City Holds Swearing-in Ceremony for 2023-2025 Council Body

Published on December 06, 2023

On Dec. 4, the City of Charlotte held a swearing-in ceremony for the 2023-2025 mayor and Charlotte City Council body, signaling the start of a new term.

Serving in her fourth term, Mayor Vi Lyles presided over the ceremony, leading with the presentation of two awards—the Richard Vinroot award to Co-chair of the Mayor’s Racial Equity Initiative, Mike Lamach, and the Harvey Gantt award to President of Bank of America Charlotte, Kieth Cockrell.

Mayor Lyles followed the awards presentations by recognizing outgoing At-large Council Member Braxton Winston. Winston vacated his seat after serving three consecutive terms on the City Council. Council Member Dr. Victoria Watlington, who served two terms as the District 3 representative, assumed the vacant at-large position. The council welcomed Tiawana Brown as the new District 3 representative.

Following the ceremony, the council’s lone agenda item was to appoint a new Mayor Pro Tem. Two candidates put their names forward for consideration: Council Member Watlington and District 1 Council Member Danté Anderson. The council voted 7 to 4 in favor of Council Member Anderson.

In the absence of the mayor, the mayor pro tem possesses all the powers of the mayor except the right to veto. While presiding over the city council, the mayor pro tem retains the right to vote on all agenda items. The new council body will convene its first business meeting on Dec. 11.

Watch the full ceremony below.