8 races I'm watching in tomorrow's election

These quiet, low-turnout races will tell us where North Carolina is headed on safety, taxes, and growth

Most of the political world will have its eyes on Virginia tomorrow, but my attention will be right here in the vale of humility instead.

I love off-year elections. There’s a lot less baked in to the results, and more room for individual candidates to move the needle. Plus, single-digit turnout percentages give us an element of surprise.

It may be quieter, but the stakes are close to home.

Here are eight contests I’m watching on Tuesday and what they’ll tell us about where North Carolina is headed.

1) Charlotte mayor and city council — a referendum on crime

Charlotte is still overwhelmingly blue, but the question this year is whether a string of high‑profile center‑city crimes will move suburban voters.

Vi Lyles has been mayor for years, though there are plenty of more far-left candidates just waiting for their chance to challenge her. Not this year, though. Meanwhile, Republicans have been relegated to the two south Charlotte districts. One is safe this year, the other will be a tough fi…