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Asheville City Government Delays Action On State-Imposed District Plan

WUNC | By Frank Stasio,
Amanda Magnus
Published February 7, 2019 at 12:24 PM EST
Asheville City Council remains quiet on state-imposed district plan
Asheville City Council remains quiet on state-imposed district plan

Why is Asheville not fighting a redistricting plan from the state legislature? Asheville’s local elections use an “at-large” system, which means that the six city council members and mayor are elected citywide. But last summer, state lawmakers created five districts for the Asheville City Council and delayed local elections for a year. 

Host Frank Stasio talks with David Forbes, editor of The Asheville Bladere, about Asheville's response to a new district plan mandated by the state legislature.

Opponents say the state-mandated districts break up the power of the African-American vote in Asheville. Similar laws have been enacted in Greensboro and Wake County, but officials in those areas have fought the changes in court and won. Asheville City Council members have stayed quiet and so far have delayed action. Host Frank Stasio talks about why with David Forbes, editor of the Asheville Blade, a progressive online news organization.

Copyright 2019 North Carolina Public Radio
Frank Stasio
Longtime NPR correspondent Frank Stasio was named permanent host of The State of Things in June 2006. A native of Buffalo, Frank has been in radio since the age of 19. He began his public radio career at WOI in Ames, Iowa, where he was a magazine show anchor and the station's News Director.
See stories by Frank Stasio
Amanda Magnus
Amanda Magnus grew up in Maryland and went to high school in Baltimore. She became interested in radio after an elective course in the NYU journalism department. She got her start at Sirius XM Satellite Radio, but she knew public radio was for her when she interned at WNYC. She later moved to Madison, where she worked at Wisconsin Public Radio for six years. In her time there, she helped create an afternoon drive news magazine show, called Central Time. She also produced several series, including one on Native American life in Wisconsin. She spends her free time running, hiking, and roller skating. She also loves scary movies.
See stories by Amanda Magnus