Charlotte City Council Special Meeting to Interview Candidates for Interim Mayor - June 18, 2026
Charlotte City Council Special Meeting to Interview Candidates for Interim Mayor - June 18, 2026
The Charlotte City Council held a special meeting on June 18, 2026, starting at approximately 4:15 PM, to interview five candidates for the position of interim mayor following the vacancy in the Office of the Mayor. The meeting included structured interviews with each candidate, followed by procedural discussions regarding the appointment vote scheduled for June 22. No appointment decision was made at this meeting.
Interview Process and Candidate Presentations
- The council interviewed five candidates in random order: Senator Caleb Theodros, Harold Cogdell, James Mitchell Jr., Robert Harrington, and Carrie Cook. Each candidate was given up to 30 minutes to answer a set of pre-agreed questions from council members, with a five-minute warning and a one-minute warning before closing remarks.
- All candidates were asked the same questions, covering topics such as their biggest challenge facing Charlotte, how to balance growth with equity, strategies for efficient council meetings, maintaining employment while serving, intergovernmental relations, airport governance, homelessness policies, and their approach to council consensus and city manager selection.
- Council members adhered to a uniform set of questions, with follow-ups permitted that were germane to the original question.
Key Discussion Points During Candidate Interviews
- Senator Caleb Theodros emphasized his experience in the state senate, ability to bridge gaps between Raleigh and Charlotte, and metrics-driven approach to corporate partnerships and transportation planning. He noted his full-time availability as a state senator.
- Harold Cogdell highlighted his 28 years as a lawyer and past chair of the Board of County Commissioners and Charlotte Housing Authority, advocating for inclusive governance, listening, and rotating council meetings to different districts.
- James Mitchell Jr. stressed his 20+ years of public service, including 14 years as a district representative and current at-large member, proposing 90-day check-ins for staff evaluations and fostering a culture of collaboration and trust.
- Robert Harrington cited his experience chairing the Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Library Board and the North Carolina Bar Association, focusing on trust, transparency, and committee-driven decision-making. He affirmed he would maintain his law partnership.
- Carrie Cook drew on her roles at the Federal Reserve Bank, the Charlotte Chamber, and leading Greenlight Fund Charlotte, emphasizing relationship-building, consensus, and a people-first approach to growth.
Procedural Discussion and Key Outcomes
- The council reached consensus to advance all five candidates to the ballot for the June 22 vote, as no candidate was eliminated.
- A motion was passed (voice vote, ayes prevailed) to determine the runoff process: if no candidate receives six votes (simple majority of 11 council members), the top two vote getters will advance to a runoff. If there is a tie for second place, a runoff between those tied candidates will determine who faces the top vote getter.
- The council agreed to move agenda item 22 (appointment of interim mayor) to earlier in the June 22 meeting, immediately after the public forum, to allow public comment and avoid late-night proceedings. The agenda will be republished to reflect this change.
- No runoff will be required if a candidate secures six or more votes on the first ballot; if a runoff is needed, it will be conducted on the same evening (June 22) with new ballots.
- The meeting adjourned after the procedural discussion.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon and welcome everyone. As the mayor pro tem, I will call this meeting to order and ask for introduction beginning with our city clerk. Billy Tons, Deputy City Clerk. Andrea Leslie Fight, City Attorney. Good afternoon, Victoria Watlington. I have the pleasure of serving you as a member at large. Joy Mayo representing district three. Kimberly Owens representing District 6. Malcolm Graham, district two at Driggs, District 7. Good afternoon, Lawana Mayfield, Councilmember at large. Good afternoon, JD Masueta Adias District 5. Renee Johnson, and I have the honor of serving District 4. Thanks, everyone. At this time, I will step away and allow the council to elect a chair pro tem. Is there a motion to appoint a chair pro tem? I will take it. Council member may be motion to appoint Councilmember Graham. Is there a second? Second by Councilmember Wattlington. All those in favor, let me know. Okay. I'm gonna turn it over now to Chair Pro Tim, Councilman Graham. Good afternoon, everyone. The interview form is part of the city council's process for filling the vacancy of the Office of the Mayor. Each interview interviewer will be asked a series of questions by the city council, and each uh interview will also address city council and the public when responding. No appointment decision will be made today. The city council will consider the appointment of the next mayor pro mayor at a public future meeting on next week. At this point, I would like to turn the meeting over to the city clerk and the city attorney where they will review the procedure for today. Thank you, Chair Pro Tim Graham. Um, by way of background, the ballots for nominations were provided to council members on Tuesday, June 16th, 2026 at 12 noon. The ballot showing council members' nominations of up to three nominees were returned to the clerk's office. Results were tallied, and based on the nominations, the top five nominees from all council members were contacted for interviews. The top five nominees, I will read them at this time, and this is not in order of the top vote, but rather in alphabetical order. They are as follows. Harold Cogdell, Carrie Cook, Robert Robert Harringson, excuse me, James Mitchell Jr., and Senator Caleb Theodres. At this time, each of the interviewees have been, uh their names have been placed into a cup. And at the time of the interview, they will be called forward based upon random drawing by Madam Clerk, Mr. Chair Pro Tem. And so at this time, as you can see, there is a table placed at the center of the room. Each interviewee will see will be seated there, and the council members will have an opportunity to ask questions. You all will have an opportunity to select one question from the compilation of questions that you all came up with individually, and we just ask that you would stick with the same question for each interview. Do not deviate, please, from that from that list of questions and simply stick with the same question with candidate one through five. Okay. Otherwise, I'll turn it back over to you, Mr. Chair Pro Tim. Any questions for the city attorney? I recognize uh uh councilmember Wallington. Thank you. Just for clarity, the question that we picked does not have to necessarily be one we initiated. That is correct, as long as you stick with the same question throughout the process.
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