Local environmentalist Drew Ball secured the nomination from the Buncombe County Democratic Party to fill an empty seat on the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners.
Ball, 41, was one of 10 people vying for the commission seat in a special election that spanned about a week.
The policy analyst told BPR he was “thrilled” about the opportunity to fill the role left vacant by newly elected chair Amanda Edwards. He will serve for two years.
“It was a mad dash,” he said of his commission campaign. The election was held by the Buncombe County Democratic Party. Around 125 party members, including District 3 precinct chairs, vice chairs and elected officials, were eligible to vote.
In a weeks’ span, Ball said he made hundreds of phone calls, seeking insights and endorsements from party members. The campaign worked. He earned a 50% majority of the votes by the third round – what he needed to win – beating out candidate Aaron Sarver who came in second place.
Because the seat was vacated by a Democrat, the Buncombe County Democratic Party has the authority, per state law, to select a candidate to fill the vacant seat. The jockeying to fill Edwards’ seat began shortly after she was voted as commission chair, but some legal confusion around redistricting threw a wrench in the process.
Originally, the Buncombe Democrats believed that candidates needed to preside in the old District 3 lines, in which Edwards was elected. But “after much, much consultation with lawyers,” the Democrats concluded on Dec. 11 that candidates must preside in the new version of District 3, which was changed due to redistricting in 2023, Vice Chair Kristen Robinson told BPR.
Ball worked for decades in environmental policy for places like the Sierra Club and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. He has a Master’s in Public Administration from American University and currently works as the Southeast Campaigns Director for the Natural Resources Defense Council.
He said he will bring an “environmental perspective” to the commission.
“I've got a lot of ideas on ways that we can ensure that we're building back with resiliency in mind, ways that we’re protecting the French Broad River, protecting clean air and clean water,” he said.
Ball said he aims to bring a “thoughtful” perspective to redevelopment in the wake of Hurricane Helene, one that prioritizes density over “unchecked sprawl.”
“We've got to be really thoughtful about where we are putting new housing,” he said.
He also expressed support for the many small businesses struggling after Helene.
“This is a really precarious situation for our small businesses which are so much of our character and also a lifeline for so many families in the community,” he said. “And so we've got to put resources in place to help those businesses.”
The appointment made by the Buncombe Democrats will go to Buncombe County Commissioners for a final vote at its next meeting on Jan. 7.
