West Charlotte voters were on track Tuesday night to pick a new representative on the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners for the first time in nearly two decades. As of 10 p.m., Democrat Monifa “Mo” Drayton was leading Republican Angela White Edwards with 87% of District 2 votes counted, though only six of the district’s 28 precincts had reported.
That snapshot, reported by the Charlotte Observer, is not a final result, but it reflects a commanding early lead for Drayton. The race marks the first time in almost two decades that District 2 has been positioned for a new face on the county commission, since 91-year-old Vilma Leake had represented the west Charlotte area since 2008.
A Primary Upset Set the Stage
Drayton, a first-time candidate, earned her spot on Tuesday’s ballot by defeating Leake in the March Democratic primary. According to unofficial results posted by the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections, Drayton pulled in 8,231 votes, or 51.90%, to Leake’s 7,629 votes, or 48.10%, with all 28 precincts reporting that night. The same Observer analysis of the primary found that areas surrounding the airport came out firmly for the longtime incumbent, while precincts along the district’s western edge went firmly for the challenger.
Drayton has worked as a political strategist and served as executive director of the Mecklenburg County Democratic Party in 2024, per the Observer’s reporting. She left that position after less than a year, alleging racism and “intolerable” working conditions in her resignation letter, the newspaper reported.
Priorities Centered on Displacement and Infrastructure
On the campaign trail, Drayton described her priorities as preventing displacement in historic communities and improving livability, food access and constituent engagement in her district, according to the Observer. Earlier in the campaign, as reported by QCity Metro, she said her platform would center on specific policy issues such as infrastructure and environmental health in District 2. QCity Metro also reported that Drayton criticized the proposed Red Line transit plan for leaving what she called a six-mile gap in stops between the North End and Huntersville.
Before she ever faced Leake in a primary, Drayton had announced her intention to run, telling QCity Metro she would launch a campaign to unseat the longtime commissioner. White Edwards, for her part, has run unsuccessfully for the county commission in previous years. Two years ago, Leake had defeated White Edwards in the heavily Democratic district by a margin the Observer reported as 74% to 26%, though QCity Metro has separately reported that margin as 49 points — accounts that differ on the exact size of Leake’s 2024 win.
Other Mecklenburg Commission Races Settled Without a Fight
District 2 was one of the few competitive contests on a commission that has otherwise seen little turnover. District 1 Commissioner Elaine Powell and District 5 Commissioner Laura Meier both announced ahead of the 2026 election cycle that they would not seek reelection, according to the Observer’s reporting.
Democrat Charles DeLoach was unopposed in his bid to succeed Meier in south Mecklenburg. In north Mecklenburg, Morris “Mac” McAdoo won a three-person March primary for Powell’s seat and then ran unopposed in the general election after Republican Aaron Marin dropped out of the race following a shooting at his house. The rest of the incumbents on the nine-member, all-Democratic board were also unopposed in the 2026 general election, leaving District 2 as the night’s marquee contest for west Charlotte voters watching to see whether their new commissioner would be seated for the first time since 2008.
