August 31, 2025
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Charlene Henderson – Charlotte City Council District 1 Candidate 2025

Charlene Henderson (District 1) — Candidate Profile

District 1’s rematch is set. Charlene Henderson, a Hidden Valley organizer and small-business owner, is challenging Mayor Pro Tem Danté Anderson in the Sept. 9 Democratic primary. Early voting runs Aug. 21–Sept. 6. Bring an ID, bring a neighbor, and maybe bring a helmet: the transit tax and growth fights aren’t pulling their punches this year.

Quick Facts

  • Office Sought (2025): Charlotte City Council, District 1 (Democratic primary)
  • Challenger To: Incumbent Danté Anderson (Democrat)
  • Campaign Hub: charlenehenderson.com
  • Also Appears As: Charlene Henderson El
  • Recent Forums: Sarah Stevenson Tuesday Forum (Aug. 5) — Henderson and Anderson went head-to-head
  • Prior Runs: D-1 (2022, 30.5% in primary), At-Large (2023, 5th), D-4 (2019, 21.8%)

District 1: What’s at Stake

District 1 spans Plaza Midwood, Belmont, Villa Heights, First Ward edges, and adjoining east-side neighborhoods. It’s safely Democratic, but municipal turnout bounces like a Hornets fourth quarter: high emotion, low consistency. The council sets the budget, policy, and appointments — keep the city–county split in mind when candidates promise the moon on county-run services.

Biography & Civic Footprint

Henderson casts herself as a lifelong Charlottean, small-business owner, and neighborhood advocate who convenes “Crucial Conversations” in Hidden Valley. She chairs the Historic Hidden Valley Precinct #82 for the Mecklenburg County Democratic Party; on the city side she holds a designated Business Advisory Committee seat (Black Chamber category) through April 2027, and lists service with the Community Relations Committee (the joint city–county human relations body). Other roles cited by the campaign: Advisory Committee for North End Park & Rec, NC Institute of Public Leadership (2024 graduate), NCNW member, and activity within the Black Political Caucus and African American Caucus.

Platform — What She’s Pushing

Safe, Supported Communities

Fair wages and protections for city workers and contractors; “holistic” public safety that pairs enforcement with prevention.

Community-Centered Growth

Development that reflects long-time residents, stronger code enforcement, and fire-safety programs.

Investing in Stability & Opportunity

Channel resources to historically under-invested areas; help seniors age in place; expand youth programming; keep people housed.

Access to Public Spaces

Equity in clean, well-maintained parks, streets, and public facilities.

Her framing is consistent: “not a career politician,” neighborhood-first decision-making, and an organizing pedigree rooted in Hidden Valley.

Recorded Positions & Open Questions

  • 1-Cent Transportation Sales Tax (Nov. ballot): Henderson aligns with city candidates who broadly support moving the package forward; details matter. Voters should listen for her guardrails on microtransit, the bus/rail split, and deliverability inside a 40/40/20 road–rail–bus scheme.
  • Reproductive Rights: Listed by VoteProChoice among D-1 candidates (listing is not itself an endorsement).

Track Record at the Polls

  • 2022 District 1 Democratic Primary: Anderson 41.8%, Henderson 30.5%, Maddalon 27.7%.
  • 2023 At-Large Democratic Primary: Henderson 5th (12.9%); top four advanced and later won the general.
  • 2019 District 4 Democratic Primary: 21.8% (second to Renee Perkins Johnson).

Strengths, Vulnerabilities, Unknowns

Strengths

  • Deep organizing identity in Hidden Valley; multiple cycles have built baseline name recognition in key precincts.
  • Current seat on the Business Advisory Committee ties her to a defined business constituency.
  • A coherent message around worker dignity, community-led growth, and equitable public space.

Vulnerabilities

  • A history of close-but-not-there finishes in 2019/2022/2023; the incumbent is favored in a deep-blue district.
  • No public 2025 endorsements or finance totals surfaced in mainstream trackers as of this briefing; filings will matter.

Unknowns to Watch

  • Final, formal CRC roster confirmation (city rosters sometimes lag).
  • Second-period finance filings: contributor base and cash on hand (NCSBE).

Timeline & Mechanics

  • Early Voting: Aug. 21–Sept. 6
  • Primary Day: Tue., Sept. 9, 2025
  • Photo ID: Required. County BOE offers free IDs during early voting; verify polling place and absentee deadlines via the Board of Elections portal.

Where to read more Mercury coverage

By: Jack Beckett

Author’s Note (the fun part)

Ran out of coffee twice writing this and started considering the 1-cent bean tax. Until that passes, settle for our caffeine-forward reporting: zoning brawls, ethics dust-ups, and the slow-moving glossaries of city acronyms that could tuck in a toddler. Read us at cltmercury.com. Hit the feeds at News and Politics. For wall-to-wall 2025, shuffle into Poll Dance 2025 at Election 2025. Want to heckle or applaud? Message us on Twix at x.com/queencityexp. We read everything, including your very public DMs.

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Creative Commons License

© 2025 The Charlotte Mercury / Strolling Ballantyne
This article, “Charlene Henderson (District 1) — Candidate Profile,” by Jack Beckett is licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0.

“Charlene Henderson (District 1) — Candidate Profile”
by Jack Beckett, The Charlotte Mercury (CC BY-ND 4.0)