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Civics 101 Program

Thanks for joining us for our 2026 Civics 101
Our signature mini-series about Local and State government!

Never before has it been so important to be informed about local government and to understand how it works in North Carolina.

This multi-part series is designed to help you understand how our local government works, how it overlaps with our state government, and how we, as residents, can become better informed and, perhaps, even inspire some of us to run for office. Use the Registration Link to sign up for the series. The dates are:

Session	Date	Time
1.Board of Elections	2/04/2026	6:00 - 8:30 PM
2.City Government	2/11/2026	6:00 - 8:30 PM
3.CMS/Board of Education	2/18/2026	6:00 - 8:30 PM
4.State of North Carolina	2/25/2026	6:00 - 8:30 PM
5.County Courts	3/04/2026	6:00 - 8:30 PM
6.Charlotte Mecklenburg County	3/11/2026	6:00 - 8:30 PM
7.News Media	3/18/2026	6:00 - 8:30 PM

Registration for the full series is $60, payable at the time of registration.

All sessions will be in person at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center, 600 E. 4th Street, Room CH-14, Charlotte, NC 28202.

Free parking at the Government Center should be available for the sessions. More details will be provided prior to the first session.

What is Civics 101?

Since 1995, Civics 101 has been a source of comprehensive and concise insight into the structures and processes of local and state government across Mecklenburg County. The League of Women Voters of Charlotte Mecklenburg, in collaboration with local government and elected officials, designed this series to share insights on how local government works and how residents can effectively engage as a resident of our community. By the end of the program, you will:

• understand how local government works

• be able to identify which government departments to contact when you need help

• know where to direct your energy to inspire change

Civics 101 is a seven-week program which consists of a weekly Wednesday evening session covering aspects of local government. Details for our 2026 Civics 101 Registration will be available late December 2025 or early January 2026.

Charlotte City Council

Left to right: Tariq Bokhari (District 6); Dimple Ajmera (At Large); Dante Anderson (District 1, Mayor Pro Tem); Jennifer Roberts (former Mayor and County Commissioner)

What You Will Learn in Civics 101

Knowing the correct processes is the first step toward participating as an informed resident. For example, did you know?:

In North Carolina, local governments operate under authority granted by individual state statutes (Dillon’s Rule). That limits the powers of local governments to those explicitly granted by state law.
Funding for public school teacher salaries and expenses per student come from the State of North Carolina, not Mecklenburg County.
Charlotte has the lowest property tax rate of the 13 largest cities in North Carolina.
Mecklenburg County is responsible for funding all the school buildings and facilities. (And because of our great need for school facility improvements in Mecklenburg County, the League of Women Voters of Charlotte-Mecklenburg advocated for the successful $2.5 billion school bond referendum in the Nov. 7, 2023 election.)
You can livestream all Mecklenburg County Commission and Charlotte City Council meetings on the GOV Channel, or later, through recordings on the government website. You can even review the agenda and fast-forward to the section you are interested in viewing.

Board of County Commissioners

Left to right: Mark Jerrell (Chair, District 4), Stacey Jenkins, (Civics 101 Action Team Lead), Jennifer Roberts (former Mayor and County Commissioner), Susan Rodriguez-McDowell (District 6), Arthur Griffin (At Large)

How can you engage in your local government?

How can you contribute to your local government?

Government employees and elected officials come together to support the Civics 101 program

In 2025, we had an amazing line up of government staff and elected officials that joined us.

Questions or looking for more information? Contact League of Women Voters Charlotte Mecklenburg Civics 101

Board of Elections

Michael Dickerson, Board of Elections Director

Kristin Mavromatis, Public Information Manager

City of Charlotte Government

Dimple Ajmera, At Large
Dante Anderson, District 1, Mayor Pro Tem
Tariq Bokhari, District 6
Hannah Bromberger, Assistant Budget Director

CMS/Board of Education

Dr. Melissa Balknight, Deputy Superintendent
Beth Thompson, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer
Katelyn Huneycutt, Executive Director of Budget
Stephanie Sneed, District 4, Chair
Gregory “Dee” Rankin, District 3, Vice-Chair
Lisa Cline, District 5
Melissa Easley, District 1

NC Courts (26th District)

Louis Trosch, Superior Court Judge
Roy Wiggins, Chief District Court Judge
Eliza A. Chinn-Gary, Clerk of Superior Court
Casey Calloway, Trial Court Administrator, Judicial District 26
Spencer Merriweather, District Attorney
Kevin Tully, Public Defender
Major Kimberly Drumm, Sheriff’s Department

Mecklenburg County Government

Mark Jerrell, Chair, District 4

Arthur Griffin, At Large

Susan Rodriguez-McDowell, District 6

North Carolina State Government

Woodsen Bradley, NC State Senator, 42nd District
Wesley Harris, State House Representative from 2019-2024
René Castellanos, Western Outreach Advisor Office of Governor Josh Stein
Lisette Nimmons, Intergovernmental Affairs Manager
Amanda (Boo) Raymond, Office of Lt Governor Hunt

Local Media

Panel moderated by Dr. Amanda Sturgill (Elon University)
Mary C. Curtis (Roll Call, WFAE)
Herb White (Charlotte Post)
Diego Barahona (La Noticia)
Joe Bruno (WSOC-TV)
Tony Mecia (The Charlotte Ledger)

Left to right: Roy Wiggins (Chief District Court Judge), Louis Trosch (Superior Court Judge), Casey Calloway (Trial Court Administrator, Judicial District 26), Spencer Merriweather (District Attorney), Major Kimberly Drumm (Sheriff’s Department), Stacey Jenkins (Civics 101 Action Team Lead), and Eddie Thomas, Jr. (Public Defender, Violent Crimes)

NC County Court (District 26) Session

Louis Trosch (Superior Court Judge) and Roy Wiggins (Chief District Court Judge) give advice on how community members can get involved

Without a doubt, this is one of the best programs that can be offered in Mecklenburg country. It has been one of the most invaluable investments of my time.

Alba Patricia Sanchez Immigrant Welcoming Center Manager Latino American Coalition

I was amazed by the in-depth presentations that Civics 101 provided us.

Maritza Ortiz, CMS Bilingual Homebound Educator Social Justice Activist

Each week’s session was engaging, informative, and purposeful in building participants’ awareness and understanding of government and community institutions and our collective opportunities and challenges.

Melani Harris McNinch Senior Director, Healthcare Quality Aetna

I was impressed with the depth of knowledge of the speakers and more importantly, I obtained greater hope and reassurance that our elected and appointed leaders are passionate about what they do and are committed to making our greater community a better place for us all.

Rita Heath Atrium Health Lincoln Director of Cardiopulmonary Services

Our Impact

Civics 101 has several well-known alumni including former Mayor Jennifer Roberts and State Senator Joyce Waddell. Current Mecklenburg County Commissioner Susan Rodriguez-McDowell is also a graduate.

Less than three years after participation in the LWVCM inaugural Civics 101, one participant took his seat as a member of Charlotte City Council. Another participant subsequently accepted an appointment to the Zoning Board of Adjustments and Appeals. Both credited the knowledge that they gained in the Civics 101 program for “showing them how to get involved in government” and how to have a “positive impact quickly.”

Civics 101 is an excellent program for gaining foundational knowledge to become a better-informed resident of Charlotte and to inspire future leaders. Who knows, maybe you could be our next elected official?

Our amazing Civics 101 volunteers

Left to right: Laura Cooper, Mary Hicks, Sara Baysinger, Jennifer Roberts, Chris Winston, Gillian Murrell, Carol Gray-Adler, Kim Dehller, Rita Heath

North Carolina State Session

Woodsen Bradley, NC State Senator, 42nd District joined the State Government session virtually from Raleigh.

Civics 101 History

Civics 101 was conceived of as a “good idea” by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg League more than 25 years ago for an initial audience of League members to address the expressed desire to learn more about how local government really works. It was a hit!

We held the first public session anticipating at most 20 people would participate. However, LWVCM was astounded by the 65 people who attended the first program. Their enthusiasm confirmed our commitment to educate new voters, new arrivals, and even longtime residents through a mini “civics class series” that is easily accessible.

Thanks for joining us for our 2026 Civics 101 Our signature mini-series about Local and State government!