In Mecklenburg town elections, Huntersville gets a 2nd round of GOP, Dem fight
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- Mecklenburg towns hold contested Nov. 4 races that could shift local power.
- Huntersville, Cornelius and Matthews feature close rematches and open seats.
- Local debates center on growth, infrastructure, public safety and transit funding.
From a rematch in Cornelius to new leadership coming in Mint Hill and Matthews, voters across Mecklenburg County will see busy ballots this fall.
The general election is set for Nov. 4, with early voting beginning Oct. 16 and ballots mailed out starting Oct. 3.
Several Mecklenburg municipalities outside of Charlotte have contests that could shake up local boards and test political party strength in the suburbs. Here’s a look at what’s at stake in Huntersville, Cornelius, Matthews, Mint Hill, Pineville and Davidson ahead of the municipal elections.
Will Republicans make a comeback in Huntersville?
Two years after Democrats swept every seat in Huntersville, voters will decide whether that political shift was a blip or a new normal. The election is officially nonpartisan. But Mayor Christy Clark, a registered Democrat, is seeking a second term against former commissioner Derek Partee, a registered Republican who lost to her in 2023. Mecklenburg County Democratic Party chair Wesley Harris said the 2023 results reflected years of organizing in northern Mecklenburg.
“Huntersville is an area that has been trending blue for a while,” he said, noting that state-level campaigns had built a strong turnout network. “We finally reached that critical point in 2023 where we got our folks out.” Harris credited Clark and the Democratic-led board with delivering “actual results” since being elected. He expects the mayor’s race to stay competitive but believes Democrats can defend their majority.
“We only have five Democrats running, so there’s probably going to be one Republican on the board,” Harris said. “But that still gives us a vast governing majority for Huntersville, so we can make sure we can deliver for the town.”
Republicans, meanwhile, are trying to rebuild after what former commissioner Dan Boone called a “split conservative vote” two years ago. Boone, who ran for mayor in 2023 and is now seeking a council seat, said the GOP effort this fall is more coordinated.
“We have come up with a slate of four conservative candidates that need to represent the entire town of Huntersville, just not one party,” he said. “Right now I think the citizens on the conservative side of Huntersville aren’t being represented.”
The group, which consists of Boone, Frank Gammon, Heather Smallwood and Jamie Wideman, has rallied around the message “No More Than 4,” encouraging people to maximize Republicans’ chances by only voting for four candidates despite there being six seats on the ballot.
Democratic candidates include incumbents Jennifer Hunt, Edwin Quarles, LaToya Rivers and Nick Walsh, and newcomer Scott Coronet.
Boone said public safety and staffing shortages in the police department are some of his top concerns. Voters say they want a school resource officer in every Huntersville school and greater investment in recruitment and retention for police, Boone said. He expects the races to be close.
Partee said he’s focused on experience and service rather than party. Partee has distanced himself from the No More Than 4 messaging, saying he’s running independently and aims to work across affiliations.
“If those four individuals would get in line with me, then, yeah we can run as a board. But I’m not a follower, I’m a leader,” he said. “Whether you’re a Democrat, Republican, Independent, we’re all residents of the city … and we’re not working for a party. We’re working for the community.”
He said rapid growth and inadequate infrastructure have become defining issues for residents.
“There’s got to be a systematic way of having development and infrastructure work together,” Partee said. “Let’s step on the brake for a minute, and let’s reevaluate how we can service all these upcoming developments.”
Candidates with five-vote difference in 2023 to see rematch in Cornelius
Two years ago, Cornelius Mayor Woody Washam Jr. edged challenger Denis Bilodeau by just five votes. Voters in Cornelius will see a rematch this fall, with a third candidate, Kenny Campbell, joining the field.
Both Washam and Bilodeau are registered Republicans in the nonpartisan race. Bilodeau, a former commissioner, said his decision to run again stems from frustration with what he calls a “business-as-usual” pace at town hall.
“I believe it’s time for a change, and I still feel that way a year and a half later,” he said. “We’re tired of the pace that we’re currently under, and we want things to move quickly.”
He said Cornelius faces familiar challenges around growth, traffic and infrastructure but argued the town should take on smaller, locally funded projects rather than waiting for state help.
“I think we wait too long and rely too much on NCDOT without looking at local projects that can be done more quickly,” Bilodeau said, pointing to left-turn lane additions and signal timing as examples of fixes that can offer quick relief.
Bilodeau also opposes the proposed Red Line commuter rail, which is tied to a 1% countywide sales-tax referendum also on the ballot. He said the plan is outdated and poorly suited for Cornelius’ small downtown.
“We’re looking at 1800s technology,” he said. “I don’t see a diesel train chugging through downtown Cornelius as being the solution to our traffic problems.”
Washam said in an Observer questionnaire that he supports the 1% sales tax, and that the most pressing issues facing Cornelius are improving roads, public safety, acquiring land for public spaces and maintaining financial stability.
He said the town has done a good job managing growth.
“Only controlled top quality growth will make sense for Cornelius. Our population has increased only 0.6 of one percent in the last 4 years,” Washam said. “This is the lowest growth rate of any town in the county. Our policies and land use plan are in place to control growth and are working well.”
In the town board race, six candidates are vying for five seats, including incumbents Robert Carney, Susan Johnson, Michael Osborne and Todd Sansbury, and newcomers Michael DeVoney and Colin Furcht.
All seats up for grabs in Matthews
Matthews voters will see a major shake-up on their town board this year. All six commissioner seats are on the ballot, and at least three will be filled by newcomers.
Mayor John Higdon, an unaffiliated voter, faces a challenge from current commissioner Leon Threatt, a registered Republican.
A crowded field of candidates is vying for the open commissioner spots. The newcomers include Susan Chambers, Jonathan Clayton, Jennifer Cross Garrity, Brian Hacker, Kerry Lamson, John Tonello and George Young. Commissioners Gina Hoover, Mark Tofano and John Urban hope to hold on to their seats.
Party leader Harris said Mecklenburg Democrats are focused on the Matthews race, as the outcome could serve as a preview of competitiveness in state legislative races next year.
Mint Hill to see new mayor
Mint Hill is guaranteed new leadership after this election. Mayor Brad Simmons isn’t seeking reelection, leaving two sitting commissioners, Dale Dalton and Tim Radzicki, competing to replace him.
Two commission seats are also open, with incumbents Twanna Henderson and Patrick Holton facing a slate of challengers that includes Trey Long, Patrick O’Brien and Matt Schwoebel.
Only one losing candidate in Davidson
In Davidson, the only suspense is which of six candidates will be the odd one out.
Mayor Rusty Knox, a Democrat, is running unopposed for another term. On the town board, five seats are up for election and six people are running, including incumbents Ryan Fay, Steve Justus, Tracy Mattison Brandon, Autumn Rierson Michael, newcomer David Lusk and former commissioner Connie Wessner.
Pineville to see new mayor
Mayor David Phillips dropped out of the election in July, leaving the seat open for his challenger, Council Member Amelia Stinson-Wesley. She is a Democrat midway through her four-year council term.
Two council seats are up for grabs. The five candidates competing for those open seats are Nick Gallo, Les Gladden, Yvette Isaacs, Tony Jennings and Joshua Simelton.
This story was originally published October 15, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
