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Charlotte, N.C.’s government is operated on a council-manager form of government and was adopted in 1929. This form of government divides responsibilities between elected officials and an appointed city manager.
Citizens elect the mayor and 11 council members every two years. The mayor and four council members are elected at-large by a citywide vote; seven council members are elected from districts by voters who reside in each district.
The City Manager is Marcus D. Jones. Charlotte’s form of government leaves the city manager with the task of carrying out decisions made by the city council and the mayor, effectively making Jones the executive head of local government. The city manager is not an elected position, but the manager is appointed by the mayor and the city council.
The city’s mayor is a representative of the city at the state and federal level. Officially, the mayor presides over city council meetings and official city ceremonies. The current mayor of Charlotte is Vi Lyles who is the first African-American woman to be the mayor of Charlotte.
A majority of the legislative power in the city belongs to members of the city council.
Members of the City Council and the mayor create a “board of directors” that set policy, approve the financing of all city operations and enact ordinances, resolutions and orders. Their responsibilities also include appointing the city manager, city attorney, city clerk and members of various boards and commissions.
The city oversees the following service areas: water and sewage, trash collection, transit systems, animal control and adoption, among others.
Additionally, government officials and employees see to day-to-day code and ordinance compliance, zoning, inspections, licencing, land development, records, business resources, economic development, law enforcement, as well as education, leisure and other areas.
The city also provides governmental educational resources for its citizenry in the form of academies.
The logo for the City of Charlotte is a stylized crown.
To learn more and to obtain more informatioin, visit charlottenc.gov.