Endorsements: Our choices for 2022 mayoral and Charlotte City Council elections

Voters will see a mix of old and new faces when they cast their ballots in Charlotte’s municipal election on July 26.

The city hasn’t elected a new mayor and city council since 2019. This year’s election was meant to be held in 2021 but had to be postponed due to census delays, so current office holders have served a year longer than usual.

A lot has changed in the past three years. The city’s rapid growth has brought an influx of new businesses and residents to the area, but it’s also exacerbated challenges that city leaders often find themselves at odds over how to solve. Debates over affordable housing, the city’s massive Unified Development Ordinance and public transit are sure to continue when a new group of city leaders takes office in September.

Here are our recommendations for contested races:

Mayor

Incumbent Democrat Vi Lyles faces Republican Stephanie de Sarachaga-Bilbao in her bid for a third term as mayor.

Lyles has been a capable, if imperfect, mayor throughout her first two terms. She’s been a guiding figure on city council, built good relationships with Charlotte’s business community and maintained a steady presence on issues like affordable housing and economic mobility. Sarachaga-Bilbao is a smart candidate who cares about growth and public safety, but she’s never held public office before.

We think the mayor’s office sometimes lacks transparency, but Lyles has been a strong leader during some very uncertain times. Voters should feel comfortable electing her to another term.

City council at-large

In this crowded race, eight candidates are running to fill a total of four at-large seats. Republican newcomers Kyle Luebke, David Merrill, Charlie Mulligan and Carrie Olinski are looking to bring fresh leadership to a council they believe is falling short. On the Democratic side, incumbents Dimple Ajmera and Braxton Winston are joined by former council members James “Smuggie” Mitchell and LaWana Slack-Mayfield.

Winston’s bold leadership and continued advocacy has served Charlotteans well in recent years, and voters seem to agree: he earned the largest share of the vote in May’s Democratic primary. Ajmera, who has served on the council since 2017, has proven she can be an effective and dedicated representative who navigates issues thoughtfully.

Slack-Mayfield has served eight years on city council, but she hasn’t held office since 2019. Controversial social media posts aside, her record as a councilwoman speaks for itself: she’s a strong voice for underrepresented communities, and has proven herself worthy of a second chance. Among Republicans, Luebke stands out for his pragmatic vision and deep understanding of the city’s biggest issues.

We recommend Winston, Ajmera, Slack-Mayfield and Luebke.

District 2

Republicans have fielded a strong candidate in Mary Lineberger Barnett, who has a precise grasp of issues facing her district. She’s campaigning on public safety and the need to recruit more police with higher salaries and a restoration of some benefits, and she opposes the elimination of single-family zoning, which she believes will result in longtime homeowners leaving their neighborhoods. Barnett has spent much of her campaign speaking with people in her district, which is an enduring complaint about an incumbent who isn’t accessible as residents would like.

Incumbent Democrat Malcolm Graham has helped bring significant economic investment to this district north and west of Uptown. Graham has deep roots in the community and works hard to serve the city, but we hope he’s more attentive to constituents in his next term.

District 3

Incumbent Democrat Victoria Watlington is a sharp councilmember who has served west and southwest Charlotte well during her first term. She has a solid grasp of the issues that matter to her constituents, and she works hard to be responsive to them.

Her Republican opponent, James Bowers. speaks generally about the importance of safety and unity but doesn’t specify how to achieve it. We recommend Watlington.

District 6

Incumbent Tariq Bokhari likes to think of himself as a “disruptor,” and he certainly is one. He thinks the council should tackle issues differently than his colleagues do, and he’s not afraid to say so — he thinks affordable housing efforts should place more of an emphasis on upward mobility, and his top transit priority is figuring out how to make the Red Line happen.

As one of just two Republicans on the council, Bokhari is an important voice for conservative as well as moderate Charlotteans. But he’s also known for having an impetuous streak that sometimes sours relationships with colleagues and reflects poorly on the council as a whole.

Democrat Stephanie Hand is an impressive candidate who brings a wide variety of experience to the table. She would certainly be a capable representative for south Charlotte, but the dissenting perspective that Bokhari offers is critical. We give the nod to Bokhari.

This story was originally published July 12, 2022 at 12:58 PM.