Here’s who’s on the ballot in Mecklenburg County 2023 municipal elections
Election season is in full swing across Mecklenburg County, with towns around the area set to elect mayor, commissioners and council members.
One of 2023’s hottest races is for Huntersville mayor, where three candidates are running to lead the north Mecklenburg town.
The pack includes two current Huntersville commissioners — Dan Boone and Derek Partee — as well as former state Rep. Christy Clark. Current Mayor Mayor Melinda Bales is not running for reelection, instead opting for a bid at the state legislature.
Traffic and transportation are some of the top issues in the campaign in the growing Lake Norman-area town.
And the mayoral race isn’t the only competitive race on Huntersville voters’ ballots.
A total of 17 candidates are running for six seats on the Huntersville Board of Commissioners, including two incumbents. Candidates range from retirees to others who work in construction, writing and the nonprofit sector.
Election Day is Nov. 7, and early voting begins Oct. 19.
Here’s what to know about who else is on the ballot in towns across Mecklenburg County this November:
2023 Cornelius candidates
Cornelius Mayor Woody Washam, Jr., seeking a fourth term, is facing a challenge from current town Commissioner Denis Bilodeau this year.
In his Observer candidate survey, Bilodeau said he was driven to run in part by differences with Washam over tax policy.
And that’s not the only competitive race in the north Mecklenburg town.
A total of 10 candidates are vying for just five seats on the Cornelius Board of Commissioners .
The candidate list includes incumbents Colin J. Furcht, Michael Miltich, Michael Osborne, Thurman Ross, Jr. and Todd Sansbury.
2023 Davidson candidates
Things are uneventful in Davidson this election cycle.
Incumbent Mayor Rusty Knox, Jr. is unopposed this year. And just five candidates, including four incumbents, are running for five seats on the Davidson Board of Commissioners.
2023 Matthews candidates
It’s a crowded race for Matthews Board of Commissions, with 12 candidates vying for six seats on the board.
The slate of candidates includes five incumbents: Renee Garner, Gina Hoover, Ken McCool, Mark Tofano and John R. Urban. The challengers are Planning Board veteran Jonathan Clayton, engineer David Gaertner, property manager Jeff Miller, IT manager Sebastian Sadovsky, clergy member and former law enforcement officer Leon Threatt, retiree David Wieser and accountant George Young.
Matthews Mayor John F. Higdon is unopposed in his reelection bid.
2023 Mint Hill candidates
The 2023 election is a relatively quiet one for Mint Hill.
Just five candidates, including four incumbents, are running for four seats on the town’s Board of Commissioners. The candidates are incumbents Twanna Henderson, Patrick Holton, Dale Dalton and Tony Long, and newcomer Matthew Schwoebel. Schwoebel is owner of Matt’s Lawn Care.
Incumbent Mayor Brad Simmons is unopposed on the road to reelection.
2023 Pineville candidates
It’s an open race for mayor in Pineville, with incumbent John “Jack” Edwards not seeking another term.
Current Mayor Pro Tem Ed Samaha is running to replace him, facing off against David Phillips.
A total of four candidates, including two incumbents are running for two seats on the Pineville Town Council: business owner Eric Fransen, retired firefigher Les Gladden, claims consultant Danielle A. Moore and pastor Amelia Stinson-Wesley.
Gladden, seeking a 10th term in office, made headlines when he was censured by his colleagues and barred from interacting with town staff without supervision in the wake of an investigation into interference with the Pineville Police Department.
To view candidates responses to The Charlotte Observer’s voters guide surveys, visit: bit.ly/ObserverVoterGuide
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