City & town

Council Member, City of Asheville

Vote for: 3
Term: 4 years
Candidates: 6
Election: Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: A member of the governing board of the city of Asheville, which adopts its budget and ordinances.

Nonpartisan.

Candidates Compare by issue

Drew Ball

No party listed

Southeast campaigns director, Natural Resources Defense Council; Buncombe County commissioner

The gist

Supports increasing housing supply to keep Asheville livable
Supports prevention, supportive housing and community paramedics for homelessness
Pledges Council would protect civil rights if federal agents deploy
Proposes energy efficiency and operational savings to close budget gap

More about Drew

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Supports increasing housing supply to keep Asheville livable
2026 Primary Voter Guide: Asheville City Council
Candidate questionnaire · Mountain Xpress · Feb 5, 2026 · web.archive.org
“a track record of moving policy to increase supply and keep Asheville livable for residents”
Supports prevention, supportive housing and community paramedics for homelessness
2026 Primary Voter Guide: Asheville City Council
Candidate questionnaire · Mountain Xpress · Feb 5, 2026 · web.archive.org
“We need prevention, supportive housing, emergency rental assistance, community paramedics and nonprofit partnerships.”
Pledges Council would protect civil rights if federal agents deploy
2026 Primary Voter Guide: Asheville City Council
Candidate questionnaire · Mountain Xpress · Feb 5, 2026 · web.archive.org
“If federal agents come to Asheville, Council must protect civil rights, ensure people know their rights and push back against fear-based enforcement.”
Proposes energy efficiency and operational savings to close budget gap
2026 Primary Voter Guide: Asheville City Council
Candidate questionnaire · Mountain Xpress · Feb 5, 2026 · web.archive.org
“The city should invest in energy efficiency, seek operational savings and pursue smart consolidation where appropriate.”

Jeffrey Burroughs

No party listed

Jeweler, designer and small-business owner

The gist

Supports deeply affordable, workforce and missing-middle housing
Supports housing-first homelessness policy with treatment services
Supports limiting city cooperation with federal agents
Proposes outside funding and program scrutiny to close gap

More about Jeffrey

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Supports deeply affordable, workforce and missing-middle housing
2026 Primary Voter Guide: Asheville City Council
Candidate questionnaire · Mountain Xpress · Feb 5, 2026 · web.archive.org
“I support deeply affordable and workforce housing, missing-middle options and preservation of existing units”
Supports housing-first homelessness policy with treatment services
2026 Primary Voter Guide: Asheville City Council
Candidate questionnaire · Mountain Xpress · Feb 5, 2026 · web.archive.org
“I support housing-first approaches paired with mental health care and substance-use treatment.”
Supports limiting city cooperation with federal agents
2026 Primary Voter Guide: Asheville City Council
Candidate questionnaire · Mountain Xpress · Feb 5, 2026 · web.archive.org
“That means limiting cooperation beyond what is legally required, ensuring city services are accessible to all residents and communicating rights clearly.”
Proposes outside funding and program scrutiny to close gap
2026 Primary Voter Guide: Asheville City Council
Candidate questionnaire · Mountain Xpress · Feb 5, 2026 · web.archive.org
“I support closing gaps through smarter phasing, reducing preventable future costs, pursuing external funding and scrutinizing programs without clear outcomes.”

Keith Young

No party listed

Public policy analyst; deputy clerk of superior court

The gist

Proposes legalizing missing-middle housing and faster permitting
Proposes aligning outreach, shelter and behavioral health services
Supports requiring judicial warrants for city facilities and records
Pledges to protect city credit rating and rebuild reserves

More about Keith

View sources (1)

Proposes legalizing missing-middle housing and faster permitting
2026 Primary Voter Guide: Asheville City Council
Candidate questionnaire · Mountain Xpress · Feb 5, 2026 · web.archive.org
“legalizing missing-middle housing, using predictable approvals when standards are met, speeding up permitting with public service targets”
Proposes aligning outreach, shelter and behavioral health services
2026 Primary Voter Guide: Asheville City Council
Candidate questionnaire · Mountain Xpress · Feb 5, 2026 · web.archive.org
“I will align outreach, shelter and behavioral health so people move into stable housing, tracked by placements and retention.”
Supports requiring judicial warrants for city facilities and records
2026 Primary Voter Guide: Asheville City Council
Candidate questionnaire · Mountain Xpress · Feb 5, 2026 · web.archive.org
“I support requiring judicial warrants for access to city facilities and records”
Pledges to protect city credit rating and rebuild reserves
2026 Primary Voter Guide: Asheville City Council
Candidate questionnaire · Mountain Xpress · Feb 5, 2026 · web.archive.org
“Protect the city’s credit rating at all costs and rebuild a healthy fund balance”

Maggie Ullman Berthiaume

No party listedIncumbent

Asheville City Council member; climate advocate

The gist

Supports zoning for townhomes, duplexes and small multifamily homes
Supports more investment in the Continuum of Care homelessness model
Proposes multiyear budget strategies that protect core services
Pledges support for immigrant communities facing federal enforcement

More about Maggie

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Supports zoning for townhomes, duplexes and small multifamily homes
2026 Primary Voter Guide: Asheville City Council
Candidate questionnaire · Mountain Xpress · Feb 5, 2026 · web.archive.org
“advocate strongly to modernize our zoning to allow townhomes, duplexes and small multifamily homes”
Supports more investment in the Continuum of Care homelessness model
2026 Primary Voter Guide: Asheville City Council
Candidate questionnaire · Mountain Xpress · Feb 5, 2026 · web.archive.org
“I advocate for more investment in our Continuum of Care model, which is proven to prevent and reduce homelessness”
Proposes multiyear budget strategies that protect core services
2026 Primary Voter Guide: Asheville City Council
Candidate questionnaire · Mountain Xpress · Feb 5, 2026 · web.archive.org
“My focus is protecting core services so that people are not left behind — transit, housing investments, flood-ready infrastructure”
Pledges support for immigrant communities facing federal enforcement
2026 Primary Voter Guide: Asheville City Council
Candidate questionnaire · Mountain Xpress · Feb 5, 2026 · web.archive.org
“My role is to support frontline organizers and immigrant communities directly impacted by federal enforcement actions.”

S. Antanette Mosley

No party listedIncumbent

Vice mayor of Asheville; attorney

The gist

Supports growth without displacing longtime residents
Proposes expanding supportive housing and homeless outreach
Opposes local police enforcing federal immigration laws
Supports cutting duplicative programs before raising taxes

More about S.

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Supports growth without displacing longtime residents
2026 Primary Voter Guide: Asheville City Council
Candidate questionnaire · Mountain Xpress · Feb 5, 2026 · web.archive.org
“I bring experience, institutional knowledge and a commitment to grow without displacement so longtime residents can stay.”
Proposes expanding supportive housing and homeless outreach
2026 Primary Voter Guide: Asheville City Council
Candidate questionnaire · Mountain Xpress · Feb 5, 2026 · web.archive.org
“My approach is to expand supportive housing, strengthen outreach and align enforcement with pathways to stability”
Opposes local police enforcing federal immigration laws
2026 Primary Voter Guide: Asheville City Council
Candidate questionnaire · Mountain Xpress · Feb 5, 2026 · web.archive.org
“Local police do not enforce federal immigration laws and should focus on community trust and safety”
Supports cutting duplicative programs before raising taxes
2026 Primary Voter Guide: Asheville City Council
Candidate questionnaire · Mountain Xpress · Feb 5, 2026 · web.archive.org
“We should scrutinize programs that are duplicative or not delivering results before asking residents to pay more.”

Sheneika E. Smith

No party listedIncumbent

Asheville City Council member; self-employed

The gist

Supports incremental housing that fits existing neighborhoods
Supports services, treatment and housing to address homelessness
Supports multiyear budget planning for storm recovery
Supports Council restraint and civil-rights protection if federal agents deploy

More about Sheneika

View sources (1)

Supports incremental housing that fits existing neighborhoods
2026 Primary Voter Guide: Asheville City Council
Candidate questionnaire · Mountain Xpress · Feb 5, 2026 · web.archive.org
“By supporting incremental solutions that fit within existing neighborhoods while increasing housing choice”
Supports services, treatment and housing to address homelessness
2026 Primary Voter Guide: Asheville City Council
Candidate questionnaire · Mountain Xpress · Feb 5, 2026 · web.archive.org
“sustainable solutions require services, treatment and housing; not tolerance of unsafe conditions.”
Supports multiyear budget planning for storm recovery
2026 Primary Voter Guide: Asheville City Council
Candidate questionnaire · Mountain Xpress · Feb 5, 2026 · web.archive.org
“Recovery from climate-related disruption requires multiyear budget planning, not the normal year-to-year fixes.”
Supports Council restraint and civil-rights protection if federal agents deploy
2026 Primary Voter Guide: Asheville City Council
Candidate questionnaire · Mountain Xpress · Feb 5, 2026 · web.archive.org
“Council should maintain a posture of restraint and prioritize the protection of civil rights.”

Challengers are listed first and incumbents last; otherwise candidates appear in ballot order. The Gist does not rank, rate or endorse candidates. Only positions backed by a cited source are shown; 4 issues covered in this race.