Early Voting locations:
Buncombe County has 11 sites for early voting:
- Black Mountain Branch Library, 105 N Dougherty Street, Black Mountain, NC 28711
- Dr. Wesley Grant Southside Center, 285 Livingston Street, Asheville, NC 28801
- East Asheville Branch Library, 3 Avon Rd, Asheville, NC 28805
- Enka/Candler Branch Library, 1404 Sand Hill Road, Candler, NC 28715
- Fairview Branch Library, 1 Taylor Rd, Fairview, NC 28730
- Friendship Community Center, 142 Shiloh Road, Asheville, NC 28803
- Leicester Community Center, 2979 New Leicester Hwy, Leicester, NC 28748
- Reynolds Village, 50 N Merrimon Ave # 109, Asheville, NC 28804
- South Buncombe Branch Library, 260 Overlook Road, Asheville, NC 28803
- Weaverville Community Center, 60 Lakeshore Dr, Weaverville, NC 28787
- West Asheville Branch Library, 942 Haywood Road, Asheville, NC 28806
Early-voting times:
Thursday, February 15: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Friday, February 16: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Saturday, February 17: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Sunday, February 18: CLOSED
Monday, February 19: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Tuesday, February 20: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Wednesday, February 21: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Thursday, February 22: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Friday, February 23: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Saturday, February 24: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Sunday, February 25: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Monday, February 26: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Tuesday, February 27: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Wednesday, February 28: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Thursday, February 29: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Friday, March 1: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Saturday, March 2: 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Voters who opt to vote in person on Primary Day will need to go to their assigned precinct. All precincts will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. You can look up your assigned precinct here:https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/
Statewide races
Governor: Who will lead the state? Find information on all the candidates here.
Lieutenant Governor: With current Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson seeking higher office, a crowded field of hopefuls compete for one of the least powerful roles in state government. Find more on the candidates here.
Attorney General: Two former Congressman are among the four people hoping to become the state's next Attorney General. Read about all the candidates here.
Council of State: The Council of State races include Treasurer, Labor Commissioner, Agriculture Commissioner, Auditor, Insurance Commissioner, State Superintendent of Public Instruction and Secretary State. Find details on all the candidates here.
Judicial races:
Supreme Court: Two Democrats - incumbent Allison Riggs and challenger Lora Cubbage - are competing in the primary to challenge Republican candidate Jefferson Griffin for a seat on the state's highest court. Riggs is a former Court of Appeals judge who was appointed to the Supreme Court in September of last year to replace Justice Michael Morgan who is making a bid for governor in this election. Riggs graduated from the University of Florida with an undergraduate degree, masters degree and law degree. She was an attorney for the Southern Coalition for Social Justice where she argued several of the state's redistricting challenges. Cubbage is a Superior Court judge from Greensboro. She graduated from NC A&T and earned her law degree from UNC Chapel Hill. She previously worked as an assistant attorney general at the N.C. Department of Justice.
Court of Appeals: Republicans Chris Freeman and Hunter Murphy face off in the primary, and the winner will face Buncombe County Democrat Martin Moore in the general election. Freeman has served as a district court judge and assistant district attorney in Rockingham and Caswell Counties. He graduated from High Point University and obtained his law degree from Regent University. Murphy won the seat since 2016, after he ran unsuccessfully in 2014. He graduated from UNC Chapel Hill and earned his law degree at University of the Pacific. Prior to taking the bench, he was in private practice.
Local races
Buncombe County Board of Commissioners District 1 (DEM)
There are four candidates for running for District 1, which includes eastern and southern Buncombe County — two Democrats and two Republicans. It’s the only primary contest for the county commission. District 2 and 3 will be on the ballot in the general.
Matt Kern - Matt Kern is a home builder and renewable energy enthusiast. He is the former board chair of the AB Tech Trustees, where he led efforts to install solar power on seven of the campus’ buildings. He has also served as a board member of the Verner Center for Early Learning, Friends of the WNC Nature Center, Asheville Parks and Greenway Foundation, Asheville Greenway Commission, and the Culture and Recreation Authority. He currently serves on the Buncombe County/City of Asheville Schools Capital Fund Commission. Here’s his campaign website.
Jennifer Horton - Jennifer Horton is a registered nurse and owner of Living Waters Enterprise, a small business that provides residential care. She is a licensed foster care parent and serves on the board for HARK (Helping At Risk Kids). She also volunteers for Meals on Wheels and at the Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry’s medical clinic. Here’s Horton’s campaign website.
Buncombe County Board of Commissioners District 1 (REP)
Rondell Lance - Rondell Lance is a retired member of the Asheville Police Department. He has served as the president of the local chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police for more than 20 years. Lance does not have a campaign website and is active on social media.
Paul Benjamin - Paul Benjamin is a minister and author of the book “No Child Without a Dad.” He teaches gun violence prevention webinars and launched the Save American Initiative, which his campaign website describes as a “national movement to bring hope and renewal to our nation.”
Buncombe County Clerk of Superior Court
Johanna Finkelstein - Johanna Finkelstein is a lawyer for Sneed and Stearns in Black Mountain. She previously served as Chief Hearing Officer for the Clerk of Superior Court from 2013-2023. Her community involvement includes work with the Family Visitation Center, the Elder Justice Coalition, Family Drug Treatment Court and the Buncombe County Bar Association. Here’s Finkelstein's campaign website.
Jean Marie Christy - Jean Marie Christy currently serves as the Buncombe County Clerk of Court. She previously served as Assistant Public Defender for Buncombe County and Robeson County. Christy grew up in Buncombe County and shares on her campaign website that her father was Clerk of Superior Court from 1990 to 2008. Christy says that her experience with technology will also be important as the county shifts to the eCourts system.
Asheville City Council
Learn more about Asheville City Council candidates in our Community Agenda coverage.
