{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nWilliam David Dotson is a Republican candidate seeking election as Mayor of Monroe City in 2026 [4]. He currently serves on the Monroe City Council, having previously held the position of mayor pro tem before being removed from that role by the council following a no-confidence vote [5]. Dotson self-describes his leadership philosophy as prioritizing service before self, citing his background as a Marine and police officer alongside his time on the city council [1].\n\nHis 2026 campaign focuses heavily on public safety, with Dotson stating that strong relationships between elected officials and the community are the foundation of a safe city [3]. He has engaged in early voting activities to discuss these issues with constituents, emphasizing the need for elected officials to build bridges with existing police departments [3]. The candidate maintains an online presence through his campaign website and social media platforms to promote his platform [1][4].\n\n## Background and education\n\nDavid Dotson self-describes as having dedicated most of his adult life to the protection and service of others through roles as a Marine, a police officer, and a City Council member [1]. He states that he prioritizes \"service before self\" and has built his leadership philosophy on this foundation [1].\n\nSpecific details regarding his birthplace, year of birth, upbringing, religion, or formal educational background are not provided in the available sources.\n\n## Career\n\nDavid Dotson self-describes a career dedicated to the protection and service of others, citing his background as a Marine and a police officer [1]. His professional history includes service on the Monroe City Council, where he served as mayor pro tem until being removed from that leadership role by the council following the passage of House Bill 3 [5].\n\nPrior to his political career, Dotson has been involved in public safety advocacy and community engagement. He has publicly emphasized the importance of strong relationships between police officers and the community as a foundation for city safety [3]. In recent years, he has also utilized social media platforms to advocate for military support and encourage civic participation, such as urging early voting [7].\n\n## Office history\n\nWilliam Dotson served as a member of the Monroe City Council [1]. During his tenure, he held the position of mayor pro tem until the council removed him from that role and passed a no-confidence vote against Mayor Burns in the wake of House Bill 3 [5]. He self-describes his service on the council as part of a career dedicated to the protection and service of others, alongside his work as a Marine and police officer [1].\n\nDotson ran for Monroe City Council but withdrew his notice of candidacy past the deadline for that race [2]. Per North Carolina General Statute 163-106.4, his name remained on the ballot despite the withdrawal [2]. He has filed to run for Monroe Mayor in a subsequent election cycle [4].\n\n## Legislative record and accomplishments\n\nDuring his tenure on the Monroe City Council, Dotson served as mayor pro tem before being removed from that leadership position by the council following the passage of House Bill 3 [5]. The council also passed a no-confidence vote against Mayor Burns during this period [5].\n\nAs a candidate for Monroe Mayor, Dotson self-describes his platform as prioritizing \"service before self\" and building strong bridges between elected officials and the community to ensure public safety [1]. He states that he has dedicated most of his adult life to the protection and service of others through his background as a Marine, police officer, and council member [1].\n\nDotson emphasizes the importance of fostering connections with local law enforcement, noting that Monroe already possesses great police officers and a strong department working to build good communication with residents [3]. He argues that elected officials should help strengthen these relationships as the foundation for a safe city [3].\n\n## Documented disputes and controversies\n\nIn August 2021, William Dotson withdrew his notice of candidacy for Monroe City Council past the filing deadline; however, per North Carolina General Statute 163-106.4, his name remained on the ballot and any votes cast for him were counted [2].\n\nDuring his tenure as a Monroe City Council member, Dotson was removed from the position of mayor pro tem following the passage of House Bill 3 [5]. The council also held a no-confidence vote against Mayor Robert Burns, a motion supported by Dotson [9][10]. In response to this political conflict, the Union County Republican Party Executive Committee passed a statement of disapproval regarding the council's actions [12].\n\nDotson has publicly distinguished his stance on public safety from immigration enforcement, stating that police work should focus on removing violent offenders to maintain trust within the community [8]. He self-describes his leadership philosophy as prioritizing service and building bridges between law enforcement and residents to foster a safe city [1][3].\n\nIn October 2025, outgoing Monroe Mayor Robert Burns announced he would not seek re-election and endorsed a council member as his successor [6][11]. Dotson has filed for Monroe Mayor in the subsequent election cycle [4], though the outcome of this upcoming race is unknown.\n\n## Family\n\nThe provided sources do not contain information regarding William David Dotson's spouse, children, or other family members in politics. The available text focuses exclusively on his professional background as a Marine and police officer, his service on the Monroe City Council, and details regarding his candidacy for mayor [1], [2], [3], [4].\n\nNO_CONTENT\n\n## Sources\n[1] [David Dotson for Monroe Mayor | Ensure Strong Leadership \u2013 Vote ...](https://www.dotsonformonroe.com/)\n[2] [William Dotson, candidate for Monroe City Council, withdrew his ...](https://www.facebook.com/UnionCountyNCElections/posts/william-dotson-candidate-for-monroe-city-council-withdrew-his-notice-of-candidac/2248611425270447/)\n[3] [Grab a raincoat and head out to the Main Library in Monroe to early ...](https://www.facebook.com/dotsonformonroe/posts/grab-a-raincoat-and-head-out-to-the-main-library-in-monroe-to-early-voteive-had-/930245609349008/)\n[4] [David Dotson (REP) has filed for Monroe Mayor. - Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/DSLabX-k9JG/)\n[5] [In wake of HB3, Monroe council removes Dotson as mayor pro tem ...](https://enquirerjournal.com/enquirer_journal/in-wake-of-hb3-monroe-council-removes-dotson-as-mayor-pro-tem-passes-no-confidence/article_5c32af63-ddb2-534c-9f0a-985559b062e1.html)\n[6] [Monroe mayor will not seek reelection, endorses council member as ...](https://www.wunc.org/2025-10-27/monroe-mayor-will-not-seek-reelection-endorses-council-member-as-successor)\n[7] [Today we should all be praying for our military members, for their ...](https://www.facebook.com/dotsonformonroe/videos/today-we-should-all-be-praying-for-our-military-members-for-their-safety-strengt/2985911004937433/)\n[8] [Our recent position statement reaffirms what's already true: our ...](https://www.facebook.com/monroecouncilmandotson/videos/our-recent-position-statement-reaffirms-whats-already-true-our-police-work-to-re/1720799318520372/)\n[9] [Monroe City Council votes no confidence in Mayor Robert Burns | wcnc.com](https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/monroe/monroe-leaders-no-confidence-vote-mayor-robert-burns/275-c144f3df-1ee8-4a27-ba2b-0f4fb1484ae5)\n[10] [Council Chaos: Monroe City Council votes to replace mayor pro tem, holds no-confidence vote](https://www.yahoo.com/news/council-chaos-monroe-city-council-231414946.html)\n[11] [Monroe Mayor will not run for reelection, endorses councilman | wcnc.com](https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/monroe-mayor-reelection-endorses-councilman/275-b74cec8e-5efc-4c03-9e45-fe9dfee05c34)\n[12] [Union County Executive Committee Passes Statement of Disapproval](https://union.nc.gop/union_county_executive_committee_passes_statement_of_disapproval)","campaigns":[{"contest":"monroe_city_mayor","county":"union","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"City Of Monroe Mayor"},{"contest":"monroe_city_mayor","county":"union","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"City Of Monroe Mayor"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"William","fullname":"William David Dotson","lastname":"Dotson","middlename":"David","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"monroe_city_mayor","contest_title":"City Of Monroe Mayor","county":"union","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":"union","office_key":"city_mayor","office_title":"Mayor","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},{"contest":"monroe_city_mayor","contest_title":"City Of Monroe Mayor","county":"union","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-03-03","office_county":"union","office_key":"city_mayor","office_title":"Mayor","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"}],"county":"union","cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"monroe_city_mayor","contest_title":"City Of Monroe Mayor","county":"union","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-03-03","office_county":"union","office_key":"city_mayor","office_title":"Mayor","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},"party":"REP","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"city_mayor","office_title":"Mayor","state":"NC","terms":[]}],"summary":"William David Dotson is a Monroe City Council member and former mayor pro tem who ran for Monroe Mayor as a Republican candidate.","terms":[],"token":"f7c264499ce0a773"}