In her attempt to remove troubled Charlotte City Council District 3 incumbent Tiawana Brown, political newcomer Joi Mayo has received the support of the Black Political Caucus (BPC).
In BPC voting, Mayo defeated Brown by a slim margin of 46 to 45.
Brown questioned the result, saying one of her supporters requested a BPC ballot but did not receive one. With 32 votes, Montravias King came in third place in District 3.
He endorsed Brown and withdrew from the campaign on Tuesday. He also urged the BPC to organize another election, stating that he had heard of individuals who were not given ballots.
It took a week for the caucus to make its endorsements public. Members agreed at a meeting on Friday night to either forego primary endorsements entirely or to hold a second vote.
For Mayo, receiving the BPC’s support is a huge plus. Particularly in District 3, where over half of Democratic primary voters are anticipated to be Black, the caucus is seen as one of the city’s most significant endorsements.
In a statement released on Saturday, the BPC claimed that the procedure was conducted fairly and openly, guaranteeing the integrity and correctness of the tabulation.
In 2023, Brown was initially elected to the District 3 seat. She publicly discussed doing time in federal prison for fraud in the 1990s during her campaign. She is currently in charge of Beauty After the Bars, a charity organization that assists women who have served time in prison.
In May, Brown and her two adult daughters were charged with receiving $124,000 in COVID-19 relief loans fraudulently. Brown entered a not guilty plea.
In the campaigns in Charlotte, the BPC made more endorsements.
Mayor: Vi Lyles
At-large members of the City Council: Dimple Ajmera, Victoria Watlington, Lawana Mayfield, and James Mitchell
District 1 of the City Council: Dante Anderson
Malcolm Graham, City Council District 2
District 3 City Council: Joi Mayo
Renee Johnson, City Council District 4
District 5 City Council: Marjorie Molina
Kimberly Owens, City Council District 6
District 7 City Council: no support
