Primary results reshape November map

Charlotte’s city primaries delivered an upset in west Charlotte and a cliffhanger in the east. In District 3, Joi Mayo defeated incumbent Tiawana Brown with all precincts reporting. In District 5, Juan Diego “J.D.” Mazuera Arias led incumbent Marjorie Molina by 37 votes, inside North Carolina’s recount threshold. The at-large incumbents advanced, District 1 and District 4 held steady, and Republicans chose their nominee in District 6. The results now collide with a painful civic moment: the killing of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska on the Blue Line, which has turned transit security and public safety into defining themes for the next eight weeks.

What the numbers say

• District 3, Democratic primary: Joi Mayo 49.5 percent; Tiawana Brown 25.1 percent; Warren Turner 22.0 percent; Montravias King 3.4 percent. The outcome tracked with a high-profile endorsement map that favored Mayo and a closing pitch about neighborhood service and basic city functions. See our District 3 context in BPC’s 46–45 endorsement analysis.
• District 5, Democratic primary: J.D. Mazuera Arias 50.3 percent; Marjorie Molina 49.7 percent, a 37-vote gap. Under state rules, a trailing candidate can request a recount when the margin is under one percent. Candidate background and district specifics are in our District-by-District Candidate Guide.
• At-Large, Democratic primary: The top four advancing appear to be the four incumbents: Dimple Ajmera, LaWana Slack-Mayfield, James “Smuggie” Mitchell Jr., Victoria Watlington. Field context and platform contrasts are in our At-Large field breakdown and the At-Large candidates overview.
• District 1, Democratic primary: Mayor Pro Tem Danté Anderson defeated Charlene Henderson El by a wide margin. Read our preview and race history in the District 1 rematch guide.
• District 4, Democratic primary: Renee Perkins Johnson defeated Wil Russell. District context is covered in the District-by-District Candidate Guide.
• District 6, Republican primary: Krista Bokhari defeated Sary Chakra and will face Democrat Kimberly Owens in November. See District 6 profiles in the District-by-District Candidate Guide.

How District 3 flipped

Mayo’s win followed a steady ground game in Nations Ford and Steele Creek, plus endorsements from the Black Political Caucus and others that helped consolidate undecided voters. Her message stayed on service and focus, not personality fights. Brown, who campaigned as the “people’s champ,” faced spring legal headwinds that complicated her reelection case. November now sets up Mayo against Republican James Bowers in a deep-blue seat. For district histories, precinct patterns, and endorsement maps, start with our District 3 explainer and the District-by-District Candidate Guide.

District 5 is not done

J.D. Mazuera Arias ended election night with a narrow edge over Marjorie Molina. The two split major endorsements, clashed over stadium funding and the November transportation referendum, and drew sharp contrasts in public forums. With a 37-vote margin, attention now shifts to provisional ballots, late absentees, the county canvass, and a likely recount request. Candidate positions, district issues, and past cycle comparisons are in our District-by-District Candidate Guide.

At-large and the map of stability

The four incumbents at-large appear to have secured the Democratic ballot line for November, keeping intact a familiar alignment on growth, airport wages, and transparency fights. For platform contrasts and fundraising snapshots, see our At-Large field breakdown and the companion At-Large candidates overview. For the structural reasons Democrats usually hold these seats, read Why Democrats Routinely Win Charlotte’s At-Large Council Seats.

The new Bokhari on the ballot

Republicans in District 6 chose Krista Bokhari by a wide margin. She enters a general election that has been tight in recent cycles. District 6 profiles and November matchups are detailed in the District-by-District Candidate Guide.

Iryna Zarutska, a city in mourning, and why this matters to November

Iryna Zarutska came to Charlotte from Ukraine in 2022, found work, made friends, and moved in with her partner. She was killed on the Blue Line on August 22 while returning from work. The case has shifted public attention to platform security, fare enforcement, and how the city and CATS coordinate with CMPD. Voters will expect clear, verifiable plans for Blue Line safety. For policy context and the spending plan voters will weigh, start with our transit coverage: Charlotte’s 1 Percent Transit Tax guide, The Penny That Could Redraw Mecklenburg, and our deep dive on the November proposal, Mecklenburg’s One-Cent Transit Tax Heads to November Ballot with the full technical breakdown here: 1 Percent Transportation Sales Tax explainer.

What the next few weeks look like

Election process: The Mecklenburg canvass reconciles provisional and late absentee ballots and certifies results. In District 5, a recount can be requested because the margin is under one percent.
Campaign pivots:

• District 3 will move into a general-election frame that contrasts neighborhood service and growth management with Republican priorities.
• District 5 will run on two tracks at once. One track handles recount logistics. The other sharpens messages on corridor investment, small-business support, how to pay for rail and bus improvements, and how to police stations and trains.
  Public safety and transit: Voters will look for patrol staffing targets, fare checks, camera uptime, lighting maintenance, and response times. Expect to see those details pressed into the Poll Dance 2025 coverage over the next two months.

About the Author

Jack Beckett covers local government, budgets, and how everyday policy gets made. When the coffee is strong, the footnotes are stronger.

Where to find more of our work: Start at The Charlotte Mercury. For fresh reporting, visit News. For policy and governance, see Politics. Our special 2025 election package, fondly titled Poll Dance 2025, bundles candidate guides, explainers, and council trackers without surveillance advertising. You can always message us on Twix at @queencityexp.

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This article, “District 3 flips to Joi Mayo, District 5 likely recount, and a campaign reshaped by Iryna Zarutska’s killing,” by Jack Beckett is licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0.

“District 3 flips to Joi Mayo, District 5 likely recount, and a campaign reshaped by Iryna Zarutska’s killing”
by Jack Beckett, The Charlotte Mercury (CC BY-ND 4.0)