Charlotte plans to pick interim mayor before Vi Lyles leaves. Here’s the process
The public can apply to be Charlotte’s next mayor between June 2 and June 9.
A new leader will be decided before Mayor Vi Lyles leaves office, according to a process adopted by the City Council on Monday.
Lyles announced her impending resignation earlier this month and gave little explanation beyond wanting to spend time with family. Her last day in office will be June 30, just seven months into her fifth and final term.
Her replacement must be 21 years or older, a Charlotte resident and a registered Democrat, the same party as Lyles. Interviews will be open to public viewing and conducted in person, but the exact interview dates have not yet been finalized.
The City Council will vote to appoint a mayor on June 22. That person will take office July 1.
The application will ask whether candidates intend to run for the office next year. Historically, the City Council has appointed people who promised not to run for the seat they are filling in the next election. Those appointees often ran anyway, though. The question is nonbinding.
Several sitting council members are expected to run for mayor next year, adding an extra political wrinkle into the appointment process. Whoever becomes interim mayor would have an edge if they decided to run for the seat in 2027.
If the council appoints one of its own members, then that would create another vacancy the council would have to fill through an application process.
Who wants to be interim mayor?
Several notable figures in Charlotte politics have made their intentions clear in their bids to be Charlotte’s next mayor.
Mayor Pro Tem James Mitchell pitched himself to his colleagues over the weekend in a late-night email and six-slide PowerPoint attachment.
His vision, dubbed “Together Everyone Achieves More,” or T.E.A.M., includes team bonding events at four sporting events, monthly TV shows and newsletters, a “Raleigh Day” to meet the governor’s cabinet members and new vice chair positions on the five council committees.
Mitchell’s proposal would give every council member a committee title, but it is unclear what responsibilities those new positions would have. The existing committee chairpersons are tasked with facilitating meetings and placing items on their agendas.
Notably, Mitchell promised to give up the seat when the term ends in December 2027.
“As I come to the close of my public service career, if given the opportunity to serve as Interim Mayor, I will adhere to our tradition of NOT running for the Office of Mayor in 2027,” Mitchell wrote in his email, which was shared with The Charlotte Observer. He was first elected to City Council in 1999 and has only been off council for a few of the interceding years.
Former Mayor Jennifer Roberts also contacted City Council earlier this month to offer her service, saying she’s “willing to serve as an interim mayor” and would not seek election. She pledged not to take a salary or benefits if appointed.
Roberts served one term from 2015 to 2017 before losing to Lyles. She faced political pressure over her handling of the Keith Lamont Scott protests and her showdown with the General Assembly over LGBTQ+ rights.
And Brendan Maginnis, who ran in the Democratic primary for mayor last cycle, also offered to fill the role. He received 12.2% of votes and has since moved to Denmark, but he is still registered to vote in Charlotte.
