Krista Bokhari, GOP Charlotte City Council District 6 candidate, answers our questions
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Voter Guide 2025: Read answers for District 6
Two Republicans are competing for the Charlotte City Council District 6 seat — Krista Bokhari and Sary Chakra. Bokhari is the wife of former councilman Tariq Bokhari, who resigned to take a job in the Trump administration. The District 6 race is the only Republican primary in Charlotte in 2025.
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Name: Krista Bokhari
Political party: Republican
Which position are you running for on the Charlotte City Council? District 6
Age: 46
Campaign website or social media page: KristaBokhari.com
Occupation: Marketing Director
Education: BA Marketing
Have you run for and/or held elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought and/or held) Ran for NC House 104
Please list your highlights of civic involvement I volunteered as constituent services coordinator for District 6 residents for the last 8 years. I’m also a member of the SouthPark Association of Neighborhoods. I am the co-organizer of National Police Week Adopt an Officer program. I hold various positions on Myers Park Methodist TCC parent council, as well at Selwyn Elementary PTA. I serve as AG Middle School PTO Vice President. What are the most important issues facing Charlotte, and how would you address them?
Charlotte faces rising crime, backroom deals and one-party rule. I’ll fight for public safety, restore trust by exposing insider politics and bring true accountability. I’ll work with state leaders to address repeat offenders and push for balance in local government, because transparency requires checks and balances, and that’s lacking with our city government.
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. The secret payout was wrong and eliminated any shred of trust. There’s a reason why it was secretly pushed through just days after my husband left city council. With him gone, they thought they could get away with it. I’ll be a voice for transparency and fight to end the fear-driven groupthink that led to this betrayal of the public.
How will you earn public trust in the wake of public controversies that roiled City Council this spring?
By telling the truth, even when it will cost me. My public explanation of the Jennings payout cost me the appointment to the District 6 seat, but I refused to stay silent. I understand the inner workings of city council and will challenge the well-known dysfunction head-on. I’m here to listen and to serve the people, not the insiders.
How will you work to improve transparency within city government? I’ll push to disclose all settlements, limit closed sessions and work towards creating a citizen audit board. If a deal isn’t active litigation or a competitive deal, it should be public. Once those deals are completed, the details should be made public immediately. I’ll fight to make transparency a practice, not a buzzword.
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’m cautiously optimistic, but watching closely. I’m thankful to the legislature for requiring road funding and maintaining local expenditures, but we must ensure transparency and accountability. I won’t support it if it becomes another backroom deal over the next 3 months benefiting special interests instead of all of Charlotte. We need to make sure all of Charlotte sees transit improvements.
Is there an area where you disagree with your party on local or state issues? Why? With so few Republicans left in Charlotte, there aren’t many disagreements. I stay focused on common-sense local solutions and putting our community first.
What separates you from your opponent(s)? I bring real-world experience with knowledge of the needs of the district and city operations. I have a proven record of community service working side-by-side with neighbors solving real issues. I understand the dynamics of the city council and how it operates behind the scenes. I will challenge the status quo, speak plainly about unethical behavior every time I see it, and put our families — not political agendas — at the center of my decisions.
What one professional or political accomplishment are you most proud of? Most of all, I’m proud to be a mother raising kind, resilient children. I’m also extremely proud about helping launch a mental health facility that will soon serve Charlotte families that need help.
This story was originally published August 13, 2025 at 8:00 AM.
