Who’s running in 2025 in Charlotte, Mecklenburg, CMS elections? Here’s the list
Charlotte’s 2025 elections will be a competitive mixture of incumbents and newcomer candidates.
The filing window officially closed at 12 p.m. July 18 for candidates running for municipal office in Charlotte and Mecklenburg towns or for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education. The filing period ran for two weeks.
Most city council incumbents are running for reelection. District 6 is the only race guaranteed to elect a new leader after former Republican councilman Tariq Bokhari stepped down this spring for a role in the Trump administration. His wife, Krista Bokhari, is among the hopefuls vying to replace him. She’ll face one other Republican in the primary and one Democrat.
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, who has traditionally fared well against challengers, will face four Democratic primary opponents in her reelection campaign. If successful, she would become tied as the second-longest serving mayor in Charlotte history, with five terms.
And District 3 in West Charlotte is the most crowded council district race with one Republican and four Democrats, including incumbent Taiwana Brown, in contention so far. Despite Brown facing federal fraud charges, two of her opponents, Joi Mayo and Montravias King, have said they don’t intend to focus their campaigns on the allegations.
Otherwise, Mecklenburg County’s town and school board elections are also primed for competitive contests.
Primary elections are scheduled for Sept. 9, and the general election is Nov. 4.
Here’s a list of who filed:
2025 Mecklenburg local election candidates
Charlotte mayor (1 seat)
Jaraun “Gemini” Boyd (Democrat)
Delter Kenny Guin III (Democrat)
Vi Lyles (Democrat, incumbent)
Brendan K. Maginnis (Democrat)
Tigress Sydney Acute McDaniel (Democrat)
Terrie D. Donovan (Republican)
Rob Yates (Libertarian)
Charlotte City Council At-Large (4 seats)
- Dimple Ajmera (Democrat, incumbent)
- Matt Britt (Democrat)
- Will Holley (Democrat)
- Misun Kim (Republican)
- James “Smuggie” Mitchell Jr. (Democrat, incumbent)
- Victoria Watlington (Democrat, incumbent)
- LaWana Slack-Mayfield (Democrat, incumbent)
- Emerson Stoldt ( Democrat)
- Namrata “N.Y.” Yadav (Democrat)
- Misun Kim (Republican)
- Edwin B. Peacock III (Republican)
Charlotte City Council District 1 (1 seat)
- Dante Anderson (Democrat, incumbent)
- Charlene Henderson El (Democrat)
Charlotte City Council District 2 (1 seat)
- Malcolm Graham (Democrat, incumbent)
Charlotte City Council District 3 (1 seat)
James H. Bowers (Republican)
- Tiawana Brown (Democrat, incumbent)
Montravias King (Democrat)
Joi Mayo (Democrat)
Warren F. Turner (Democrat)
Charlotte City Council District 4 (1 seat)
- Renee Perkins Johnson (Democrat, incumbent)
- Wil Russell (Democrat)
Charlotte City Council District 5 (1 seat)
- Juan Diego “J.D.” Mazuera Arias (Democrat)
- Marjorie Molina (Democrat, incumbent)
Charlotte City Council District 6 (1 seat)
- Krista Bokhari (Republican)
- Sary Chakra (Republican)
- Kimberly Owens (Democrat)
Charlotte City Council District 7 (1 seat)
- Ed Driggs (Republican, incumbent)
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education District 1 (1 seat)
- Melissa Easley (Incumbent)
- Bill Fountain
- Charlitta Hatch
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education District 2 (1 seat)
Juan Hall
Shamaiye Haynes
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education District 3 (1 seat)
- Gregory “Dee” Rankin (Incumbent)
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education District 4 (1 seat)
- Robert L. Edwards
- Jillian King
- Stephanie Sneed (Incumbent)
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education District 5 (1 seat)
- Lisa Cline (Incumbent)
- Cynthia Stone
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education District 6 (1 seat)
Toni Emehel
Anna London
Justin Shealy
Cornelius mayor (1 seat)
Denis P. Bilodeau
Woody Washam Jr. (Incumbent)
Kenny Campbell
Cornelius Board of Commissioners (5 seats)
- John P. Caldwell
- Robert Carney (Incumbent)
- Michael DeVoney
- Colin J. Furcht
- Susan Johnson (Incumbent)
- Michael Osborne (Incumbent)
- Todd Sansbury (Incumbent)
Davidson mayor (1 seat)
Rusty Knox (Incumbent)
Davidson Board of Commissioners (2 Seats/4-year term, 3 Seats/2-year term)
- Ryan Fay (Incumbent)
- Steve Justus (Incumbent)
- David Lusk
- Tracy Mattison Brandon (Incumbent)
- Autumn Rierson Michael (Incumbent)
- Connie Wessner
Huntersville mayor (1 seat)
- Christy Clark (Incumbent)
- Derek L. Partee
Huntersville Board of Commissioners (6 seats)
- Alisia Bergsman (Incumbent)
- Dan Boone
- Scott Coronet
- Frank Gammon
- Jennifer Hunt (Incumbent)
- Edwin Quarles (Incumbent)
- LaToya Rivers (Incumbent)
- Heather Smallwood
- Nick Walsh (Incumbent)
- Jamie Wideman (Incumbent)
Matthews mayor (1 seat)
John Higdon (Incumbent)
Leon Threatt
Matthews Board of Commissioners (6 seats)
Susan Chambers
Jonathan Clayton
Jim Dedmon
Jennefer Cross Garrity
Brian Hacker
Gina Hoover (Incumbent)
Kerry Lamson
Mark Tofano (Incumbent)
John Tonello
John Urban (Incumbent)
George Young
Mint Hill mayor (1 seat)
- Dale Dalton
- Tim Radzicki
Mint Hill Board of Commissioners (2 seats)
Twanna Henderson (Incumbent)
Patrick Holton (Incumbent)
Trey Long
Patrick J. O’Brien
Matt Schwoebel
Pineville Mayor (1 seat)
- David Phillips (Incumbent)
- Amelia Stinson-Wesley
Pineville Town Council (2 seats)
- Nick Gallo
- L.F. (Les) Gladden
- Yvette Isaacs
- Tony Jennings
- Joshua Simelton
This story was originally published July 7, 2025 at 3:09 PM.
