Incumbent District 2 Commissioner Vilma Leake is facing a primary challenge from Monifa “Mo” Drayton. The winner of this race will face Republican Angela Edwards in November.
Vilma Leake (D)
What is your occupation?
I currently serve as the Mecklenburg County Commissioner for District 2, the most powerful district in the County! Before being elected to represent the residents of this district, I served for eleven years on the Mecklenburg County School Board. I would best describe my occupation as that of a servant leader dedicated to the community and citizens of Mecklenburg County.
What is the top issue and how do you plan to address it?
There is no single “top” issue; rather, there are many interconnected challenges that become the highest priority for those they impact. For a resident struggling with food insecurity or housing instability, those are immediate top issues that directly lead to further complications, such as declining physical and mental health. Access to quality medical care and safe living environments are equally critical.
My approach to addressing these problems is through direct, hands-on intervention and advocacy. For example, during the pandemic, when a local congregation resisted mask mandates, I personally met with the Bishop to discuss the health of the community. This dialogue led to the church allowing a mobile health van on-site to provide essential COVID-19 testing.
Furthermore, when I discovered that this same religious body was being taxed on property used for ministry purposes, I worked directly with the Tax Department to review their records. By ensuring the law was applied correctly, we saved the church hundreds of thousands of dollars in unnecessary taxes. This experience reinforces my belief that we must address every issue with the same level of urgency, as each one profoundly affects the well-being of our citizens.
Are you in favor of raising property taxes?
I am not in favor of imposing any additional taxation on the people of Mecklenburg County. My primary concern is that we must more effectively utilize the resources we already have. Currently, we are not making the best use of our existing budget, even as crime, housing costs, and healthcare expenses continue to rise.
Much of the current focus is centered on growth, yet this often comes at the expense of the well-being of the people who already live here. I believe there needs to be greater transparency regarding our community’s changing demographics and the impact on local services. Many move to this area seeking a better way of life, but in doing so, they often bring sociological challenges that the current taxpayers are expected to solve. We must take measures to ensure that the needs of long-term and born-and-raised residents of Mecklenburg are prioritized.
It is essential that all elected officials across the county collaborate and take measures to address the sociological challenges that come with rapid growth without placing the financial burden on our current taxpayers.
What should Mecklenburg County do about the stalled Brooklyn Village project?
We need to hold elected officials accountable to ensure that the project is seen through to completion. Our leadership has let us down in this regard, and it is vital that we demand the necessary progress, even if it requires ending the current contract to start the process over from scratch to ensure it is done correctly.
What separates you from your opponent(s)?
My commitment to this community is defined by a level of personal sacrifice and direct action that sets my record apart. Since first being elected to office in 2008, I have consistently been on the front lines doing the work for the people of District 2. My dedication to the interests of my constituents has been so steadfast that it has even resulted in personal threats, requiring coordination with the police department for my safety. Despite these challenges, I have never wavered in being present in the community or being the voice our community relies on at the table.
My approach is rooted in community engagement and tangible results. I am the only elected official who has consistently taken our community’s issues directly to the City Council and the Board of Education to demand action. While I have not seen a record of substantive contributions from my opponents, I have remained focused on serving everyone in our district regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or familial status.
Unlike my opponent in the primary race, who previously declined opportunities to engage with marginalized groups within our community, choosing to resign from leadership with the Mecklenburg County Democratic Party, I am here to serve all people. As I often say, “May the work I’ve done speak for me.” My record of service since 2008 demonstrates that I have not failed this community, and I am honored to continue my legacy of service.
Monifa (Mo) Drayton (D)
What is your occupation? Principal Consultant
What is the top issue and how do you plan to address it? In District 2, public safety is a major concern, and the data is clear: our area carries a disproportionate share of the county’s homicides. That reality cannot be separated from the rise in homelessness, untreated mental health needs, substance use, and lack of stable housing. These are not isolated issues—they are interconnected failures that show up as violence, instability, and trauma in the same neighborhoods again and again. As County Commissioner, my focus is on addressing homelessness and crime together by investing in housing stability, behavioral health services, prevention, and community-based solutions—because we cannot arrest our way out of this, and we cannot ignore the conditions that keep people and neighborhoods stuck in crisis.
Are you in favor of raising property taxes?
I am not in favor of raising property taxes on District 2 residents who are already struggling and being priced out of their homes. In District 2, many longtime homeowners—especially seniors and working families—are seeing their property values rise faster than their incomes, and property tax increases hit them hardest. People should not lose their homes simply because their neighborhood is becoming more valuable.
That said, the County does have a responsibility to fund public safety, housing stability, and mental health services—but that burden should not fall on those least able to pay. My priority is to protect existing homeowners, fully use tax relief programs, and ensure that any budget decisions are equitable, targeted, and data-driven, not one-size-fits-all.
What should Mecklenburg County do about the stalled Brooklyn Village project?
The stalled Brooklyn Village project represents both a broken promise and an opportunity to do better. I’ve learned a great deal about the history, complexity, and significance of this site from my mentor, Arthur Griffin who was a resident of Brooklyn, and I have also championed the efforts of the now-closed Brooklyn Collective, which worked to preserve the legacy and voice of the original Brooklyn community. After years of delays and unmet commitments, I believe Mecklenburg County should dissolve the current contract and reclaim control of the project. The County must reset the process, re-engage the community most impacted by the original displacement, and move forward with a plan that prioritizes affordable housing, cultural preservation, and real community benefit—rather than allowing this critical site to remain stalled indefinitely.
What separates you from your opponent(s)?
What separates me from my opponents is that I’m a Swiss Army knife—I bring an extensive, real-world career in, health care, mobilizing communities and politics, not just one or the other. I’ve spent decades working inside complex systems, managing budgets, navigating regulations, building coalitions, and turning policy into outcomes that actually impact people’s lives. That dual experience allows me to add immediate value to conversations about the public health of our community, from mental health and substance use to housing stability and reentry, while also understanding how those issues move through county governance, funding decisions, and implementation. I don’t just talk about problems—I understand how to connect health, safety, and policy to deliver results, which makes me uniquely prepared to serve and lead on the County Commission.
(WATCH BELOW: Mooresville mayor gives explanation for not wearing pants inside town hall, as lawsuits loom)
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