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The Party Line
The Party Line is dedicated to examining regional issues and policies through the figures who give shape to them. These are critical, complex, and even downright confusing times we live in. There’s a lot to navigate nationally and in the Carolinas; whether it’s elections, debates on gay marriage, public school closings, or tax incentives for economic development. The Party Line’s goal is to offer a provocative, intelligent look at the issues and players behind the action; a view that ultimately offers the necessary insight for Carolina voters to hold public servants more accountable.

Mayor Pro Tem Vi Lyles Looks To Drop 'Pro Tem' From Title

WFAE | By Tom Bullock
Published February 7, 2017 at 1:13 PM EST
Vi Lyles
Lyles Campaign

Today, at Little Rock AME Church in uptown, Vi Lyles announced that she is running for Charlotte’s mayor. Elections for that post and city council seats take place later this year.

Lyles is currently serving her second term as city councilwoman at-large, meaning she represents the city as a whole and not a specific district. And she was elected by her fellow council members as mayor pro tem after the 2015 election. It’s a post that has her fill in as mayor when Jennifer Roberts is unavailable.

“I am running for mayor to reopen doors that have been closed, and to strengthen relationships with our citizens, the business community, Raleigh, the county, and the school board,” Lyles said in her announcement.

She is the first Democrat to challenge Mayor Jennifer Roberts who is expected to run again. Another Democrat, Joel Ford, has set up an exploratory committee and has begun preliminary fundraising. No republican has yet entered the race.

Lyles did not say why she is looking to unseat another Democratic mayor.

Correction: Mayor Jennifer Roberts announced she will run for re-election as Mayor of Charlotte in December.

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Politics The Party LineVi LylesCharlotte PoliticsJennifer RobertsCharlotte Mayoral Election
Tom Bullock
Tom Bullock decided to trade the khaki clad masses and traffic of Washington DC for Charlotte in 2014. Before joining WFAE, Tom spent 15 years working for NPR. Over that time he served as everything from an intern to senior producer of NPR’s Election Unit. Tom also spent five years as the senior producer of NPR’s Foreign Desk where he produced and reported from Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Haiti, Egypt, Libya, Lebanon among others. Tom is looking forward to finally convincing his young daughter, Charlotte, that her new hometown was not, in fact, named after her.
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