Top Stories for Oct. 29, 2025

An early voting sign on a storefront door.

Mecklenburg County provides this weekly rundown of top stories from the Board of County Commissioners meetings and the Public Information Department’s newsroom. The Board met this week for its fall retreat. Its next regular meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 5 at 6 p.m. The agenda will be available online and the meeting can be viewed on MeckTV.

1. Last Day for Early Voting: The last day to vote early in the 2025 General Election is Saturday, Nov. 1, with 21 sites open across Mecklenburg County. Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 4, with voters determining races for Charlotte mayor and City Council, town boards, Board of Education, and a referendum on an additional 1% sales tax for transportation. Voters are encouraged to check their registration before heading to the polls. During early voting, voters can register and vote the same day. The registration deadline to vote on Election Day, Nov. 4, has passed. And don’t forget—voters need a photo ID to vote in North Carolina elections. Find more resources and information from the Board of Elections at Vote.MeckNC.gov. 

2. Setting and Reinforcing Priorities: The Board of County Commissioners held its fall retreat on Oct. 27 and 28, where commissioners discussed projects aligned with their priorities for the upcoming budget year. Those projects include affordable housing, workforce development, youth crime, critical home repair, mental health, land acquisition, child fatalities, and minority-owned businesses. The Board also received a proposed strategy to redesign the Community Service Grant program, which was paused this year due to funding constraints, and an update on the County’s new performance management framework. The agenda and presentations are available online and the meetings can be viewed on MeckTV at Watch.MeckNC.gov. 

3. Serving Those Who Served: Commissioner Arthur Griffin and the Davidson Board of Commissioners invite residents to a community meeting featuring veterans services. The meeting will include presentations and a discussion with the goal of informing residents about services provided by Mecklenburg County Veterans Services division and its partner Veterans Bridge Home. It will be held at Davidson Town Hall at 251 South St. in Davidson, on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 6 – 7 p.m. 

4. Bringing Home the Business: More than 500 new jobs and millions of dollars in investment are expected soon in Mecklenburg County following announcements during the past few days. The Office of Economic Development has been instrumental in the recruitment of several headquarters and hubs, alongside partners City of Charlotte, State of North Carolina, and others.

  • Pacific Life Insurance Co. is expected to create 300 new jobs over the next five years. The office will be in Charlotte’s South End, a significant hub for the insurance industry.  
  • Wayflyer, a leading financing platform for consumer brands based in Ireland, chose Charlotte to expand its U.S. presence. Wayflyer has already invested more than $60 million into businesses headquartered in North Carolina and expects to create approximately 20 new roles in Mecklenburg County this year.
  • SoFi Technologies, a digital services company, will establish a regional hub in Charlotte, creating 225 new jobs. This $3 million capital investment will be in the Ballantyne submarket.

5. Improving Crisis Response Systems: The Mecklenburg County Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Program has been awarded Platinum Level Certification through CIT International – the highest level of program certification. CIT is a community partnership among law enforcement, behavioral healthcare professionals, and individuals and family members impacted by mental illness, substance use disorder, or intellectual and developmental disabilities, to improve community response to behavioral health crises. CIT focuses on improving the crisis response system, advocating for needed services, training first responders, and strengthening partnerships across the community. 

6. Familiar Face for Fire Marshal: Matt Bixler has been named Mecklenburg County’s new Fire Marshal. With more than 20 years of experience in fire service, law enforcement, and emergency services, he brings a wide breadth of expertise in fire, arson, and explosion investigations. Bixler has served as Deputy Fire Marshal since 2018. The County Fire Marshal’s Office is the designated liaison agency and emergency response team providing support to the County’s fire departments and the towns of Matthews, Mint Hill, Pineville, Huntersville, Cornelius, and Davidson, and the County’s unincorporated areas.