DEMOCRAT

Dues is a former Marine and the founder of a medical device startup. In another online interview, he said the key messages of his campaign are that he is anti-gerrymandering, pro-term limits and pro-climate management. He said specifically, "We are 1 human race, sharing 1 planet and 1 set of non-renewable resources – we need to evolve past the tribal us vs. them thinking and work together." He also wants to revamp “a broken public education system that is not teaching enough life skills to our youth, incorporating an optional 2-year public service option that unlocks secondary education benefits (akin to the GI Bill).” He has a bachelor’s from the University of Maryland and an MBA from UNC Charlotte’s business school. (Age 39)

Candidate Website

Candidate Q&A

Candidate questionnaire (Charlotte Journalism Collaborative)

REPUBLICAN

Harris is a pastor and vocal social conservative who ran for Congress in 2018 but had his election victory overturned following revelations that one of his campaign operatives engaged in illegal ballot harvesting. At the time, Harris conceded that “a new election is warranted.” Now, though, he claims he was treated unfairly, saying in his announcement video: “[In] 2020, Democrats stole the election from Donald Trump. The year before, they did it to me.” Harris has attempted unsuccessful runs for office in the past (U.S. Senate in 2014 and the House in 2016). National media have reported that in some of his old sermons, he questioned whether it was the “healthiest pursuit” for women to prioritize careers and advocated that women “submit” to their husbands — comments that Harris later said were taken out of context. He is the former President of the North Carolina Baptist Convention. He says he has stood up against the “extreme tactics of the radical left.” He has a B.A. from Appalachian State and a master’s from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. (Age ~57)

Candidate Website

Candidate questionnaire (Charlotte Journalism Collaborative)

DEMOCRAT

Adams is a longtime local, state and federal politician, having served in the U.S. House since 2014. She was in the General Assembly and Greensboro City Council prior to that. Her key issues are standing up for women (i.e. pro-choice, pro-privacy, equality in healthcare and pay), improving public and higher education, especially HBCUs, and improving healthcare, especially healthcare for black women. She also supports the expansion of Medicaid and a single-payer system. She is an educator and received her bachelor’s degree from N.C. A&T and a Ph.D. in art education from The Ohio State University. (Age 78)

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Candidate Q&A

REPUBLICAN

On his website, Ali cites upward economic mobility (“better paying jobs in technology and trades”), education (childhood literacy), community safety and securing the border. His website says he is the former chair of the Cabarrus County GOP. He appears to be the founder of a video production company and was a former sales manager at Red Ventures. He describes himself as a “veteran, family man, entrepreneur, and servant leader.” (~46)

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Candidate Q&A

REPUBLICAN

Sawyer has served in the N.C. Senate since 2018. She is running to represent Iredell and the northern part of Mecklenburg county. She was a leader in the Iredell County Republican Party prior to being elected. She has sponsored legislation favoring hotel owners to evict long-term, “disruptive” guests and enabling easier student searches at schools. She cites “conservative leadership” and “common sense principles” on her website. She also expresses concerns about challenges with transportation in our growing area and wants to raise the age of child marriage in N.C. She says she grew up in a trailer park in Davidson County and was the salutatorian of her high school class. She and her husband own an insurance sales company in Mooresville. She is a graduate of UNC Charlotte and participates in a WSIC radio show/podcast where she discusses “the latest legislation.” The tone of those recordings are moderate and even at times critical of the MAGA wing of her party. She is the mother of two. (Age ~49)

Candidate Website

DEMOCRAT

Barr says “District 37 is so gerrymandered that I don’t stand a chance.” She nonetheless is running because she wants to “make some noise and raise some hell.” Her website URL in fact is http://katebarrcantwin.com. She told a TV station, “The thought of walking into the booth in November and only having one name on my ballot for my Senate district made me nauseous.” She believes “abortion is healthcare” and that “we need common sense gun laws to keep our communities safe.” She is also anti-gerrymandering. She lives in Davidson and has a bachelor’s and public health master’s from UNC Chapel Hill. She was a former Davidson Town Planning board member. She completed high school at the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics. She is a behavioral scientist at the University of Michigan’s Center for Academic Innovation, an entrepreneur who started a baby product company and mother of two. (Age ~40)

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Candidate Q&A

DEMOCRAT

Mohammed is a personal injury attorney and a former assistant public defender for Mecklenburg County. He has been elected to the N.C. Senate three times. In the most recent legislative session, he supported legislation upholding more pay for teachers with advanced degrees and seniority and anti-gerrymandering laws. He is pro-choice and supports child care and affordable housing. Mohammed holds a B.A. from UNC Charlotte and a JD from N.C. Central University. (Age ~39)

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DEMOCRAT

Salvador is serving her second term in the N.C. Senate and was the youngest woman elected to the N.C. General Assembly. According to her LinkedIn profile, she is a director of partnerships at an energy technology startup based in San Francisco. The top issues listed on her website are affordable healthcare, education opportunities and advancing infrastructure. She sponsored legislation to have $4 million allocated to support the fire department of Steele Creek. She is a “5th generation Charlottean.” She holds a bachelor’s from UNC Charlotte and is pursuing an executive MBA at MIT. She received the Charlotte Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 award in 2022. Of all the legislators representing Mecklenburg County, she had the lowest vote participation; she did not cast a vote about 26% of the time in the past legislative session. (Age 34) 

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WE THE PEOPLE

Scott appears to be a banking and technology consultant who relocated from California in 2011 after the financial crisis. He is the former chair of the Mecklenburg County Libertarian Party. He has run unsuccessfully for a number of roles including city council in 2017 as well as for U.S. Congress and N.C. Senate. He is critical of the “military industrial complex” and says, "The hard truth about Charlotte is that politics is dominated by the Democratic Party activists, and opposition is weak at best." (Age ~67)

DEMOCRAT

Waddell has been an N.C. senator for five terms. She was a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools teacher for more than two decades and a former CMS board member. In the most recent legislative session, she supported legislation to pay teachers favorably for their seniority and their advanced degrees. She also supported bills to codify reproductive freedom for women, protect domestic violence victims and to eliminate taxes on government retirees. She has a Ph.D. from UNC Greensboro and a master’s from UNC Charlotte, where the student health center is named after her. Her late husband, E.E. Waddell, was a longtime educator and administrator in CMS. Waddell High School is named after him. (Age ~80)

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DEMOCRAT

Theodros (pronounced “ted-rows”) was chair of the Black Political Caucus, where he worked to “amplify minority voices.” He is running because he says the “state needs young and fresh leadership.” He says he wants to bring economic development, elevate schools (he was a supporter of the 2023 school bond that recently passed in Mecklenburg County) and prioritize mental health. He graduated from Harding High School and attended UNC Charlotte. Theodros previously ran unsuccessfully for City Council District 3 in 2019 against Victoria Watlington. In this year’s primary election, he beat three other contestants and overcame a challenge about his district residency. He is one of the youngest candidates running in the state. (Age 29)

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REPUBLICAN

McGinn is a former business executive for Bank of America and previously was the general counsel of the Republican Party of Mecklenburg County. She helped other Republicans like Charlotte City Council member Tariq Bokhari win re-election. As the head of legislation and public policy for the Republican Women of Greater Charlotte, McGinn worked with Moms for Liberty and lobbied in the General Assembly in support of the Parents’ Bill of Rights. She won a competitive primary race in March, 52%-48%. The top issues on her website are supporting parental involvement and choice in education, standing with law enforcement to reduce crime and backing legislation that improves economic growth. On abortion, McGinn told The Ledger in a questionnaire in February, “I am pro-life and support reasonable limits that the vast majority of North Carolinians agree with.” Her campaign now says she supports current N.C. law, which she says strikes the right balance. She received her bachelor’s from Baylor University and a law degree from Georgetown University. (Age 65)

Candidate Website

Candidate Q&A

Candidate questionnaire (Charlotte Journalism Collaborative)

DEMOCRAT

Bradley is running for the N.C. Senate to bring “common sense solutions to the challenges facing public schools, women's health, civil rights, and the local economy.” She has a degree in economics and business administration. She was the former Democratic precinct chair for Precinct 140. She is a Realtor, an active community volunteer, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools parent and Zumba instructor. She was previously a sales manager at a marketing company that the Federal Trade Commission shut down in 2013 for fraudulent practices, though Bradley says she was just an independent contractor for the company, the Charlotte Observer reported. Bradley is the mother of three and also says that she is a domestic violence survivor. She resides in the Ballantyne area of Charlotte and graduated from Hollins University. (Age 51)

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Candidate Q&A

Candidate questionnaire (Charlotte Journalism Collaborative)

DEMOCRAT

Belk has served in the house for four terms, and this is the first time she has run uncontested. She is a partner in a vacation rental business and is a graduate of UNC Charlotte (she received her degree in her 40s in 2006 after her children were grown). She sponsored bills asking Congress to support statehood for Washington, D.C., and protecting the privacy of judicial officials. She is the mother of four adult children and a breast cancer survivor. Her son Ralph serves as her legislative assistant. She was present for 97% of the 610 votes during the last legislative session. She voted against the Republican majority in 234 of her votes, which made her the member of the Mecklenburg County legislative delegation who was most likely to vote against the GOP majority. (Age 67)

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DEMOCRAT

Brown is an incumbent who is also the House Democratic Whip. On his website, Brown says that he advocates for education funding reform, broadband expansion and raising the minimum wage to bolster the economy. He also supports mental health access, workplace protections and infrastructure development to support business growth and enhance Charlotte's appeal. He says he also prioritizes criminal justice reform and affordable housing initiatives statewide. Brown is an attorney with a B.A. from UNC Charlotte and a JD from Campbell University School of Law. He also received the Charlotte Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 award in 2019. (Age 37)

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DEMOCRAT

Helfrich is a former teacher and third-generation Davidson resident. Key issues cited on her website include good governance, strong support for public education, safe and healthy families bolstered by quality healthcare and cleaner air and water, and responsible growth through better transportation solutions and expanded housing options. She won a competitive Democratic primary in March, 65%-35%. Helfrich is a mother of five and a graduate of Davidson College. Her husband was a founder of the Summit Coffee brand, which started in Davidson. (Age ~42)

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REPUBLICAN

Bales is a former mayor and commissioner of Huntersville. She was first elected as a Huntersville commissioner in 2011 and has said her major accomplishments while in office were working on road improvements and microtransit programs with state and regional officials and persuading Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools to include several new schools in the 2023 bond package. She says her areas of focus are economic development, transportation and affordable housing. She is also an advocate of “top-quality technical education” that also provides career training. She describes herself on X (formerly Twitter) as “Christian, wife, mother of 2, animal lover, coffee enthusiast.” She is a graduate of East Tennessee State University.

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Candidate Q&A

DEMOCRAT

Majeed has been in the N.C. House for three terms and was a longtime member of the Charlotte City Council and Mecklenburg County commission before that. He works at a real estate development firm and was a Burger King franchise owner. Issues that he cites on his website are fighting for N.C. veterans, raising the minimum wage, raising teacher pay and providing childcare for working mothers. He has a bachelor’s from N.C. A&T and is a former Vietnam War veteran. (Age 78)

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REPUBLICAN

Payne is running “to give voters a different option” and cites high inflation, increasing crime and a broken school system as areas of concern. He describes himself as a “conservative, husband, grassroots organizer, and public servant.” On his LinkedIn page, he appears to have attended Montreat College, a Christian liberal arts college, and to have worked for Americans for Prosperity, an organization supported by the Koch family, and Turning Point Action, which allegedly recruits students for right-wing causes. His wife is a teacher.

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LIBERTARIAN

On a web page run by the N.C. Forward Party, Yates says "He envisions a city where individuals have the power to make decisions that affect their lives and where the government’s role is to protect and uphold their rights." Yates has lived in Charlotte for 15 years and ran for mayor of Charlotte in 2023. At that time, he mentioned the following areas of concern: affordable housing, the need to reduce waste in public transportation, public safety and upward mobility as the biggest problems facing Charlotte. He says he believes in the libertarian ideals of “don’t hurt people and don’t take their stuff.” He is a graduate of George Mason University and has an MBA from Wake Forest. (Age ~44)

DEMOCRAT

Greenfield has lived in Charlotte since she was three years old and is a former nurse. She is an advocate for responsible gun legislation, LGBTQI+ rights and women’s rights. She is an active grassroots activist for the Democratic party and is on the board of the Levine Jewish Community Center. She is a graduate of Appalachian State and attended nursing school at Central Piedmont Community College.

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Candidate Q&A

DEMOCRAT

Logan has been in the N.C. House for three terms and has advocated for Medicaid expansion and raising the minimum wage and teacher pay. She was the first Black female police officer in Asheville in 1977 and the first Black female state trooper in 1984. She is the mother of three. She studied criminal justice at Belmont Abbey. (Age ~66)

Candidate Website

DEMOCRAT

Carney has been in the N.C. House for 11 terms and served on the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners prior to that. She is the fourth longest-serving member of the N.C. House and the longest-serving member of the Mecklenburg County delegation. Her key priorities are to “strengthen our public schools for all children, correct social injustices, ensure a living wage for all and build sustainable communities.” She has sponsored legislation on arts education and the legalization of medical marijuana. She experienced “sudden cardiac death” in 2009 and has since been an advocate of heart health issues. She is the mother of six and also a great-grandmother. (Age ~79)

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REPUBLICAN

Niday appears to work in a sales role. On his website, he says he supports school choice, is pro-life, and supports tax breaks to incentivize businesses to come to N.C. He opposes adding gender identity and sexual orientation as protected classifications. He ran for N.C. House District 105 in 2022 and lost to Wesley Harris, who is now running for N.C. treasurer, by a margin of 13 percentage points. He is a graduate of UNC Charlotte. (Age 33)

Candidate Website

DEMOCRAT

Budd is the incumbent House representative who was elected in 2022. She says she is running to fight for “our schools, our economy and our community.” She wants to increase the minimum wage, legalize medical marijuana, strengthen housing and food security, increase law enforcement funding, codify Roe, increase funding for social workers, compete for the best educators in the nation and expand Medicaid. She is a business litigation and contract law attorney. She received her bachelor’s degree from Ohio University and her JD from Wake Forest. She is a resident of Matthews and mother of three. (Age 47)

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DEMOCRAT

Lofton has served in the N.C. House since 2019 and is a public finance attorney. He supports increasing access to affordable healthcare and childcare, increasing infrastructure investments, increasing teacher pay to attract and keep the best educators and protecting our right to free and fair elections by fighting to end the practice of gerrymandering and limiting voting access. He is pro-choice. He is a graduate of UNC Chapel Hill and NYU School of Law. He received the Charlotte Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 award in 2014. (Age 45)

Candidate Website

Candidate questionnaire (Charlotte Journalism Collaborative)

REPUBLICAN

Bokhari is a stay-at-home mom of three young children and was previously a marketing and PR executive. She is the wife of Charlotte City Council member Tariq Bokhari and says she thinks she can win in a Democratic-leaning district because her husband has won elections in a similar district. She says she supports meaningful legislative reform for our broken criminal justice system and struggling first responders. She wants to focus on making our public schools best in class and supports school choice. She wants to address the adolescent behavioral health epidemic and provide “real solutions” for the challenges the Charlotte business community faces. She believes there needs to be a realistic transportation plan that focuses on investments in the overwhelming congestion on state-owned roads. She attended Radford University. (Age 46)

Candidate Website

Candidate questionnaire (Charlotte Journalism Collaborative)

DEMOCRAT

Sidman is a lawyer by training and director of outreach at Temple Beth El. She says she decided to run for office after “watching women lose their right to bodily autonomy” as well as seeing attacks on “LGBTQ rights and education.” She won a three-person Democratic primary in March with 57% of the vote. Her website lists the following issues: protecting a woman’s right to an abortion, fully funding public schools and stopping Republican diversion of tax dollars to private schools, standing up to partisan gerrymandering and stopping criminals from buying guns. She ran the successful 2018 N.C. House campaign of Christy Clark (who is now the mayor of Huntersville). Sidman has her bachelor’s and JD from the University of Michigan. (Age ~51)

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Candidate Q&A

REPUBLICAN

Cotham was first appointed to the state legislature in 2007 and ran successfully as a Democrat five times. She gained much attention in the last year for switching from the Democrat to Republican parties, giving the Republicans a supermajority in the House. She explained that she had “grown alienated from the Democratic Party.” Upon switching, she voted for the lower limit on abortion provisions, which some critics found hypocritical as she received attention in 2015 for speaking about her own abortion experience on the House floor. Her mother, Pat Cotham, a longtime county commissioner, lost her seat in the March 2024 primary in part because of her daughter’s party switch. On other issues, the younger Cotham voted in favor of a bill requiring county sheriffs to comply with ICE detainers for certain offenses, supported online-only charter schools and voted against a bill to ban critical race theory. She is pro-school choice. During the past legislative session, she had the lowest vote participation (she did not vote in 22% of votes) among the 10 Mecklenburg County N.C. House legislators, but was the only one who passed any legislation they sponsored. Some of her passing sponsored legislation included removing the approval of charter schools from the state (which Governor Cooper vetoed; that veto was overridden) and clarifications around definitions of antisemitism. Cotham does not appear to be actively campaigning. She did not respond to any outreach from The Ledger, her website when she last ran as a Democrat is still active and campaign collateral sent in her name has been funded by the state Republican party. (Age 45)

DEMOCRAT

Cunningham has represented Mecklenburg in the N.C. House for six terms. Key issues that she mentions on her website include health care for all North Carolinians, quality and affordable education from birth through higher education, working with industries like biotech and IT to grow the economy, and equity for women particularly in pay. Cunningham did not vote in 10% of this past legislative session’s votes. She was a sponsor of 28 bills in this legislative session, including a bill to reduce school lunch debt and restoring master’s pay for teachers. She is a former hospice nurse and longtime health care professional. She is a great-grandmother. (Age 62)

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Candidate Q&A

DEMOCRAT

Dew has been a longtime volunteer for the Democratic Party and is a “political strategist who has helped secure wins for over 100 races.” She is the program director of Higher Heights for America, a political action committee dedicated to getting Black women elected to public office. She has a degree from Salem College and a concentration in theater from The Yale School of Drama. She is unopposed and will replace longtime incumbent Kelly Alexander Jr. (age 75), who served in the N.C. House since 2008. He announced his retirement in 2023 and passed away in September 2024.

Candidate Website

DEMOCRAT

Griffin has served on the county commission since 2022. He is a long-time civil servant, having previously been the chair of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education (from 1997 to 2002). He is a retired executive from publishing house McGraw-Hill Education. In a phone interview from 2022, he mentioned that his dream for Charlotte would be a “10 minute” neighborhood where all residents have key services available within walking distance. He said at the time he wants to incentivize more construction of vital services like health care near more diverse neighborhoods. He also said that he is not inclined to raise taxes given the increases in property values, but that the county is entrusted with funding many critical services including schools, courts and parks. He was vocally critical of the most recent CMS budget, although he voted to approve it, and he voted against placing last year’s $2.5 billion school bond on the budget because he said it was too big. Griffin has three grandchildren attending CMS. (Age 75)

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Candidate Q&A

🎥 Watch a 3-minute video of Arthur Griffin

DEMOCRAT

Townsend-Ingram has lived in Charlotte for 25 years and says that education is her top priority. She was the director of foundation relations at Johnson C. Smith University. She lists “access and navigation of wrap-around services” and addressing food insecurity, particularly in food deserts, as key issues on her website. In an email to The Ledger, she said voters should choose her because “I have lived experiences that can inform policies to provide services that fill in those gaps, provide needed wrap-around services and contribute to upward mobility.” She is a grandmother and CMS volunteer. She is a graduate of West Virginia State University, has an MBA and is working on a doctorate. She displaced longtime incumbent Pat Cotham in the March 2024 primary, and this would be her first time serving in public office. After her primary win, she was charged in May 2024 with driving while impaired and said it was a “teachable moment” for which she had taken responsibility. She failed to appear at a related court hearing in August. (Age 53)

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Candidate Q&A

Candidate questionnaire (Charlotte Journalism Collaborative)

🎥 Watch a 3-minute video of Yvette Townsend-Ingram

DEMOCRAT

Altman is a public interest attorney and an incumbent on the board who was first elected in 2020. She was the top vote-getter in a five-way Democratic primary in March. She was an assistant attorney general in the state of Georgia many years ago. Altman’s key issues include innovative job initiatives, a strong mental health system, high-quality public schools, improved public transportation, better-funded parks and public spaces, LGBTQ rights and transparency in government. She was a vocal supporter of the $2.5B school bond that recently passed. She has also been outspoken on regional transit issues as head of regional transit panel of elected officials. (Age 51)

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Candidate Q&A

🎥 Watch a 2-minute video of Leigh Altman

REPUBLICAN

Marin was born in Costa Rica and moved to Charlotte when he was 17. He is the owner of a realty lending company and was previously a custom home builder. He says he believes in “protecting Our Future Generations.” He believes we need to provide all of our children with safer schools, stronger educational opportunities, and teachers who are valued and receive higher salaries. He also advocates for “the development of more Parks, Greenways, and Green Spaces" and “economic growth supported by appropriate infrastructure.” He has an architecture degree from Georgia State and is the father of two. (Age ~44)

Candidate Website

Candidate questionnaire (Charlotte Journalism Collaborative)

DEMOCRAT

Powell has been an incumbent since 2018. She cites the following issues on her website: citizen engagement (seeking input from the public), stewardship (clean air and water), public education (properly funding), ​economic growth (prioritizing small businesses) and community health & livability​ (smart growth and green spaces). Along with Arthur Griffin and Susan Rodriguez-McDowell, she was critical of the most recent CMS budget, which she viewed as inadequate for students. Powell is endorsed by The Charlotte Observer in this race. (Age ~61)

Candidate Website

DEMOCRAT

Leake serves on the County Commission for District 2 and is believed to be its eldest member. She was first elected a commissioner in 2008 and was on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education for 11 years prior to that. She beat a challenger in March’s Democratic primary 63%-37%. She started the Small Business Consortium Group in 2011 for small business owners to network. She is a former Sunday school teacher and choir member. She has a bachelor’s degree from Livingstone College, a master’s from the University of Buffalo and “completed all coursework for a doctorate” at the University of San Francisco. Leake is endorsed by The Charlotte Observer in this race. (Age ~90)

REPUBLICAN

Edwards ran unsuccessfully for the same District 2 seat in 2016, 2018 and 2022. She previously ran as a Democrat during the primary in all of those elections. She says was the former vice-president of the Reid Park Association. In a 2022 interview with the Charlotte Observer, she said she was running against Vilma Leake because “the lady has done all she [is] going to do.” Edwards said she has a GED. (Age 62)

Candidate questionnaire (Charlotte Journalism Collaborative)

DEMOCRAT

Dunlap is an incumbent who has served the board since 2008 and is its current chairman. Prior to his time as commissioner, he served 14 years on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education. He beat his opponent in the March Democratic primary 67%-33%. Dunlap was born in Pineville and graduated from South Mecklenburg High School. He is a former Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officer. The top issues listed on his website (unchanged from his 2022 election) are economic development, education and affordable housing. He believes in investing in Business Investment Grants to bring jobs into the community, and that CMS should provide a “high quality education for all of our children.” In an email to The Ledger, he mentioned affordability as a key issue he wants to address as an commissioner: “I want to make sure that policies adopted by the board are not pushing people out of this community because they can no longer afford to live here.” He has a bachelor’s and master’s from UNC Charlotte. Dunlap was a vocal supporter of the $2.5B school bond that passed last November. (Age 67)

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Candidate Q&A

DEMOCRAT

Jerrell is running for his fourth term as county commissioner for District 4. He is focused on “social justice, equity and improving the lives of all people in Mecklenburg County.” The issues he lists on his website are the environment including renewable energy, economic mobility, affordable housing, parks and greenways, and seniors and working families. He is a graduate of Winthrop University and owns a speech therapy company. He is the father of two. (Age 54)

Candidate Website

REPUBLICAN

McCulloch is a retired anesthesiologist and is one of only two Republicans running for the county commission, which is now 9-0 Democrats-to-Republicans. He says that “a diverse range of perspectives is crucial.” He says he supports a balanced, conservative stance on taxation/spending, accessible and high quality healthcare services, funding and enhancing effectiveness of public schools, and law enforcement advocacy. He received his M.D. from UNC Chapel Hill and served in both the Marine Corp and the Air Force. (Age ~75)

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Candidate Q&A

Candidate questionnaire (Charlotte Journalism Collaborative)

DEMOCRAT

Meier was first elected to the Mecklenburg County commission in 2020. She previously taught high school social studies at a drop-out prevention program in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and opened/led an afterschool program for Sedgefield Middle School. She believes in addressing the fundamental issue of inequality, which she says means equitable schools (by supporting CMS needs with uniform access to programs, materials, classes) and affordable housing ("land-use plans must make sense for all citizens, not just a few.") She and Susan Rodriguez-McDowell were the two commissioners who voted against giving the county manager an 8% raise (taking the salary to $500,000+). Meier is enorsed by The Charlotte Observer in this race. (Age 55)

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Candidate Q&A

Candidate questionnaire (Charlotte Journalism Collaborative)

REPUBLICAN

Marascio cites protecting citizens (e.g. senior citizens, children, families), ending waste and budget abuse, safeguarding education and ensuring collaboration as key issues on his website. He says that he is running because “we have endured years of a Commissioner who views her role as an authority to push political policies rather than work in collaboration as a public servant with other local leaders.” He is the father of two and has been a resident of District 6 for 24 years. He is the founder of a technology consulting firm, has served as a chief information officer in his past and is on the board of the Charlotte Catholic Foundation. He has a bachelor’s from Bryant University and an MBA from the University of Maine. (Age ~53)

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Candidate Q&A

Candidate questionnaire (Charlotte Journalism Collaborative)

DEMOCRAT

Rodriguez-McDowell was first elected to the county commission in 2018. She says it is important to be fiscally responsible, but that people are also important. She says, “The county should invest in its people: healthcare, a roof over your head, protecting the environment, equality and autonomy for women, development/job opportunities in a diversified economy.” She was critical of the most recent CMS budget and believes the state should allocate more to large counties. She and Laura Meier were the two commissioners who voted against raising the county manager’s salary by 8%, to more than $500,000. She is a graduate of UNC Charlotte and has a master’s in counseling from Colorado Christian University. She once had a small business as a former professional portrait photographer. She is the only Latina on the commission. Rodriguez-McDowell is endorsed by The Charlotte Observer in this race. (Age ~60)

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Candidate Q&A

Candidate questionnaire (Charlotte Journalism Collaborative)

DEMOCRAT

Smith has served as the register of deeds since 2016. He has had over 20 years of government service including as a public defender investigator and probation/parole officer. (Age ~58)

Candidate Website

This candidate does not appear to have a website, but his LinkedIn page says that he is an “energy consultant” for what appears to be an energy audit firm for the last 13 years and was an operations manager at a dental practice for a short while prior to that. He says he served in the Pennsylvania National Guard and graduated from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania. He is a registered Democrat and is endorsed by The Charlotte Observer. (Age ~55)

Candidate questionnaire (Charlotte Observer)

Rudisill says she is a violinist at Calvary Church and has written for The Standard, which appears to be a South Carolina-based digital publication that claims “real news and conservative views.” On her Twitter page, she says in all caps, she “wants government to work right.” That page also has critiques of U.S. border security and support for Ukraine. Rudisill is a registered Republican but voted in Democratic primaries prior to 2014. (Age ~69)

Candidate Website

Candidate questionnaire (Charlotte Observer)

McDaniel has appeared as a candidate in a number of local elections including board of education and mayor. She has never won, and the last time she ran for the Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor (in 2022), she placed 5th of 5 candidates with 11% of the vote.. She appears to be a lawyer and is from Guilford County. Her LinkedIn page shows that she has a bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. from N.C. A&T State as well as a JD from two different universities. This page also says she received both the PhD and JD the same year (2022). She was convicted of identity theft in her past and has shared a 52-minute explanation of the circumstances leading to her conviction. She has filed 160+ lawsuits in over 70 N.C. counties, but a Charlotte judge said in 2018 that the court would stop accepting her lawsuits, many of which were allegedly “for the purpose of harassment. One such suit was against CMS in 2018, which claimed a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act but it was dismissed “for failure to cite a claim.” She does not have a website and her Facebook page does not provide any insight on why she is running for the role though she describes herself as “THE ethical politician.” She is a registered Democrat. (Age 48)

Candidate Website

Candidate questionnaire (Charlotte Observer)