Charlotte is one of the most Democratic cities in North Carolina. In 2009, there were 466,490 registered voters in Charlotte, with Democrats and unaffiliated voters outnumbering registered Republicans more than three to one. Barack Obama received 62 percent of the vote in Mecklenburg County in the 2008 presidential election.

Despite leaning a little to the left, Charlotte has elected a Republican mayor since 1987. For the past seven terms, Republican Pat McCrory has held the title in Charlotte. McCrory was first elected in 1995; he is the first seven-term mayor and the longest-serving mayor in Charlotte history. McCrory was also the Republican nominee for governor of North Carolina in 2008 but lost the seat to Democratic former Lieutenant Governor Beverly Perdue. Democrats control the city council with a 7–4 advantage.

In general, Republicans are concentrated in the southeast section of Charlotte while the south-central, eastern, and northern parts of the city lean mostly Democratic. These political lines are reflected in Charlotte’s three congressional districts. Democrats hold the 8th and the 12th congressional districts while a Republican represents the 9th congressional district.