City Councilman Al Austin will resign his seat on July 16, 2017, to take on a position with the North Carolina Department of Transportation. He'll take up the post of the department's outreach director to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
Austin, a Democrat, was elected in 2013 and is currently serving his second term on council. He represents District Two, which encompasses uptown in the northwest district of the city, including third and fourth ward.
"While it's bittersweet to see my time on the council come to an end, I'm excited to serve our state and continue my life's dream of public service," Austin said in a statement, "This is a great opportunity for me to use everything I've learned serving on council, while continuing to always serve as a resource for Charlotte."
By law, city council must appoint a replacement that is of the same political party as Austin. Other qualifications are that the appointee must be a registered voter, be 20 years of age or older, and be a resident of and registered to vote in District Two.
