CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Pat Cotham, one of Mecklenburg County's longest-serving commissioners, will no longer hold her seat.
Cotham finished fourth in the race for the Mecklenburg County Commissioner at-large seat during Tuesday's primary election. Leigh Altman, Arthur Griffin, and Yvette Townsend-Ingram all finished ahead of Cotham.
Townsend-Ingram was the only newcomer to advance, defeating Cotham by a little more than 13,000 votes. Cotham received just 17.58% of the votes in Tuesday's primary.
With no Republicans entering the race, the three candidates will automatically win the at-large spots by default in November's general election.
Cotham was first elected to the board in 2012. She recently faced criticism after her daughter, state Rep. Tricia Cotham, switched parties to give Republicans a supermajority in the General Assembly. Last August, the family claimed that Pat Cotham and her son were targeted by "political road rage" in Charlotte.
Cotham has been a longstanding advocate for homeless residents in Mecklenburg County and has often spent time chatting with unhoused people to understand the crisis in Charlotte. Earlier this year, Cotham appeared on Flashpoint and touted the work the county had done to assist people in finding permanent housing.
“I am grateful to have had the honor to serve the people in Mecklenburg County since 2012," Cotham said in a statement to WCNC Charlotte. "Tonight I served our homeless neighbors bringing them food, treats, blankets, etc. I received lots of hugs from them tonight. I have been a voice for many who have not had a voice and I do worry about who will be their voice after I complete my term.”
Cotham spoke with WCNC Charlotte's Austin Walker over the phone Wednesday morning and she said she doesn't blame her daughter and is not surprised by the outcome. She said she has received backlash and has said for months she has been living in an environment of hate.
Election results will be canvassed at a later date.
Colette Forrest, the former chair of the Black Political Caucus, said Cotham didn't receive an endorsement from the group this year. She'd received it in the past and it did help her, however Forrest noted that it wasn't Cotham's only missed opportunity.
“I feel looking at the data she did not win because white progressive and white Democrats did not vote for her in retaliation after what her daughter did last year," Forrest said.
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