Mecklenburg County Democratic Party
{{Short description|Democratic Party in NC}}
{{Infobox political party
| name = Mecklenburg County Democratic Party
| colorcode = #00AEF3
| chairperson = Drew Kromer
| leader1_title = Mayor
| leader1_name = Vi Lyles
| leader2_title = BOCC Chair
| leader2_name = George Dunlap
| headquarters = 725 East Trade Street, Charlotte, NC 28202
| membership_year = 2024
| membership = {{increase}}322,505{{cite web |title=Voter Registration Statistics |url=https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegStat/Stats?Date=01/06/2024&CountyName=MECKLENBURG |publisher=North Carolina State Board of Election |access-date=2024-01-08}}
| ideology = Centrism
Modern liberalism
Progressivism
| position = Center to center-left
| national = Democratic Party
| state = North Carolina Democratic Party
| colors = Blue
| seats1_title = Local seats in the North Carolina Senate
| seats1 = {{Composition bar|5|5|hex=#00AEF3}}
| seats2_title = Local seats in the North Carolina House of Representatives
| seats2 = {{Composition bar|11|13|hex=#00AEF3}}
| seats3_title = County Commission
| seats3 = {{Composition bar|9|9|hex=#00AEF3}}
| seats4_title = Charlotte City Council
| seats4 = {{Composition bar|9|11|hex=#00AEF3}}
| seats5_title = Huntersville Town Board
| seats5 = {{Composition bar|7|7|hex=#00AEF3}}
| website = {{URL|http://www.meckdems.org}}
| country = North Carolina
}}
The Mecklenburg County Democratic Party (Meck Dems) is the largest Democratic Party in North Carolina with 322,505 registered Democrats.{{cite web |title=Voter Registration Statistics |url=https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegStat/Stats?Date=01/06/2024&CountyName=MECKLENBURG |publisher=North Carolina State Board of Election |access-date=2024-01-08}} Meck Dems is the Mecklenburg affiliate of the Democratic Party. It is headquartered in the historic Court Arcade, located in Charlotte.
Mecklenburg is the key to Democrats winning at the state and federal levels.{{Cite news|url=https://www.wfae.org/politics/2022-12-21/for-u-s-senate-race-mecklenburg-turnout-was-one-of-states-lowest-who-is-to-blame|title=For U.S. Senate race, Mecklenburg turnout was one of state's lowest. Who is to blame?|last=Harrison|first=Steve|date=2022-12-21|work=WFAE|access-date=2024-01-08}} Despite winning a number of local races, Mecklenburg's turnout levels have lagged behind the statewide average, hindering Democratic chances at winning statewide elections. In 2022, Mecklenburg's Democratic turnout was 45% compared to a statewide average of 51% and Wake County’s 58% turnout.{{Cite news|url=https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2023-08-31/uniquely-competitive-north-carolina-emerges-as-key-2024-battleground|title=Uniquely Competitive North Carolina Emerges as Key 2024 Battleground|last=Jacobson|first=Louis|date=2023-08-31|work=U.S. News and World Report|access-date=2024-01-08}}
The Party controls all nine seats on the Mecklenburg County Commission and nine of the eleven seats on the Charlotte City Council, as well as the Charlotte mayoral seat.
Leadership
The county party chair is Drew Kromer, who was elected in 2023.{{Cite news|url=https://charlotte.axios.com/322433/young-people-want-to-reenergize-mecklenburg-county-democrats/|title=Young people want to reenergize Mecklenburg County Democrats|last=Chemtob|first=Danielle|date=2023-03-06|work=Axios|access-date=2024-01-08}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article274775161.html|title=Drew Kromer wants to 'severely cripple' GOP's chances in NC. Here's how he'll do it|last=Bergeron|first=Josh|date=2023-04-28|work=Charlotte Observer|access-date=2024-01-08}}{{Cite news|url=https://qcnerve.com/nooze-hounds-mecklenburg-county-democratic-party-chair-drew-kromer/|title=Nooze Hounds: Mecklenburg County Democratic Party Chair Drew Kromer|last=Pitkin|first=Ryan|date=2023-04-27|work=Queen City Nerve|access-date=2024-01-08}} The Chair leads the County Executive Committee (the "CEC"), a body of more than 350 Democratic Party leaders and activists from across the county, which governs the Party.
The Executive Director is Julia Buckner.{{Cite web|url=https://www.meckdems.org/our-party/mcdp-officers|access-date=2024-01-08|title= MCDP Officers}}
Recent Electoral Results
=2024=
On April 4, 2024, Vice President Harris visited the Meck Dems Party HQ to officially announce the opening of the first campaign field office in North Carolina.{{Cite news|url=https://www.wfae.org/politics/2024-04-03/kamala-harris-visit-to-charlotte-shows-biden-campaigns-focus-on-boosting-turnout-in-mecklenburg|title=Kamala Harris visit to Charlotte shows Biden campaign's focus on boosting turnout in Mecklenburg|last=Harrison|first=Steve|date=2024-04-03|work=WFAE|access-date=2024-04-22}} Mecklenburg County is emerging as the key county for Democratic chances of flipping the state blue in 2024.{{Cite news|url=https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/election/article287479675.html|title=NC hasn’t picked a Democratic president in 16 years. Is Mecklenburg County the key?|last=Ramsey|first=Mary|date=2024-04-10|work=Charlotte Observer|access-date=2024-04-22}}{{Cite news|title=Biden-Harris Campaign Investing in North Carolina|last=Bruno|first=Joe|date=2024-04-04|work=WSOC}}
=2023=
On April 5, 2023, Mecklenburg state legislator Tricia Cotham announced that she had left the Democratic Party and joined the Republican Party. Cotham's move gave House Republicans a veto-proof majority that allowed them to pass legislation without negotiating with North Carolina's Democratic governor, Roy Cooper. Cotham stated that fellow Democrats had criticized her on Twitter, called her names, and had been "coming after [her] family, coming after [her] children".{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/30/us/inside-the-party-switch-that-blew-up-north-carolina-politics.html|title=Inside the Party Switch That Blew Up North Carolina Politics|last=Kelly|first=Kate|date=2023-07-30|work=New York Times|access-date=2024-01-15}}
Mecklenburg Democrats scored multiple victories in the 2023 general elections, including successfully flipping the entire Huntersville Town Board from red to blue and replacing incumbent mayor Melinda Bales with Christy Clark{{Cite news|url=https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/election/article281555243.html|title=Mecklenburg municipal elections: Christy Clark wins Huntersville mayoral race|last=Moore|first=Evan|date=2023-11-08|work=Charlotte Observer|access-date=2024-01-08}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.wbtv.com/video/2023/11/07/democrats-sweep-huntersville-mayor-town-commissioner-races/|title=Democrats sweep Huntersville mayor, town commissioner races|last=Kowles|first=Naomi|date=2023-11-07|work=WBTV|access-date=2024-01-08}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.wral.com/story/nc-rides-national-wave-of-democratic-victories/21139773/|title=NC rides national wave of Democratic victories|last=Leslie|first=Laura|date=2023-11-09|work=WRAL|access-date=2024-01-08}} following a heated campaign.{{Cite news|url=https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/election/article281055143.html|title=NC Republican group injects hot-button national issues into Huntersville election|last=Moore|first=Evan|date=2023-11-01|work=Charlotte Observer|access-date=2024-01-08}} In addition, all three At-Large School Board candidates backed by Meck Dems{{Cite news|url=https://www.wfae.org/education/2023-10-10/the-search-for-dinos-in-the-charlotte-mecklenburg-school-board-race|title=Tricia Cotham's party switch sparks search for DINOs in CMS board race|last=Helms|first=Ann Doss|date=2023-10-11|work=WFAE|access-date=2024-01-15}} in the non-partisan race were elected.{{Cite news|url=https://www.wfae.org/politics/2023-11-07/three-blue-ballot-candidates-lead-in-early-voting-for-three-cms-board-seats|title=Three 'blue ballot' candidates win CMS at-large board seats|last=Helms|first=Ann Doss|date=2023-11-07|work=WFAE|access-date=2024-01-08}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.wfae.org/education/2023-11-14/election-brought-complex-challenging-and-hopeful-messages-for-cms|title=Election brought complex, challenging and hopeful messages for CMS|last=Helms|first=Ann Doss|date=2023-11-14|work=WFAE|access-date=2024-01-08}}