Charlotte City Council 2025: At-Large Candidate Guide
What the at-large seats are and how this election works
Charlotte elects a mayor and eleven council members in partisan elections. Four council members are elected at-large by all city voters, and seven are elected from districts. Primaries narrow each party’s nominees, then the November general election elects four at-large winners by simple plurality citywide. Charlotte uses the partisan method under local code, and primaries for “group” offices follow North Carolina’s substantial-plurality rules for multi-seat nominations.
Key dates. Early voting runs Aug. 21 to Sept. 6. Primary Day is Tuesday, Sept. 9. Results certify Sept. 16. Second primary, if needed, is Oct. 7. The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 4.
Who is on your ballot
Democratic primary, At-Large (vote for up to four)
Dimple Ajmera; Matt Britt; Roderick A. Davis; Will Holley; J.G. Lockhart; James “Smuggie” Mitchell Jr.; LaWana Slack-Mayfield; Emerson Stoldt; Victoria Watlington; Namrata “N.Y.” Yadav.
Republicans in November
Misun Kim and Edwin B. Peacock III advanced when the GOP primary was canceled, and will appear on the Nov. 4 ballot.
The issues shaping the race
Transportation sales tax and the P.A.V.E. Act
The General Assembly passed the Projects for Advancing Vehicle-Infrastructure Enhancements Act on July 1, authorizing Mecklenburg to place a 1-cent sales tax on the Nov. 4 ballot. County commissioners voted 8-1 on Aug. 6 to put it before voters. The plan projects roughly $19.4–$ 25 billion over 30 years, with revenue split 40 percent for roads, 40 percent for rail, 20 percent for bus and microtransit, which equals 60 percent for transit and 40 percent for roads.
Public positions: Most council candidates at a Black Political Caucus forum expressed support for the tax, with a small minority opposed or undecided.
Panthers stadium vote
On June 24, 2024, the council voted 7–3 to approve $650 million in hospitality-tax funding for Bank of America Stadium renovations. Roll call reported by WSOC: Yes votes included Mitchell and Slack-Mayfield, No votes included Ajmera.
Airport worker wage and standards fight
On June 24, 2025 a move to send SEIU-32BJ’s minimum-standards request for airport contractors to committee failed after a tie that the mayor broke against referral.
Candidate profiles
Dimple Ajmera
Chair, Budget, Governance, and Intergovernmental Relations. Leads annual budget process and SAFE Charlotte follow-through. Publicly supportive of the transportation referendum with oversight. Voted no on the stadium package, citing the pace of the process.
James “Smuggie” Mitchell Jr.
At-large veteran and former District 2 member. Economic development focus, small-business inclusion, and event-driven tourism. Supported the stadium package.
LaWana Slack-Mayfield
At-large incumbent, former District 3. Leads on “Faith in Housing,” partnering with congregations for affordable units. Often breaks with colleagues on rezonings where infrastructure lags. Supported referring airport standards to the committee, which failed. Supported the stadium package.
Victoria Watlington
Engineer, former District 3. Drafted the Re-Imagining Policing framework that informed SAFE Charlotte and champions Corridors of Opportunity. In May raised process concerns after a closed session; colleagues disputed the allegations. Generally supportive of mobility investment and corridor anti-displacement work.
Matt Britt
Atrium Health marketing liaison; chairs Smart Start of Forsyth County, co-chairs NC Pre-K. Runs on reliability in transit, economic mobility, and accessibility in constituent service.
Roderick A. Davis
Long-time activist and frequent candidate. Positions across cycles include more multifamily housing and skepticism of streetcar compared with rail extensions.
Will Holley
Small-business owner and youth mentor. Emphasizes transparency tools, such as budget dashboards and routine town halls, as well as mental health supports for youth.
J.G. Lockhart
Nonprofit executive and podcast host. The platform centers on transparent government and youth investment.
Emerson Stoldt (filed, campaign paused)
An architect and urbanist who paused the campaign in spring and pledged refunds. Remains on the ballot.
Namrata “N.Y.” Yadav
Bank of America executive focused on workforce and community advancement. Supports the transit referendum and has urged appointing trustees who actually ride the system.
Misun Kim (Republican, November)
Commercial real-estate broker and 2023 mayoral nominee. Platform highlights economic development and workforce skills; previously expressed support for sales-tax-funded mobility investments.
Edwin B. Peacock III (Republican, November)
Former at-large member appointed in May to finish the District 6 term. Moderate profile with emphasis on transit and pragmatic governance.
How to vote, what to bring, where to go
A photo ID is required by state law. Find sites and hours, request absentee ballots, and view your sample ballot using state and county tools.
Keep reading, then actually vote
Find our policy explainers, candidate briefs, and daily coverage at The Charlotte Mercury. Browse our latest News, Business, Housing, and Politics. And if you like your democracy with a bit of rhythm, our special election hub is live: “Poll Dance 2025; Join the Dance” at Election 2025. The Fine Print: Privacy Policy, About Us, Terms of Service, Media, Contact Us.
Election mechanics and dates, with context
Charlotte’s municipal primaries are partisan. Democratic and unaffiliated voters may select up to four in the at-large primary. Republicans do not have an at-large primary this year. The top four Democratic finishers move to November, where all at-large nominees compete on one ballot and the top four citywide vote-getters win.
Stakes that will follow these four seats into 2026
- The P.A.V.E. referendum and its 40–40–20 allocation will shape a generation of road, rail, and bus investment, along with the governance shift to a new authority.
- Implementation choices on airport worker standards will continue regardless of the failed referral, since contract oversight and wage floors can surface through procurement policy.
- Stadium financing is set: the 2024 vote is done. The focus now is on transparency regarding contracts, timelines, and benefits delivery.
Candidate-by-candidate detail
Each profile above cites the relevant primary sources: city bios, Legistar records, candidate sites, and local reporting. To compare answers in one place, see the Observer’s at-large Q&As and the WBTV candidate interviews.
About the Author
Jack Beckett drinks his coffee like a budget presentation: strong, no foam, and delivered with line items. If this piece saved you from three hours of forum videos, buy your local poll worker a donut.
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Creative Commons License
© 2025 The Charlotte Mercury / Strolling Ballantyne
This article, “Charlotte City Council At-Large 2025: Full Candidate Guide, Key Votes, and How the Election Works,” by Jack Beckett is licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0.
“Charlotte City Council At-Large 2025: Full Candidate Guide, Key Votes, and How the Election Works”
by Jack Beckett, The Charlotte Mercury (CC BY-ND 4.0)