In crowded field, Larken Egleston hopes to win at-large Charlotte city council seat

CHARLOTTE — Democratic candidate Larken Egleston is looking for a promotion from representing District 1 to an at-large seat on the Charlotte city council.

Egleston is serving in his second term on the council after first being elected in 2017.

Egleston said he’s hoping to use the expertise he’s learned representing District 1 to serve all of Charlotte.

“I’m hoping that if I’m successful in my bid to be an at-large member, that it will free up bandwidth to work more on some of that regional transportation effort, on some of our affordable housing effort,” he said. “Really dig deeper into and put more time into those issues that that do take decades to solve and do take a lot more time and effort to really tackle.”

He will contend with five other Democrats in the primary election. All candidates in the Democratic primary have Charlotte city council experience.

Egleston has big plans if elected, including improving commutes for people who live in Charlotte and those who come to the city for work.

“We’ve got to give people transportation options, we’ve got to allow for people, frankly, to live further out from the center, center city core, because housing is going to be more affordable out there,” he said. “But if we don’t provide them a way to get into those jobs centers in those opportunity areas, from wherever they can afford to live, then they’re not going to have the opportunity to succeed.”

The top four at-large candidates will move on to the General Election.

With the competition tightly contested, Egleston said his experience in office and his accessibility for constituents sets him a part.

“I think I have been showing up not just when I’m asking for votes, but showing up year around and and that I’m somebody that that will be there for the folks that that elect me and frankly, for the folks that don’t vote for me,” Egleston said.

The Political Beat’s Joe Bruno is interviewing all Charlotte city council at-large candidates ahead of the May 17 primary.

>>In the video at the top of the page, Channel 9′s Joe Bruno sits down with Egleston to discuss a wide range of issues, including transit headaches and how the city can move forward.

(WATCH BELOW: Channel 9′s Joe Bruno sits down with James Mitchell, running for Charlotte city council at-large)

Channel 9′s Joe Bruno sits down with James Mitchell, running for Charlotte city council at-large

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