Endorsements: Our choices in Charlotte City Council district primaries

It’s been a tumultuous couple of years for Charlotte City Council, and this election has been proof of that, with all but two incumbents facing challenges in their districts.

In some districts, the primary will determine who holds the seat, either because there is no Republican candidate or because it’s a district that would be difficult for a Republican to win, especially against a Democratic incumbent.

Here are our choices in contested district primaries:

District 1

Incumbent Dante Anderson seeks another term in this district, which encompasses Plaza Midwood, Dilworth and surrounding areas. Running against Anderson is Charlene Henderson, who serves on the city’s Community Relations Committee.

In Anderson’s few short years on council, she has earned the respect of many of her colleagues, who elected her as mayor pro tem in 2023. Anderson has an impressive grasp of the issues facing her district, and she’s grown to become a more visible leader for the city as a whole.

We are concerned, however, about comments she reportedly made in a closed session discussion that led to the ouster of former city attorney Patrick Baker. According to WFAE, Anderson told Baker he had “leaked” a public document to the media, when in fact he was legally obligated to fulfill the request under state public records law. That comment reflects a potential troubling view of transparency that’s far too common among city leaders these days.

Despite these reservations, we believe Anderson’s knowledge and experience make her the stronger candidate for this district. We recommend Anderson.

District 3

The primary for this west Charlotte district is a crowded contest between incumbent Tiawana Brown, former council member Warren Turner and community activist Joi Mayo. A fourth candidate, Montravias King, will also appear on the ballot, but he suspended his campaign earlier this month.

Brown was indicted in May on charges of wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud. She insists that the allegations, which occurred before she was elected, are “unrelated to her tenure as a public official.” We disagree. While Brown has been a vocal and dedicated advocate for her district, and while she is innocent unless proven guilty, her indictment remains a dark cloud over her position as a council member and a distraction from her duties.

Voters have an excellent alternative in Mayo, a former teacher and neighborhood leader. Mayo is the founder of Transforming Nations Ford, a nonprofit that supports communities along the Nations Ford/Arrowood corridor. That leadership, along with her deep understanding of the needs of her community, would make her a great representative for her district.

We recommend Mayo.

District 4

This northeast Charlotte district features a rematch from 2023, as incumbent Renee Perkins Johnson is once again challenged by Wil Russell. We endorsed Russell in 2023, because as someone with experience in housing and development, he would bring a perspective that the current council lacks and sorely needs. We still believe that is true.

But Johnson has been among the few dissenting voices on council, speaking up with concerns on issues like the Bank of America Stadium renovations deal and the contract extension of interim city attorney Anthony Fox. That, too, is a perspective that city government needs.

Voters have a tough choice to make here between two good candidates. We give a slight nod to Johnson.

District 5

In this east Charlotte district, incumbent Marjorie Molina is challenged by J.D. Mazuera Arias, who chairs the Hispanic Caucus of the Mecklenburg County Democratic Party.

Many District 5 constituents are unhappy with the current representation on council, which hasn’t been as communicative or accessible as they would like. While we appreciate Molina’s pragmatic approach to issues like transit and pay for airport contract workers, it’s also an approach that leaves important parts of her community feeling unheard, particularly on a costly transit plan that they think leaves them behind. And some in her district believe that too often, she sides with the mayor instead of her constituents.

Mazuera Arias would be the first Latino elected to Charlotte City Council, and he would be the youngest sitting member. Both of those perspectives would prove valuable not only to District 5, but to the city as a whole, especially as Charlotte’s population is growing younger and more diverse.

We recommend Mazuera Arias.

District 6

The Republican primary to replace former council member Tariq Bokhari features one name that should sound familiar to most District 6 residents: Krista Bokhari.

Krista Bokhari may share a last name and political affiliation with her husband, but voters shouldn’t expect her to be the same kind of leader. She, too, would be a voice for Republicans and moderates in Charlotte, but she would approach the job in her own way. She’s smart, dedicated to working directly with constituents to solve problems, and her less-volatile approach would be helpful to building bridges both on the council itself and with lawmakers in Raleigh.

Her opponent, Sary Chakra, is a first-time candidate with a promising future. Charlotte needs more thoughtful young Republicans, and we encourage him to continue seeking opportunities to fill that gap.

We recommend Bokhari.