Charles Meeker

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Charles Meeker is the Democratic mayor of Raleigh, North Carolina. He was first elected in 2001 over Republican Paul Coble, and reelected for a third term in 2005. Before being elected mayor he served on the Raleigh City Council, on which he continues to serve.

Meeker is a Raleigh-based lawyer whose firm focuses on local government issues, including public transportation and development. In his three terms as mayor and during previous service on the Raleigh City Council (1985-89 and 1991-95), Meeker has notably 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.