Marjorie Molina to request recount in Charlotte City Council District 5 primary
Charlotte City Councilwoman Marjorie Molina will request a recount after what appears to be a razor-thin loss in the Democratic primary for east Charlotte’s District 5 on Tuesday.
Election night results show challenger J.D. Mazuera Arias defeated Molina by 37 votes out of nearly 6,000 ballots cast. That’s a margin of 50.3% to 49.7%. A candidate can request a recount when they’re losing by less than 1% under North Carolina law.
“To the voters and supporters of East Charlotte, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude. This has been a hard-fought race, and your dedication has meant the world,” Molina said in an early morning post on X. “Because the #CLTD5 race is such a close result, we will be requesting a recount to ensure every single vote is honored.”
The Mecklenburg County Board of Elections still has to count about 150 provisional ballots, too. That process will take place at 11 a.m. Tuesday and could slightly change the margin between the two candidates.
Anybody can request a provisional ballot if they face a problem when trying to vote. The Board of Elections reviews the circumstances of each ballot before deciding whether those votes count or whether they require more information. It is unlikely that every provisional ballot will be counted.
Mazuera Arias said he expected a nail-biter and isn’t surprised by the tight margin. He supports Molina’s right to request a recount and is proud his district showed up to participate at the polls, he said.
“I started my campaign the same that I want to run and represent east Charlotte, and that means representing all the people that voted for me and not for me, and all the different multi-ethnic, multi-background folks,” Mazuera Arias said. “I hope to be a champion for all of them.”
Molina has served on council since 2022 and is seeking a third term. She is one of two incumbents who came up short this cycle, according to unofficial results. Councilwoman Tiawana Brown lost to Joi Mayo in west Charlotte’s District 3.
Mazuera Arias is a first-time candidate but has political experience working for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., the Democratic National Committee and The Century Foundation, a progressive think tank. He also chairs the Hispanic Democratic Caucus of Mecklenburg County and touted early support from former Mayor Jennifer Roberts and state Rep. Jordan Lopez.
The winner will be unopposed in the November general election.
This story was originally published September 10, 2025 at 10:33 AM.
