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.

Background [ edit ]

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 [ edit ]

Declared [ edit ]

Declined [ edit ]

David Howard, former Charlotte City Councilman[3]

Endorsements [ edit ]

Joel Ford Charlotte Fire Fighters Association [14]

Real Estate and Building Industry Coalition[15]





Polling [ edit ]

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[20] June 1–4, 2017 400 ± 4.9% 35% 15% 21% – – 28%

Results [ edit ]

Candidates Democratic Primary Election - Sept. 12[21] 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 [ edit ]

Declared [ edit ]

Kimberley Paige Barnette, [22] former magistrate [23] Barnette garnered controversy in September 2017 when her Facebook page briefly described herself as "Republican $ Smart, White, Traditional." The controversy garnered national attention. [24]

former magistrate Gary M. Dunn, candidate for Democratic nomination in 2013 [22]

Kenny Smith, Charlotte City Councilman[25]

Endorsements [ edit ]

Kenny Smith Fraternal Order of Police [26]

Charlotte Observer [27]

Results [ edit ]

Candidates Republican Primary Election - Sept. 12[21] 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 [ edit ]

Polling [ edit ]

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 [ edit ]

Candidates General Election - Nov. 7[28] Candidate Party Votes Percent Vi Lyles Democratic 71,876 59.13% Kenny Smith Republican 49,555 40.77%