After intense debate, Charlotte City Council selects Dante Anderson as mayor pro tem

CHARLOTTE — The meeting Monday night started with a band playing “Burn, baby, burn” from the song Disco Inferno and it ended with a fiery debate.

The Charlotte City Council voted, 7-4, to name District 1 Rep. Dante Anderson mayor pro tem. She defeated Dr. Victoria Watlington, who earned the most votes in Charlotte City Council’s at-large race. The vote was historic for several races. It’s the first time a district representative has been elevated to the No. 2 position. It’s also the first time there has been public disagreement and debate over who should serve in the position.

Councilmember Marjorie Molina nominated Anderson. There was then a substitute motion by James Mitchell to nominate Watlington, who then made it clear she was interested in the position. She said the council is at an inflection point and touted her experience on the dais.

“Not only am I qualified, I am proven,” she said.

In Watlington’s remarks, she listed her qualifications for the role, including her doctorate degree and council experience. When Watlington was finished speaking, Anderson’s first comments received cheers and jeers from the audience and councilmembers.

“I am not going to read my resume to you,” she said. “It is too long.”

Anderson touted her ability to work with her colleagues.

“Every single person who sits at this dais knows they can call me, text me and if they have a problem, they can just tell me what it is and I am there. I am on it,” she said.

Anderson, a lifelong Charlottean, said after the vote that she wants to pave the way for others like her. Anderson grew up in Southside Homes.

“I think I offer both an authentic experience of someone who was born and raised in the city of Charlotte who came from some of the roughest parts of the city to elevating and being a statistic defier,” she said. “I don’t want to be selfish with that. I don’t want the experience to just be for me. I literally want it for every Charlottean, every child, every adult who is looking to better and improve their lives, I want to be part of the solution to help them do so.”

The ability to work well with others was a motivating factor behind the vote of several Charlotte City Councilmembers, including Malcolm Graham.

“Who can help us manage the work, lead this council in the right direction and help us do the work,” he said.

In addition to Graham and Anderson, Democratic Councilmembers Dimple Ajmera, Marjorie Molina and Tiawana Brown voted for Anderson. The council’s two Republicans, Tariq Bokhari and Ed Driggs, also voted for Anderson. Bokhari said he and Driggs committed to vote for whichever Democrat could get five votes.

Councilmembers James Mitchell, LaWana Mayfield, and Renee Johnson joined Victoria Watlington in voting no. Councilmember Mayfield said she would never support a district representative to be mayor pro tem. She also questioned whether Anderson had enough experience.

“There will never be a time where I am going to agree with it being a district representative but I also think there is a level of responsibility and honestly respect to come into a space, learn how to do a job before saying I want to step into certain levels of leadership and roles,” Mayfield said. “It is a concern to me that at 10 months in, the decision to say I want to step into this role when there is so much learning to do.”

The Charlotte City Council will meet again next Monday. Eastland Yards is expected to be on the agenda. In closed session, councilmembers will also review the body camera footage of the controversial arrest outside of Bojangles.

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