2026 General Election: November 3, 2026. New info launches early October.
Toni Emehel
Party:
Democrat
Incumbent:
No
Age:
56
Previous experience in elected office:
None; ran unsuccessfully for a CMS board seat in 2025
Occupation:
Strategic planning consultant
Description:
Emehel has emphasized improving communication within Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, strengthening teacher recruitment and retention and fostering a more unified and supportive school culture as her top priorities. In her candidate questionnaire, she stated that “a lack of quality communication” contributes to disunity and hinders progress and said that cultivating a culture of “active listening” is essential to meeting student needs and delivering quality instruction. She also told The Charlotte Observer that hiring and retaining “truly effective teachers” whose enthusiasm “ignites students” is key to improving student performance and closing achievement gaps.
Other personal:
Emehel has lived in Mecklenburg County for many years and has been actively involved in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools since at least 2006. She is a parent and grandparent of students in the district and has described retiring from corporate America at age 37 to focus on her family, her children’s education and community service. Her interests include extensive volunteer work in schools and the community, serving as a Red Cross CPR instructor, Bible teacher, HOA president, literacy tutor, and organizer of school-based initiatives such as book drives and inter-club councils. She earned a bachelor's in Criminal Justice from UNC Charlotte, and a master's in Human Service Counseling: Executive Leadership from Liberty University.
The Election Hub Questionnaire
No response from candidate