vi lyles kenny smith
Vi Lyles and Kenny Smith are running to become Charlotte's next mayor. (Courtesy photos)

Charlotte is about to pick its seventh mayor in eight years, with Democrat Vi Lyles facing off against Republican Kenny Smith. Early voting runs from Oct. 19 to Nov. 4. Election Day is Nov. 7. 

Both Lyles and Smith are members of city council, and have been on the opposite sides of issues both financial and social.

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Most notably for the LGBTQ community, Lyles voted for the non-discrimination ordinances protecting LGBTQ rights in 2015 and 2016, and Smith voted against.

He recently told The Charlotte Observer that, if elected, he might veto LGBTQ rights if the city council votes for another expanded non-discrimination ordinance in 2020, when the moratorium put in place by HB142 expires.

Lyles has been endorsed by the Human Rights Campaign, Equality North Carolina and MeckPAC.

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Jeff Taylor / Social Media Editor

Jeff Taylor is a journalist and artist. In addition to QNotes, his work has appeared in publications such The Charlotte Observer, Creative Loafing Charlotte, Inside Lacrosse, and McSweeney’s Internet...