2017 Charlotte mayoral election

The 2017 Charlotte mayoral election took place on Tuesday, November 7, 2017. Party primary elections were held on Tuesday, September 12, 2017. Second-round primaries would have been held on Tuesday, October 10, 2017, if they had been necessary, but both primary winners received more than the minimum 40 percent of the vote needed to avoid a runoff.[1] The incumbent, Democrat Jennifer Roberts, was eligible to run for a second two-year term. She ran but lost the Democratic nomination in the primary. Two members of the City Council, Democrat Vi Lyles and Republican Kenny Smith, won the primaries and advanced to face each other in the general election.[2] Vi Lyles defeated Kenny Smith in the general election, and became the 59th mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina.

2017 Charlotte mayoral election
November 7, 2017
 
Nominee Vi Lyles Kenny Smith
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 71,876 49,555
Percentage 59.13% 40.77%
Mayor before election

Jennifer Roberts
Democratic

 Elected Mayor

Vi Lyles
Democratic

Elections in North Carolina

Background

Jennifer Roberts, a former Mecklenburg County commissioner, was elected to her first term in 2015 when she defeated Republican Edwin Peacock III, a former Charlotte City Councilman.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

Declined
  • David Howard, former Charlotte City Councilman[3]

Endorsements
Jennifer Roberts
Joel Ford
  • Charlotte Fire Fighters Association[13]
  • Real Estate and Building Industry Coalition[14]
Vi Lyles

Polling
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin of
error		 Jennifer Roberts (D) Joel Ford (D) Vi Lyles (D) Constance Partee-Johnson (D) Other Undecided
Lake Research Partners[19] June 1–4, 2017 400 ± 4.9% 35% 15% 21% – – 28%

Results
Candidates Democratic Primary Election - Sept. 12[20]
Candidate Party Votes Percent
Vi Lyles Democratic 15,773 46.15%
Jennifer Roberts Democratic 12,375 36.21%
Joel Ford Democratic 5,452 15.95%
Constance Partee (Connie) Johnson Democratic 310 0.91%
Lucille Puckett Democratic 267 0.78%

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared
  • Kimberley Paige Barnette,[21] former magistrate[22]
    • Barnette garnered controversy in September 2017 when her Facebook page briefly described herself as "Republican $ Smart, White, Traditional." The controversy garnered national attention.[23]
  • Gary M. Dunn, candidate for Democratic nomination in 2013[21]
  • Kenny Smith, Charlotte City Councilman[24]

Endorsements
Kenny Smith

Results
Candidates Republican Primary Election - Sept. 12[20]
Candidate Party Votes Percent
Kenny Smith Republican 7,912 88.63%
Gary M. Dunn Republican 553 6.19%
Kimberley Paige Barnette Republican 462 5.18%

General election

Polling
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin of
error		 Vi
Lyles (D)		 Kenny
Smith (R)		 Undecided
SurveyUSA October 18–21, 2017 517 ± 4.4% 41% 40% 19%

Results
Candidates General Election - Nov. 7[27]
Candidate Party Votes Percent
Vi Lyles Democratic 71,876 59.13%
Kenny Smith Republican 49,555 40.77%

References
  1. "Multi Year Election Schedule". Mecklenburg County Government. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  2. Charlotte Observer: Vi Lyles stuns Roberts, faces Kenny Smith for Charlotte mayor
  3. Spanberg, Erik (November 30, 2016). "Thought election season was over in Charlotte? Mayor's race getting an early start". Charlotte Business Journal. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  4. Boyd, Paul (February 3, 2017). "Councilman Smith leads way with most money in mayoral race". WSOC-TV. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  5. Harrison, Steve (June 20, 2017). "In mayoral debate, Jennifer Roberts and Vi Lyles play nice". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
  6. http://apps.meckboe.org/CandidatePrint.aspx
  7. Harrison, Steve (August 23, 2017). "LGBT groups make their picks for Charlotte mayor, council". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
  8. http://www.meckpac.org/endorsements/2017-charlotte-mayoral-city-council-endorsements/
  9. "We're Sorry". EqualityNC.
  10. http://www.sierraclub.org/sites/www.sierraclub.org/files/sce/central-piedmont-group/2017%20Charlotte%20Mayor%20Endorsement.pdf
  11. https://splabor.org/news/september-primary-endorsements-announced%5B%5D
  12. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2017-09-11. Retrieved 2017-09-11.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  13. https://joelfordformayor.com/2017/08/29/charlotte-firefighters-endorse-joel-ford-for-mayor/
  14. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2017-09-11. Retrieved 2017-09-11.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  15. Morrill, Jim (May 22, 2017). "Black Political Caucus has endorsed a mayoral candidate. How will it shape the primary?". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
  16. "Democracy for America : Our Candidates". democracyforamerica.com.
  17. Charlotte Post Editorial Board (August 31, 2017). "The Post endorses Vi Lyles in Democratic mayoral primary Experience and leadership earns support". The Charlotte Post. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
  18. The Charlotte Observer Editorial Board (August 23, 2017). "Who we like in the Charlotte mayor's race, and why". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
  19. White, Herbert (June 20, 2017). "Poll: Mayor Roberts leads Lyles and Ford in Democratic campaign". The Charlotte Post. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
  20. "NC SBE Contest Results". er.ncsbe.gov.
  21. NC State Board of Elections: Candidate filings
  22. "LinkedIn".
  23. Savransky, Rebecca (2017-09-06). "Candidate for Charlotte mayor puts 'white' among qualifications". TheHill. Retrieved 2017-09-07.
  24. Harrison, Steve (March 9, 2017). "Kenny Smith formally announces mayoral bid with swipes at Mayor Roberts". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved March 24, 2017.
  25. Harrison, Steve (September 28, 2017). "HB2 used to dominate the city's agenda. Now it barely registers with voters". The Charlotte Observer.
  26. "All the Observer's picks for Charlotte's primary races". The Charlotte Observer. September 11, 2017.
  27. "NC SBE Contest Results". er.ncsbe.gov.
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