Charlotte City Council heard rapid-fire pitches Monday from dozens of candidates hoping to become the city’s interim mayor as Mayor Vi Lyles prepares to step down.
The forum felt more like speed dating than a traditional political event. It began with a 45-minute debate among council members over how to select a replacement — a debate that remained unresolved even as candidates were called up in alphabetical order.
Thirty-two candidates spoke over about 90 minutes, each limited to two minutes. That's out of more than 100 who applied and 69 whom the city said met the qualifications of being at least 21, a Democrat like Lyles, and a Charlotte resident.
A phone timer cut off most speakers mid-thought as they tried to make their case.
Candidates came from a range of backgrounds and perspectives, many emphasizing issues such as transportation, community investment and growth. Some struggled to finish sentences before their time expired.
"That was fast," one man quipped.
A few candidates stood out for their delivery. Zach Claywell, wearing a "Why not Zach?" hat, drew laughs when he joked that the mayor’s office was the only job opening left in Charlotte, saying he was running because he loves the city — and needs a job.
Another candidate, Sebastian Nitschwitz, used much of his time to recount his effort to make it to the forum, noting he nearly missed his turn because council members were still debating the process.
"I got here at about 2:15. I had a meeting at 1:00 p.m. at my job, ran over here literally, and then was worried that I was going to be late but was not. The council was still deliberating on the procedure. That went a little bit long, so I had to go back to my job at 3 o'clock for another meeting and then fired up YouTube, found out I wasn't too late to come back. So ran back over here," he said.
Several candidates are viewed as frontrunners, including executive Carrie Cook and council member James Mitchell and state Sen. Caleb Theodros.
Cook said her experience in government and nonprofit work has prepared her for the role, citing time at the Federal Reserve, the GreenLight Fund Charlotte and the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance.
"At the Federal Reserve, I helped drive capital investment towards under-resourced communities. Before that, I built Green Light Fund Charlotte from the ground up," she said.
Theodros said the interim mayor should focus on continuity rather than sweeping change, emphasizing respect for work already underway.
"I'm not applying to come in with a sweeping new agenda or to use an interim role to reinvent the city in 18 months. This is a unique responsibility. The next mayor should respect the work already underway," he said.
After the candidate presentations, council members continued to debate the selection process. Council member Malcolm Graham expressed frustration, saying the city is once again developing the process “on the fly” rather than through a committee.
City Council plans to vote on an interim mayor next Monday, though members indicated they may take more time if needed to vet candidates. They decided to hold another forum with finalist candidates on Thursday.
Lyles has said she plans to resign June 30 but is willing to stay longer if necessary to ensure a smooth transition.
