District 3 includes much of western Charlotte including the airport and Steele Creek. Forty-seven percent of registered voters are Democrat and 14% are Republican. This district is a heavily minority district; 42% of its registered voters are black. The winner of this race will face Republican James Bowers in the general election.
Tiawana Deling Brown
Party: Democratic
Incumbent: Yes
Previous experience in elected office: Charlotte City Council District 3 Representative (2023–present)
Occupation: Founder of Beauty After The Bars, a nonprofit focused on preventing incarceration among women and girls; Certified Peer Support Specialist; trained community health worker; former corporate consultant
Age: 54
Description: Brown’s priorities include securing funding for District 3, improving access to affordable housing and public transportation, expanding workforce development, and increasing public safety. Brown has not committed support to the current transit referendum, saying, “My vote will reflect the input of constituents and community leaders, not political pressure.” She is the first formerly incarcerated person to serve on Charlotte’s City Council.
Other personal: Brown is a Charlotte native who grew up in the Southside Homes housing project. She graduated from Myers Park High School and is studying criminal justice at Johnson C. Smith University. She has two adult daughters, Antoinette and Tijema. Brown served four years in prison on felony fraud charges and gave birth to one of her daughters while incarcerated. She is facing a federal indictment for wire fraud. Charlotte's US attorney accuses her of misusing over $124,000 in COVID-19 relief loans by falsifying loan applications and then using the money for personal expenses, including a lavish birthday party. Brown has denied the charges.
Joi Mayo
Party: Democratic
Incumbent: No
Previous experience in elected office: None
Occupation: Community Engagement Manager at TreesCharlotte; former CMS middle school math teacher (2012–2020); founder of Transforming Nations Ford, a resident-led community development nonprofit.
Age: ~39
Description: Mayo’s platform emphasizes building safe and inclusive communities, increasing the stock of permanent affordable housing, promoting smart growth, and supporting workforce development. She has held leadership roles in neighborhood and HOA coalitions across southwest Charlotte and was president of Kings Creek HOA (2015-2024).
Other personal: Mayo was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, and moved to Charlotte in 2012. She earned a B.A. in History from Elon University and an M.A. in History from the College of Charleston.
Warren F. Turner
Party: Democratic
Incumbent: No
Previous experience in elected office: Charlotte City Council District 3 Representative (2003–2011)
Occupation: Retired intensive probation officer; previously served as Chief Officer at the N.C. Department of Public Safety and worked as a judicial service coordinator
Age: ~61
Description: Turner is campaigning on environmental leadership and aims to make Charlotte a carbon-neutral city. He emphasizes collaboration across federal, state, and local levels to address climate and sustainability challenges.
Other personal: Turner has lived in Charlotte for over 50 years. He earned a B.A. in Political Science from Fayetteville State University and is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. He is an ordained deacon at Silver Mount Baptist Church and was inducted into the Fayetteville State University Hall of Fame in 2005 for football. His previous council tenure was marked by controversy: He was found to have made sexually inappropriate comments to female city employees in 2008, though the Council opted not to censure him at the time. He was fired from his probation officer role in 2010 (for unrelated reasons), though the termination was later overturned.
This is republished with permission from the Charlotte Ledger/Election Hub.