Zach Erwin, Kannapolis City Council candidate, answers our questions
To help inform voters in the Nov. 4, 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: Zach Erwin
Birthdate: July 6, 1992
Campaign website or social media page: https://www.facebook.com/mrerwin704
Occupation: High School Social Studies Teacher at A.L. Brown High School
Education
A.L. Brown High School Graduate (’10); BA Political Science - UNC Chapel Hill (’14) ; MS Sport Management - Western Carolina (’17)
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought or held)
No
Please list your highlights of civic involvement
Civics & AP US Government teacher / Representative of the Kannapolis Historic Preservation Focus Group
What are the most important issues facing Kannapolis today, and how would you address them?
Access - maintaining an open line of dialogue with residents and meeting with as many citizens as possible regularly. Their ideas are just as valuable as my own.
Fairness - The City must be mindful of the investments it makes in infrastructure, development, and local business, ensuring that assistance is provided all across town based on need.
Teaching our History - Kannapolis has a unique history with valuable lessons that should be showcased in the modern context.
Development, particularly downtown, has changed Kannapolis significantly over the previous several years. What’s your opinion on how growth and development is changing what things feel like living in Kannapolis? And what’s your vision of what Kannapolis should look and feel like in the next few years?
Kannapolis is experiencing an influx of new residents and businesses. Growth is a good thing when handled responsibly. The type of growth that is currently happening is not such. The loss of single-family homes to numerous townhome neighborhoods is concerning due to the strain on infrastructure and utilities. Kannapolis can and should be more selective about the type of development that occurs here.
How would you support improving parks, recreation and community spaces in Kannapolis?
Kannapolis can and should be a city that welcomes people from all walks and phases of life. Having a diverse offering of business opportunities, entertainment options, cultural expressions, and public amenities can make Kannapolis feel like home. The downtown area has received an immense amount of support in recent years, while other areas of town have felt left out or cut out completely. It’s important that the City show support for all of its local businesses and districts. Kannapolis should treat public parks as a worthwhile investment and utilize those spaces to their fullest extent. Certain areas (i.e. Atrium Health Ballpark) are being utilized sufficiently, but some areas could use some upkeep or enhanced elements of attraction to justify maintenance costs.
Why should voters choose you over others who are in the race?
Kannapolis has been my lifelong home and my family’s home for generations. While that in itself shouldn’t be the deciding factor, it has instilled in me a passion for making Kannapolis as great a place as I know it can be. This city raised me into the person I am, and I intend for it to be the place where I raise my daughter. I want her to have the same sense of pride in her city as I do, so I will do everything in my power to make this City as accommodating to her generation and future generations as I can. Likewise, my occupation as a high school teacher in Kannapolis has provided me the insight of students growing up in town, including their desires and vision for the future of Kannapolis. I want to make their voices heard on a grander scale, and I see Kannapolis City Council as the best platform.
This story was originally published October 15, 2025 at 3:20 PM.
