Vi Lyles, Charlotte mayor 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: Mayor Vi Lyles
Email: info@vilyles.com
Political party: Democrat
Age: 73
Campaign website or social media page: @vilylesclt
Occupation: Mayor of Charlotte
Education: Bachelor’s in political science, Queens University; Master’s in public administration, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Have you run for and/or held elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought and/or held)
Mayor (2018 – present)
Mayor Pro Tem (2015 – 2018)
Charlotte City Council At-Large (2013 – 2015)
Please list your highlights of civic involvement
I worked for the city of Charlotte as a budget analyst, budget director and assistant city manager prior to running for City Council. I also worked as a consulting director for the Lee Institute and then for Flynn Heath Holt Leadership and was the community outreach director for the 2012 Democratic National Convention. I also served as the startup Director for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Coalition for Housing, working to end and prevent homelessness.
What are the most important issues facing Charlotte, and how would you address them as mayor?
Even before being elected mayor, I’ve always focused on affordable housing, transportation and economic growth through jobs, which also has the ability to deter crime in communities. While we’ve made incredible progress in these areas, there is still more work to be done. I am seeking your vote, as I would like to finish the work that we started.
What strengths do you bring to the position that set you apart from your opponents?
I’ve spent decades living in Charlotte and deeply understanding this city and its residents. It’s part of what’s allowed me to move this city as mayor as I’ve tackled some of the city’s most pressing challenges including investing in over $150 million in affordable housing; spearheading the $250 million Mayor’s Racial Equity Initiative; championing the 2040 Comprehensive Plan; and prioritizing public transit improvements and access. Charlotte became the 14th largest city since my starting.
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?
The City handled the matter in a manner that was consistent with policies around disclosing employment information. However, things were taken out of context when some information was made public without the other clarifying details that couldn’t legally be disclosed.
How will you work to improve transparency within city government?
While I’ve suggested various changes for how meetings and discussions are conducted on City Council in the spirit of transparency, I also believe we need to define what transparency is within city government when so much information isn’t legal to share publicly.
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 will absolutely be voting in favor of the proposed transit tax in November, as this has been an important goal for Charlotte. The goal is to reduce congestion and improve safety throughout the region, and I’ve worked hard on our transportation plans since coming into office, understanding the enormous growth that Charlotte was to – and now has – experienced. By passing the proposed tax, transit will be expanded including building the Red Line, extending the Blue Line and enhancing bus service as 40 percent of the money would be dedicated to roads, 40 percent on rail transit; and the additional 20 percent would be invested in the bus system and new microtransit, which we are already beginning to see in parts of Charlotte.
