Jennifer Roberts (politician)
Jennifer Roberts | |
|---|---|
| 58th Mayor of Charlotte | |
| Assumed office December 7, 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Dan Clodfelter |
| Member of the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners | |
| In office 2004–2012 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Jennifer Watson Roberts Charlotte, North Carolina |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Manley Roberts |
| Children | Montana Manley Jr. |
| Education | East Mecklenburg High School |
| Alma mater | |
| Website | jenniferrobertsformayor |
Jennifer Watson Roberts is an American politician who currently serves as Mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina. She was elected on 2 November 2015[1] having previously served four terms on the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners. In, 2012 she was the Democratic nominee for the United States House of Representatives, North Carolina 9th District .
Biography
Jennifer Watson Roberts was raised in Charlotte, North Carolina. She graduated from East Mecklenburg High School in 1978, and went on to graduate from UNC-Chapel Hill on a Morehead Scholarship.
After her undergraduate degree, Roberts went on to earn two Masters Degrees in international affairs from Johns Hopkins University and from the University of Toronto.
She worked as a diplomat for four years with the US Department of State, serving in the Dominican Republic as a consular officer and then as a political officer on the Mexico Desk before returning to Charlotte.
During her years in Charlotte, Roberts has been Director of the Mayor’s International Cabinet, a lending officer in International Corporate Banking at First Union, and executive director of the Charlotte World Affairs Council.
Roberts has served on numerous boards and advisory groups in the region, including ArtsTeach, the Centralina Council of Governments, the Charlotte Chamber, the Girls Scouts Hornets Nest Council, Keep Mecklenburg Beautiful, and the Women’s Commission. She is a recipient of the Maya Angelou Women Who Lead award.[2]
Roberts is a volunteer on children’s issues, alleviating poverty and homelessness, and environmental protection. She is visible in the Charlotte community, known for attending many events and public gatherings.[3]
2012 Congressional Campaign
In 2012, Roberts ran for election to the U.S. House of Representatives to represent North Carolina's 9th congressional district. Roberts won the nomination on the Democratic ticket after running unopposed in the primary. Roberts was looking to replace incumbent Rep. Sue Myrick (R), who retired in 2012. Roberts was defeated by Republican candidate Robert Pittenger on November 6, 2012. Despite her loss, the race was the most competitive that the conservative 9th district had seen in nearly 60 years.[4][5]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Robert Pittenger | 194,537 | 51.78 | |
| Democratic | Jennifer Roberts | 171,503 | 45.65 | |
| Libertarian | Curtis Campbell | 9,650 | 2.57 | |
| Total votes | 375,690 | 100.0 | ||
Charlotte Mayoral Election, 2015
The 2015 Charlotte mayoral election took place on November 3, 2015, to elect the Mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina. Mayoral elections in Charlotte are biennial, with the winner being sworn-in in December. Primary elections were held on September 15, 2015, with primary runoffs held on October 6, as no candidate cleared the 40% threshold. Roberts defeated incumbent Dan Clodfelter in the primary and faced Republican Edwin Peacock III in the general election. Roberts defeated Peacock with just over 52% of the vote.[7] She will take office in December 2015.
References
- ^ Morrill, Jim (4 November 2015). "Charlotte Mayor-elect Jennifer Roberts played 'outside game' to win". The Charlotte Observer. Charlotte, North Carolina: McClatchy Publications.
- ^ "About". Jennifer Roberts for Mayor. Retrieved 2015-11-05.
- ^ "Is Jennifer Roberts really a longshot?". charlotteobserver. Retrieved 2015-11-05.
- ^ "North Carolina's 9th Congressional District elections, 2012 - Ballotpedia". ballotpedia.org. Retrieved 2015-11-05.
- ^ "Jennifer Roberts - Candidate for U.S. President, Republican Nomination - Election 2012". WSJ.com. Retrieved 2015-11-05.
- ^ NC State Board of Elections 2012 Election Results
- ^ NC State Board of Elections - 11/03/2015 UNOFFICIAL GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS - MECKLENBURG
External links
 | This article needs additional or more specific categories. (November 2015) |