Feb. 6, 2024

Maybe this year’s election will be a turning point for Mecklenburg County.

Listen carefully to Tuesday’s conversation with all five Democratic candidates for three at-large seats on the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners.

Two of the three incumbents have not served long but are candid about county government’s failures. One incumbent who has served for years attributes her reassignment from key committee work to her outspoken criticism of the county’s direction. The two non-incumbents do not have the scar tissue that the incumbents have.

The video below captures the full meeting of Tuesday’s presentations and Q&A. Viewers’ lists will vary on what the county’s key challenges are (Get out a pencil and big sheet of paper). Talk to another voter about your list, then find a way to help work on that challenge. That’s called democracy.

There is no Republican primary for at-large county board seats on March 5. There are Democratic primaries for seats in District 2 and 3. In November, the three at-large candidates successful on March 5 will not face opposition except via write-ins. In November. there will be Democrat-Republican contests in Districts 1, 2, 5 and 6.