Asheville, Buncombe Primary Candidates Announced Ahead of March 3

Voters in Buncombe County now have a clearer picture of the March 3 primary ballot as candidate filing closed and local, state and federal contests were finalized. The field includes a crowded U.S. Senate primary, a contested U.S. House NC-11 race, open county commission seats, a multi-candidate Asheville City Council slate and contested races for sheriff and clerk of superior court.

"Filing for North Carolina’s 2026 primary election officially closed at noon Dec. 19." With those filings set, Democrats listed for U.S. Senate in local records include Roy Cooper, Justin E. Dues, Daryl Trent Farrow and Robert John Colon, alongside additional names appearing on the local Democratic sample ballot such as Orrick Quick and Marcus W. Williams. U.S. House NC-11 will feature incumbent Rep. Chuck Edwards seeking re-election and several Democratic contenders listed on the local sample ballot, including Jamie Ager, Zelda Briarwood, Richard Hudspeth, Paul Maddox and Lee Whipple.

County-level contests will reshape local governance. Buncombe County has six candidates for three open Board of Commissioners seats. District One filings include Anna Stearns and Rob Stetson. District Two shows Terry Threadwell and Lonnie Israel as Democratic contenders and Greg Parks listed as a Republican candidate on one filing list; voters should consult the county ballot to confirm the final slate. Al Whitesides is the lone candidate named for the newly drawn District Three and is listed as unopposed in local filings. Incumbents Martin Moore and Drew Ball did not file for re-election to the commission; Moore is pursuing the district attorney seat and Ball has filed for Asheville City Council.

Local law-enforcement and court races are on the ballot. Buncombe County Sheriff Quentin E. Miller is listed for re-election alongside Republican challengers Gary Parris and Vic Norman. Jean Marie Christy filed for Buncombe County Clerk of Superior Court. The District 40 district attorney contest includes Martin Moore as a candidate; full DA filings will determine whether that race is contested in March.

Asheville municipal filings show the mayoral contest settled with two candidates: incumbent Esther Manheimer and City Councilwoman Kim Roney. Because only two candidates filed for the nonpartisan mayoralty, there will be no primary election in March for it. Instead, both candidates will advance directly to the general election on Nov. 3, 2026. The Asheville City Council ballot lists a broad field competing for multiple seats, including Drew Ball, S. Antanette Mosley, R. Blake Butler, Tiffany DeBellott, CJ Snyder, Scott Burroughs and others.

Administrative notes matter for voters. "Starting Jan. 12, 2026, county boards of elections will begin sending absentee ballots to voters who requested them for the March 3, 2026 primary election." Sample ballots typically become available about 50 days before Election Day, and state rules allow a second primary to be requested with a potential May 12 date if no nominee reaches the required vote threshold.

What comes next is practical: check your registration and absentee status with the Buncombe County Board of Elections, review your sample ballot when it posts, and watch returns on March 3 to see which contests will require runoff requests in May or which will be decided outright. The choices made in these primaries will set the lineup for November and determine who will lead Buncombe County and Asheville on issues from public safety to schools and land use.