Bokhari among top 4 in poll: Voters rate Burgess, Peacock and Cannon as other top choices for 4 at-large council seats.

Republican Tariq Scott Bokhari has a good chance of capturing the fourth at-large seat on the Charlotte City Council, according to a Public Policy Polling poll released Wednesday.

Four candidates will win at-large seats in Tuesday's election.

Incumbent Mayor Pro Tem Susan Burgess, a Democrat, is the first choice of 32 percent of likely voters, according to the poll. Incumbent Republican Edwin Peacock and former council member Patrick Cannon, a Democrat, are the first choice of 17 percent of voters each.

Bokhari, who has been campaigning as a fiscal conservative, has distanced himself from the remaining three candidates. He is the first choice of 13 percent of those polled.

He also has begun to pull ahead of other Republicans financially. In campaign financial reports released Monday, Bokhari reported he had raised $37,603, including a loan to himself of nearly $8,000.

"(The poll) is a reinforcement of the message we're hearing when we're knocking on doors," he said. "People are jumping on board with the message."

Peacock has raised $61,509, and Burgess has raised $59,330.

Republican Matthew Ridenhour, a Tea Party organizer, was the first choice of 4 percent of voters. Republican businesswoman Jaye Rao and Democrat David Howard, an executive with a nonprofit that builds affordable housing, were the first choice of 2 percent. Democrat Darrin Rankin, who owns his own insurance business, was at zero percent.

Twenty-eight percent of voters said they were undecided.

Dean Debnam, president of Raleigh-based Public Policy Polling, said in a release that Howard could "sneak in" if there is a strong Democratic turnout. Democrat Anthony Foxx is running against Republican John Lassiter in a tight race for Charlotte mayor, and Foxx is trying to get infrequent Democratic voters to the polls.

One-third of those polled said they would only vote for one Democratic candidate, and half said they would choose two candidates or less. That's bad news for Howard, who hopes Democratic voters avoid "single shot" voting. He has raised $41,305, according to an amended report he filed with the Mecklenburg Board of Elections.

PPP surveyed 531 likely Charlotte voters this week. The survey's margin of error plus or minus 4.3 points.