Filing windows open for Black Mountain, Montreat and county races

Buncombe County’s next local election cycle is already taking shape, and the seats on the ballot will influence more than campaign signs. In Black Mountain, voters will choose a mayor and council members who steer local growth and town policy; in Montreat, three commissioner seats are at stake; and the county’s Soil and Water Conservation District board will help guide conservation priorities for land, water and other natural resources.

Candidate filing for the Buncombe County Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors opened at noon today, June 8, and runs through 5 p.m. Monday, July 6. Municipal filing for Black Mountain and Montreat begins at 8 a.m. Monday, July 6, and ends at noon Friday, July 17. All filings are handled at Buncombe County Election Services, 35 Woodfin Street in Asheville, and the office will be closed June 19 and July 3 for federal holidays.

The Soil and Water Conservation District board is a five-member board of elected and appointed supervisors. Its work, alongside core partners and residents, includes conserving Buncombe County’s soil, water and related natural resources, giving the race direct relevance for residents watching development pressure, runoff and land stewardship across the county.

Black Mountain’s Town Council consists of a mayor and five council members elected at large in nonpartisan elections held every two years. The mayor and council serve four-year staggered terms. A recent council vacancy has put the seat formerly held by Pam King on the November 2026 ballot, alongside two other council seats and the mayor’s race. Eligible applicants must be registered voters in Buncombe County, live within Black Mountain’s municipal limits and be at least 21.

Montreat will also see a full municipal contest in November. Town records show voters will decide three commissioner seats currently held by Blake, Dasher and Widmer. Together with Black Mountain’s ballot and the county soil and water race, those contests will land on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, giving local voters several direct choices over how land use, town budgets and community priorities are set in the months ahead.