CHARLOTTE — It’s officially election season.
Monday marked the start of candidate filing.
Prospective candidates now have until July 18 at noon to sign up to run for office. In Mecklenburg County, there will be elections in all of the cities and towns. CMS Boardmembers representing districts also will be elected this November.
Nearly two dozen candidates in Mecklenburg County filed to run for office on Monday.
Mayor Vi Lyles did not file to run on Monday. She has not yet said if she will seek reelection.
District 3 Councilmember Tiawana Brown has previously said she will seek reelection despite her federal indictment. She has not shared her filing plans. If she files to run she will face at least two primary challengers. Montravias King filed Monday to run for District 3. Joi Mayo announced she will file for District 3 on Wednesday
The biggest thing on the ballot come November is the sales tax increase for transit. After Matthews Mayor John Higdon filed for reelection he reiterated his opposition to the measure. But he predicted it would pass and he says he won’t campaign against it.
“I have been the firebrand for a year complaining about it and trying to get it killed in Raleigh and my side lost so it is time to move on,” he said.
Huntersville Mayor Christy Clark, who also filed for reelection Monday, is in favor of the transit plan. Leaders are eyeing the Red Line through her town as the first major rail project if the tax passes.
“We can’t pave our way out of the traffic pattern in north Mecklenburg but what we can do is provide alternate sources to get around like the CATS Micro, the Red Line and Greenways,” she said.
Mecklenburg County commissioners will vote in August to place the referendum on the ballot in November.
You can see a list of all of the upcoming elections in North Carolina at this link.
(VIDEO: Matthews commissioner plans to challenge Rep. Cotham, citing transit bill as motivation)
©2025 Cox Media Group
