Charles Meeker

Charles Carpenter Meeker (born July 27, 1950) is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party who served as the 34th Mayor of Raleigh, North Carolina. He was first elected in 2001 over Republican Paul Coble, and reelected for a fifth two-year term in 2009. A fifth term tied Meeker with Avery C. Upchurch as Raleigh's longest-serving mayor.[1][2]

Charles Meeker
37th Mayor of Raleigh
In office
December 2001 – December 2011
Preceded byPaul Coble
Succeeded byNancy McFarlane
Personal details
Born (1950-07-27) July 27, 1950
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Alma materYale University
Columbia University
WebsiteOfficial website

He is the son of Leonard C. Meeker who served as United States Ambassador to Romania from 1969 to 1973 and brother of architect Sarah Meeker Jensen

Career

Meeker is a Raleigh-based lawyer whose firm focuses on local government issues, including public transportation and development. In his five terms as mayor and during previous service on the Raleigh City Council (1985–89 and 1991–95), Meeker, living and raising his family in Boylan Heights, advocated downtown redevelopment and the creation of a light rail system connecting Raleigh to Durham, Research Triangle Park, and Chapel Hill under the auspices of the Triangle Transit Authority. He also successfully pushed for the construction of a new downtown convention center and hotel, as well as the reconstruction of Fayetteville Street, a $9.33 million project to convert the pedestrian mall to an urban "main street" with outdoor dining, art galleries, and open spaces.

Meeker was a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition.[3]

Meeker announced in April 2011 that he would not run for a sixth term.[4]

He was a candidate for North Carolina Commissioner of Labor in the 2016 election, losing to Republican incumbent Cherie K. Berry.[5]

North Carolina Commissioner of Labor Election, 2016
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Cherie Berry (inc.) 2,487,829 55.21
Democratic Charles Meeker 2,013,300 44.68
none Write-ins (total) 5,006 0.11

Upon leaving office, he joined the Charlotte-based law firm of Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP as a partner in the firm’s Raleigh office.

Education

Charles Meeker received his BA in 1972 from Yale University and in 1975 received his JD from Columbia University.

Meeker became a member of the North Carolina bar in 1975 and a member of the District of Columbia bar in 1984.

See also

References
  1. News & Observer: Meeker will seek record-tying fifth term Raleigh News ObserverArchived April 15, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  2. News & Observer: Meeker keeps his job as Raleigh mayor Raleigh News Observer Archived October 10, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  3. "Mayors Against Illegal Guns: Coalition Members". Mayors Against Illegal Guns. Archived from the original on 2007-09-12.
  4. News & Observer: Meeker won't seek re-election bid Raleigh News Observer Archived 2011-04-29 at the Wayback Machine
  5. WRAL.com: Meeker seeks Labor seat
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