Election 2015

Friday: Deadline to register to vote for city primaries

Matt Comer on August 20, 2015

Friday is the last day you have to register to vote in this year’s municipal primaries scheduled for Sept. 15.

Mayoral candidates take to Pride campaigning

Event also drew participation by several other elected leaders, candidates

Matt Comer on August 20, 2015

The race for mayor is heating up and four of several candidates took their campaign to Charlotte Pride this past weekend.

LGBT groups to hold forum with more than a dozen Charlotte Council, mayoral candidates

Press Release: First-of-its-kind forum will include more than a dozen Council candidates, five mayoral candidates

QNotes Staff on August 5, 2015

Five local LGBT community organizations will host a candidate forum with more than a dozen Charlotte City Council at-large candidates and five candidates for mayor on Tuesday, Aug. 11.

Charlotte mayoral candidates discuss failed LGBT ordinances at first forum

Michael Barnes repeats misleading claim he and others were excluded from the process, says Democrats may have gone 'far left to the left'

Matt Comer on April 10, 2015

Three Democratic candidates for mayor addressed their views on recently rejected LGBT-inclusive non-discrimination ordinances at the city’s first mayoral forum on Thursday evening.

Michael Barnes enters mayor’s race with flimsy LGBT record

Barnes has never garnered LGBT-friendly endorsements, was once ranked 'non-committal' on LGBT inclusion efforts

Matt Comer on January 22, 2015

Democratic City Councilmember Michael Barnes has officially announced he’s running for mayor this year, making the announcement on his Facebook page on Wednesday evening. He’s the first candidate in the race with a less-than-friendly record on LGBT equality issues.

Gay man among first to run for Columbia City Council

Neighborhood activist and political strategist seeks at-large seat

Matt Comer on January 8, 2015

This year’s race for City Council in South Carolina’s capital city is getting off to a big start, with one of the first candidates of the season announcing his campaign this week. The candidate, Tige Watts, is reportedly among the first openly gay candidates for office in Columbia.