Jaraun ‘Gemini’ Boyd, Charlotte mayor candidate, answers our questions
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Voter Guide 2025: Read answers for Charlotte mayor
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles is seeking a fifth term at the head of city government and facing four challengers in the Democratic primary. The winner will advance to the general election, where challengers from the Republican and Libertarian parties await. Lyles did not respond to The Charlotte Observer’s questionnaire.
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To help inform voters in the Sept. 9, 2025, election, this candidate questionnaire is available to be republished by local publications in North Carolina without any cost. Please consider subscribing to The Charlotte Observer to help make this coverage possible.
Name: Jaraun “Gemini” Boyd
Email: jaraunboydformayor@gmail.com
Political party: Democratic
Age: 51
Campaign website or social media page: jaraunboydformayor.org
Occupation: Peer Support Specialist-Mecklenburg Public Defender’s Office
Education: Certified non profit management-Duke University, Certified Life Coach, Certified Class CDL ClassA
Have you run for and/or held elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought and/or held)
No
Please list your highlights of civic involvement
2019 Charlotte Day-lead and held the initiatives with other nonprofits to feed and give away bookbags to 10,000 ppl not funded by the city and state. Grassroots/nonprofits: We Are One Charlotte, Project BOLT, Community engagement task group with the county of Mecklenburg(CETG), Leadership Charlotte and Center for Community Transitions.
What are the most important issues facing Charlotte, and how would you address them as mayor?
As your mayor, I will: Address affordable housing by working to increase access, protect renters, and ensure development benefits all residents, not just a few. Create youth incentive programs that keep youth out of trouble and provide them with real opportunities for growth, education and employment. Engage in collective bargaining with city workers and essential employees, they deserve fair treatment, better wages and a seat at the table. Lead with transparency, accountability and integrity.
What strengths do you bring to the position that set you apart from your opponents?
Community engagement, leadership and not being afraid to go against the status quo.
The city of Charlotte provided CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings with more than $305,000 in a deal reached during a private meeting – details of which were not available until news outlets started reporting on the issue. Did the city handle this correctly based on what the public knows about the situation? Why or why not?
No. There was no transparency. There was no accountability for the actions that were taken. That’s unacceptable. The residents of Charlotte deserve a mayor who is not afraid to do the right thing, someone who will step up and speak out for the people, not hide behind closed doors.
The public should have been informed before a settlement was paid and not after. Decisions like that affect our community, our trust, and our city’s future. They should never be made in the dark.
As mayor, I will ensure transparency is not just a talking point it will be the foundation of how we lead. Charlotte deserves better. Charlotte deserves leadership that tells the truth, includes the people, and puts the public first.
How will you work to improve transparency within city government?
I will start with accountability because accountability leads to transparency. When leaders are held accountable for their decisions, the public gains trust. Without accountability, transparency is just a word, not a practice. As mayor, I will take responsibility for the actions of this administration. No more backroom decisions. No more keeping residents in the dark.
The General Assembly has given Mecklenburg County permission to put a referendum on the ballot to raise the county’s sales tax to fund road, rail and bus projects. Will you vote in favor of the referendum? Why or why not?
I oppose the transit tax referendum. I believe our city is deeply divided, and our current transportation system is failing, particularly for working-class residents who rely on it the most. Increasing taxes on individuals who are already struggling to make a living wage is not the answer. I believe that instead of asking more from working people, we should be focused on ensuring our essential and city workers are paid a living wage and not taxed further to fund a broken system.
This story was originally published August 12, 2025 at 7:00 AM.
