Edwin Peacock III, the appointee, will serve through November.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte City Council named Edwin Peacock III the new representative for District 6 during a meeting on Monday, ending a weeks-long selection process triggered by the departure of Tariq Bokhari.
Bokhari stepped down from the role more than a month ago after being appointed deputy administrator of the Federal Transit Administration by the Trump administration.
Monday’s vote came down to a tie between Peacock, a former at-large council member, and Krista Bokhari, Tariq Bokhari’s wife. Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles broke the tie and voted for Peacock.
Peacock, who runs an insurance firm, previously served on Charlotte City Council from 2007-2011. He was the last Republican elected in Charlotte as an at-large member.
Mayor Vi Lyles sent WCNC Charlotte a statement about her tiebreaking vote.
“I’m grateful for all the candidates that took the time to apply and go through this process. I spoke with Mr. Peacock and he’s ready to serve District 6. We’ve got a lot of work to do, and I look forward to working with him in the coming weeks and months,” Lyles said.
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Applications for the interim seat opened in late April and closed on May 13. To qualify, candidates had to live in District 6 and be registered Republicans. The appointment will last through the November election.
Twelve people initially applied for the seat, including:
However, not all candidates made the final cut.
City staff ruled Sandlin and Welby ineligible — Sandlin due to residency outside District 6 and Welby due to unaffiliated voter registration status. Poore’s eligibility was briefly questioned, but city officials later confirmed she is a registered Republican and remains in the running.
Krista Bokhari, a former state House candidate, has made headlines in recent weeks for calling for the resignation of CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings. She also questioned the city attorney’s handling of a reported settlement related to text messages between her husband and the chief.
Andrew Dunn, a political columnist and editor of the Longleaf Politics newsletter, was another prominent candidate. He discussed his interest in the role during a recent appearance on WCNC+.
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A public forum was held last week, giving candidates a chance to share their priorities with council members and residents. Themes ranged from continuing Bokhari’s emphasis on public safety to guiding Charlotte’s rapid growth.
Some applicants have said they do not intend to run for the seat in November, while others are preparing to launch campaigns.
Peacock will be informally sworn in on Tuesday, May 20, with a formal ceremony scheduled for June 2. That council meeting will mark their first official appearance in the role.
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