Huntersville Mayor Christy Clark held a commanding lead over challenger Derek Partee in the race for mayor on Tuesday, November 4, cementing a political shift that began in 2023 when Democrats swept every town board seat. Clark secured 64.6% of the vote to Partee’s 33.7%, according to final returns from the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections.
Huntersville’s contest was one of several local races decided Tuesday as voters across Mecklenburg County chose mayors and town boards in Cornelius, Matthews, Mint Hill, Pineville and Davidson.
The Huntersville mayoral race was a rematch between incumbent Clark, a former state lawmaker and registered Democrat, and former commissioner Partee, a registered Republican who lost to Clark in 2023. The campaign centered on growth, public safety and whether Democrats would maintain the gains they made in 2023, when they swept every town seat.
“I am so grateful to Huntersville voters for giving me and a majority of the current board a chance to serve again,” Clark said in a statement to The Charlotte Observer. “Prioritizing public safety and infrastructure will continue to be a priority for this board.”
For the six-member town board, Jennifer Hunt, Nick Walsh, Edwin Quarles, LaToya Rivers, Scott Coronet and Heather Smallwood secured seats, according to unofficial results. All five Democrats on the ballot won, along with one Republican, Smallwood.
Democrats Hunt, Quarles, Rivers and Nick Walsh sought reelection, joined by newcomer Coronet. Republicans Dan Boone, Frank Gammon, Smallwood and Jamie Wideman ran in coordination under the “No More Than 4” banner to consolidate conservative votes.
Partee distanced himself from the slate and campaigned independently. Mecklenburg County Democratic Party chair Wesley Harris told The Charlotte Observer last month that the 2023 results reflected years of organizing in northern Mecklenburg, and could indicate how the area will lean in statewide races next year. “Huntersville is an area that has been trending blue for a while,” he said. “We finally reached that critical point in 2023 where we got our folks out.”
Cornelius election results
Former commissioner Denis Bilodeau beat Mayor Woody Washam Jr. in the Cornelius mayoral race, with 43.8% to 36.8%., a rematch of the 2023 race where Washam won by just five votes.
Bilodeau campaigned on frustration with what he called “business-as-usual” leadership and urged more locally funded road fixes instead of waiting on the state. Washam stressed controlled growth, fiscal stability and transportation investment.
For the board of commissioners, candidates Michael D. Osborne, Susan Johnson, Todd Sansbury, Robert Carney and Colin Furcht came out on top with all precincts reported.
Town of Matthews election results
With five of six precincts counted, Mayor John Higdon led the mayoral race with 65.2% of the vote compared to 34.6% for Commissioner Leon Threatt. “I’m honored that the people of Matthews have once again placed their trust in me to serve another term as mayor. I remain committed to being responsive to residents’ concerns and available for open, transparent dialogue,” Higdon said in a statement to the Observer. “I also want to thank Leon Threatt for running a respectful and clean campaign, and I sincerely wish him the very best in his future endeavors.”
The race came amid significant board turnover in Matthews, with all six commissioner seats on the ballot and at least three were guaranteed to be filled by newcomers. Candidates Susan Chambers, John Urban, Kerry Lamson, Brian Hacker, Jennefer Cross Garrity and Jonathan Clayton led the commission race with five of six precincts counted.
Mint Hill election results
With all precincts counted, Dale Dalton defeated Tim Radzicki in the Mint Hill mayor’s race with 64% of the vote to 35%. Mint Hill’s new mayor will replace Brad Simmons, who did not run again. Both Dalton and Radzicki are sitting commissioners. In the race for two commission seats, Twanna Henderson and Trey Long came out on top with all precincts counted. Incumbents Henderson and Patrick Holton faced challengers Long, Patrick O’Brien and Matt Schwoebel.
Pineville election results Nick Gallo and Joshua Simelton won council seats with all three precincts counted. The two faced three other competitors, Les Gladden, Yvette Isaacs and Tony Jennings.
Davidson election results
Davidson’s election centered on the Town Board, where six candidates ran for five seats. With all two precincts counted, Incumbents Ryan Fay, Steve Justus, Tracy Mattison Brandon and Autumn Rierson Michael and former commissioner Connie Wessner won seats, with only newcomer David Lusk trailing Wessner by 588 votes.
This article appears courtesy of our media partner The Charlotte Observer.