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Voters To Decide Local Races In Charlotte, Carolinas On Tuesday

Jennifer Lang / WFAE

Tuesday is election day in Charlotte and other cities across the Carolinas. Voters in Charlotte will choose a new mayor, as Democrat Vi Lyles and Republican Kenny Smith square off in the race to succeed Jennifer Roberts. The incumbent Democrat lost September's primary to Lyles.

Lyles, a former Charlotte budget director, has served two terms as an at-large city council member and is the current mayor pro tem.   Smith, a Charlotte native and commercial real estate broker, has also served four years on city council.

The Charlotte ballot also includes races for at-large and district city council seats.  Municipal elections will also be held in Mecklenburg County’s other incorporated towns, including mayoral contests in Davidson, Matthews and Pineville.

Voters throughout Mecklenburg County will elect six CMS school board members. There are also four bond referendums on the ballot, including a $922 million dollar package for construction and renovations in CMS schools. 

About 36,000 people voted early in Mecklenburg County before early voting ended Saturday. That’s double the number of two years ago, though early voting was extended by five days this year.  

Around the Carolinas, scores of local races will also be decided on Tuesday, including races for mayor in Raleigh, Asheville, and Greensboro. South Carolina also has local elections across the state on Tuesday. And, in York County, voters will decide whether to extend a one-cent tax on some goods and services that helps fund infrastructure improvements.

90.7 WFAE and wfae.org will provide election updates Tuesday night beginning at 7:00.  

Mark Rumsey grew up in Kansas and got his first radio job at age 17 in the town of Abilene, where he announced easy-listening music played from vinyl record albums.