprised by the timing and the manner of the announcement. I am frustrated by that,” Owens said. “I don’t feel like I should have found out that way as a colleague.”
Owens spent the day processing the news and considering how best to reassure her constituents, she said. Advance notice would have helped.
City Council member Malcolm Graham said he “had a feeling this was coming.”
Graham returned to council in 2019 at the encouragement of the mayor. He credited her for stabilizing city government at a time of rapid turnover. Charlotte had cycled through five mayors in three years before her election.
“I’ve known this lady for well over 35 years, and her commitment to the city of Charlotte and its growth and its development is second to none,” Graham said. “She was there when Charlotte needed her to be there.”
Ed Driggs, the City Council’s only Republican representative, said Lyles has struggled to assert her authority over the last two iterations of the council.
“The people on council now are not prepared to submit to the kind of authority the mayor is supposed to have,” Driggs said. “It’s like herding cats.”
But Driggs is sad to see her go, he said. The mayor’s big heart for Charlotte was evident in everything she did, and the city was fortunate to have her amidst a “tempestuous” social environment, Driggs said. He hopes everybody will remember her contributions to Charlotte, including the passing of the 1% sales tax, revamped land use processes and the 2040 plan.
“A lot of Republicans have said they liked her, and if the mayor couldn’t be a Republican, they’re happy it’s her,” Driggs said. “We’re going to miss that. She brought a dignity and grace to the job, caring for the people.”
Former City Council member Velva Woollen is one of those Republicans. She served in the ‘80s when Lyles was assistant city manager and later changed her affiliation to unaffiliated just so she could vote for her friend in the Democratic primary.
The weight of the office has taken a greater toll over time, Woollen said, with recent months proving to be “a painful time for her.” When Woollen saw Lyles two weeks ago, she said the two hugged without saying a word.
“Each one of us, especially as women, know when it’s time to quit, when you’ve done all you can do that’s effective,” Woollen said. “She’s had about three bags full.”
Woollen said she is beyond proud of all that Lyles has accomplished and hopes she will take a deep breath and enjoy the next chapter, one filled with fewer responsibilities and more family.
She didn’t know Lyles was planning to step down. The mayor’s announcement offered no specific reason beyond wanting to spend more time with her grandkids.
“Grandchildren are the joy of your life,” Woollen said. “That’s a good decision.”
Former Charlotte City Council member Tariq Bokhari, a Republican, said he and Lyles often disagreed politically during their time serving together, but he wished her well following her resignation announcement.
“While we had many a battle over the years, I always had love for Mayor Vi Lyles, and I wish her nothing but the best as she transitions out of this role,” he said on Facebook. “This forces a big question out into the open much earlier than many were expecting to have to deal with it – who is going to be the next mayor.”
Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners Chair Mark Jerrell called Lyles a stabilizing force for Charlotte and said her impact on the city will be felt long after she leaves office.
“If anybody deserves the right to determine when they want to start the next chapter of their life, I would say Mayor Lyles has certainly earned that right,” Jerrell said. “She has a legacy that will definitely be felt for generations to come.”
Jerrell pointed to several initiatives he said helped define Lyles’ tenure, including her racial equity initiative and investments in affordable housing through the city’s housing trust fund. He also said her leadership extended beyond Charlotte itself, describing her as a regional figure during periods of crisis and change.
“I think history will reflect that she was someone who was a visionary. She moved the community forward. She was a stabilizing force,” Jerrell said. “Her impact is certainly felt beyond the borders and boundaries of Charlotte.”
Business community praises Lyles’ work
Robert McCutcheon, president and CEO of Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, pointed to Charlotte’s economic growth and the passage of the transit tax as key parts of Lyles’ legacy, saying the city added thousands of jobs and billions in capital investment during her tenure as mayor.
“As the first Black woman to be elected mayor of Charlotte, Mayor Lyles has had a lasting impact on this community and its future. Throughout her time in office, she demonstrated a remarkable ability to build partnerships and move important work forward,” McCutcheon said in a statement to the Observer. “The Charlotte Regional Business Alliance is grateful for her years of service and dedication to strengthening the Charlotte region’s position as a leading business destination.”
Michael Smith, the CEO and president of Charlotte Center City Partners, said Lyles’ tenure will likely be remembered for steady leadership during a period of major growth and change for Charlotte. He said Lyles’ time as mayor helped shape Charlotte through efforts like expanded affordable housing investments and the PAVE Act. Smith also credited Lyles with helping strengthen relationships between Charlotte leaders and officials in Raleigh and Washington.
Smith said he hopes that Lyles’ interim replacement and successor will have executive competencies, vision and collaboration skills like Lyles.
“This is a complicated role in a really defining period for our city,” he said. “There’s still so much work to do, and we believe we’re at an inflection point where a lot of the hard work that’s been done over the last five years, coming out of COVID is really starting to bear fruit, and it’s exciting because it creates a lot of opportunity for our community.”
Owens thinks Lyles’ legacy is one of collaboration with corporate interests, which have driven Charlotte’s development. Lyles singlehandedly did more to advance public-private partnerships than any other person at the city, Owens said.
That has been positive in some ways. But her conciliatory relationship with “big money interests” has also contributed to a feeling among some residents that developers have too much power in city politics, Owens said.
“I think time will tell whether we’re continuing down that path,” Owens said. “Or perhaps bringing that path a little bit back to center is where the next mayor wants to take us.”
This story was originally published May 7, 2026 at 11:35 AM.
