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Lyles, 73, did not specify why she is resigning; announcement comes amid questions about her ability to perform duties
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles and five council members from a May 9, 2025, City Hall meeting. (Ledger file photo; inset photo from Charlotte City Council)
by Ashley Fahey
Mayor Vi Lyles, who is in her fifth term serving as mayor of Charlotte, is stepping down next month, according to a press release early Wednesday.
Lyles, 73, who was reelected in November, is expected to resign on June 30, according to the statement. Here’s what else she said:
“Serving as Charlotte’s mayor has been the honor of my life. I am proud of our record navigating various challenges, strengthening our economy, investing in our neighborhoods, and building a foundation for Charlotte’s continued success during a time of rapid growth. Now, it is time for the next phase of my life, to spend more time with my grandchildren and for someone new to lead us forward.”
The release did not say why she is resigning.
“I am very proud of my record as mayor, but I also firmly believe that true leadership includes knowing when it is time to let the next generation of leaders take over,” Lyles said in the statement. “By leaving early, the voters will have more time to learn about their candidates. Our city is strong, our trajectory is positive, and now is the right moment for someone else to build on our progress from the past few years.”
“As in all things politics, I am sure there will be speculation as to why I am making this decision now,” Lyles said. “Simply put, I am going to spend time with my grandchildren. Like many of us, I have missed some moments with them and intend to not miss anymore!”
Lyles has been absent more regularly during recent City Council meetings, which she had traditionally led, and hasn’t attended most zoning meetings (which occur monthly) in several months, if not a year or longer.
Questions from the community, the private sector, and colleagues have arisen about her health and her ability to continue performing her duties, WFAE reported earlier this morning. She has seemed confused at times about procedural matters, and during a recent council meeting, she had to be reminded about needing to vote to break a tie.
A reporter from WFAE asked Lyles at the Government Center on Monday whether she planned to finish her term. She declined to answer, saying, "We will see.” She was escorted away from a reporter by an assistant and then by a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officer, according to WFAE.
Mayor Lyles has spent more than 30 years in Charlotte city government, with her service as mayor preceded by two terms on City Council (including service as mayor pro tem from 2015-2017) and working as a budget analyst, budget director and assistant city manager. She is Charlotte’s first Black female mayor.
It will be up to the 11-member City Council body to decide who will finish out Lyles’ term. Lyles in the statement said she will not make any immediate endorsement of a potential successor.
Ashley Fahey is The Charlotte Ledger’s managing editor. Reach her at [email protected].