Charlotte mayor Democratic primary

Patrick Cannon and James Mitchell have been active stewards of Charlotte’s growth and are certainly capable of moving from City Council seats to the mayor’s job. It’s a close call, but we’re more impressed by Mr. Cannon’s platform for prioritizing a pro-growth policy to maximize growth in Charlotte’s neighborhoods.

At a time when annexation is no longer a viable strategy for growing the city’s economic engine, Mr. Cannon’s advocacy of community building through small business and infrastructure growth, we believe, will help Charlotte handle its challenges.

Charlotte mayor Republican primary

Former council member Edwin Peacock is the hands-down choice for his party’s nomination and, we believe, will be a worthy challenger in November. Mr. Peacock has conservative leanings but has shown a willingness to reach across partisan lines to move Charlotte forward. 

City Council at large

We recommend Vi Alexander Lyles, Michael Barnes, David Howard and Beth Pickering in the Democratic primary. Howard and Pickering are at large incumbents who have proved their value in building Charlotte’s post-recession economy, especially in struggling lower-wealth neighborhoods. 

Mr. Howard has been a champion of community building through affordable housing and small business development, which are crucial to the city’s long-term viability. 

Ms. Pickering has established herself as a quick study on council and built links with neighborhoods to deliver services to across the city.

Mrs. Lyles, a former assistant city manager, is the most council-ready newcomer in this year’s field. Her previous experience as a city administrator gives Mrs. Lyles an intimate knowledge of Charlotte’s day-to-day operations and deep roots in the community certainly adds to her credentials.

Mr. Barnes, who represents District 4, is an unabashed pragmatist who has shown a willingness to take on members of his own party over issues like funding the CityLynx Gold Line and the capital improvement plan. In many ways, that independence of thinking makes Barnes the council’s ideological conscience.

District 1 Democrats

Patsy Kinsey is running for the seat she left in July when she took over as interim mayor. Mrs. Kinsey has served five terms on City Council and has been a staunch advocate for district and Charlotte’s retention of control of Charlotte/Douglas International Airport. We like her feistiness and believe Mrs. Kinsey remains a valuable asset to the council.

District 2 Democrats

We endorse Al Austin as a worthy successor to James Mitchell as representative of the northwest district. Mr. Austin is a longtime community activist who has worked on behalf of neighborhood initiatives such as Focus on Leadership and working with the N.C. Probation Department. He is also politically active as a former president of the Young Democrats of Mecklenburg County.  

We believe this combination makes Mr. Austin the best candidate in District 2 which has become a focal point of neighborhood revitalization.

District 4 Democrats

In what promises to be the most competitive district race, we recommend Wil Russell. Mr. Russell, an assistant project manager for a Charlotte-based building company, is campaigning on a platform of growing small businesses and improving public transportation system. 

We’ve been impressed by Mr. Russell’s command of issues facing District 4 and heartily recommend his candidacy.

District 5 Democrats

We back incumbent John Autry for another two-year term. In his first term, Mr. Autry has lived up to his promises to lobby hard for economic development in his eastside district. Although a developer for the former Eastland Mall site hasn’t been finalized, Mr. Autry is on the right track in going to bat for District 5.

District 6 Republicans

Kate Payerle has our support to represent the south Charlotte seat being vacated by Andy Dulin, who is retiring.

 A business litigation attorney at Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson, Mrs. Payerle has a long history of serving the community. City Council appointed her to the Privatization and Competition Advisory Committee and the Citizen Transit Advisory Group.  She’s built relationships with city staff and understands city budget and operations.

District 7 Republicans

We support Ed Driggs for the open seat being vacated by Warren Cooksey. A unabashed conservative, Mr. Driggs is advocating the district, anchored by Ballantyne, reap more benefit for its contribution for the tax base. 

That position likely won’t carry the day in a Democratic-leaning city, but Mr. Driggs’ attention to building the economic viability in District 7 will also help Charlotte as a whole.

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