WCNC Charlotte Flashpoint

Charlotte Interim Mayor Robert Harrington is wrapping up his first week in office after officially being sworn in last week following former Mayor Vi Lyles' resignation.

Though he's never held public office, Harrington said his decades of experience as an attorney and his leadership in civic organizations have prepared him for the role.

"It's been a quick process, but it's sort of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do some things for a city and people that I care a lot about, and so I'm really energized," Harrington said in his first one-on-one interview with WCNC Charlotte since his term began.

An experienced attorney, Harrington most recently served as president of the North Carolina Bar Association. He also pointed to his community involvement, including serving as chair of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library Board of Trustees and the Arts & Science Council. 

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/charlotte-mayor-robert-harrington-data-centers-interstate-77/275-80f6c4a8-8784-4c08-969b-a59cc3ff27f3

Charlotte's official New Year's Eve celebration is moving to a new home, as Truist Field prepares to host the city's year-end festivities for the first time, combining the event with the ballpark's popular Light the Knights festival.

The race for a seat on North Carolina's Supreme Court is one of the most significant contests for voters in the 2024 election. 

Incumbent Justice Allison Riggs, is facing Republican Jefferson Griffin, a North Carolina appeals judge in the race.

The seat up for election is one of the Democratic positions currently held by Riggs. North Carolina is one of eight states that conduct partisan elections for the Supreme Court, a practice this year’s candidates debate.

Riggs explained that she runs with a party affiliation out of necessity. 

“One of the critiques of the judiciary is that our judicial races have become partisan,” she said. “But I tell folks I'm not a policymaker. The Republican legislature decided to make these races partisan. Those are the rules of the game under which I am forced to operate.”

She noted that many Supreme Court candidates receive donations from lawyers and law firms during their campaigns but emphasized her commitment to impartiality. 

“I'm going to do my best to ensure that voters understand who I am and what my values are," Riggs said. "I care about the integrity and perception of the bench."

Griffin contended that partisanship in this race reflects an ideological divide between conservative and liberal jurists. 

“I think North Carolinians would probably like seven conservative jurists in the state," Griffin said. "It's not necessarily political; it's ideological. I believe North Carolinians want judges who apply the law as it’s written.”

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/flashpoint/north-carolina-supreme-court-election-2024-candidates-different-ideologies-highest-court/275-24922bcf-6e91-461d-9780-bb88ac113328