City & town

Mayor, City of Hendersonville

Vote for: 1
Term: 4 years
Candidates: 2
Election: Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: The mayor leads the city of Hendersonville, presides over its governing board and represents it.

Nonpartisan.

Candidates Compare by issue

Jennifer Hensley

No party listed

Chiropractor

The gist

Supports redesigning Patton Park with a larger public pool
Supports responsible density to bring housing costs down
Opposes high-density development far from the city
Proposes expanding swim and water-safety lessons for children

More about Jennifer

View sources (1)

Supports redesigning Patton Park with a larger public pool
Hensley announces candidacy for mayor; Volk to retire
News coverage · Hendersonville Lightning · Jul 9, 2025 · hendersonvillelightning.com
“I am a big, big proponent of the big redesign for Patton Park.”
Supports responsible density to bring housing costs down
Hensley announces candidacy for mayor; Volk to retire
News coverage · Hendersonville Lightning · Jul 9, 2025 · hendersonvillelightning.com
“I have previously voted for dense projects, and I know that the only way to bring costs down in some situations is density.”
Opposes high-density development far from the city
Hensley announces candidacy for mayor; Volk to retire
News coverage · Hendersonville Lightning · Jul 9, 2025 · hendersonvillelightning.com
“folks in our community do not want rural development and high density (far from the city)”
Proposes expanding swim and water-safety lessons for children
Hensley announces candidacy for mayor; Volk to retire
News coverage · Hendersonville Lightning · Jul 9, 2025 · hendersonvillelightning.com
“I'm looking to expand it right now and looking at partners to do that.”

Jerry Smith, Jr.

No party listed

Attorney

The gist

Supports attracting diverse industry for jobs at all skill levels
Supports workforce and affordable housing while protecting neighborhoods
Supports more greenways and parks for Helene recovery
Supports meeting police and fire needs as the city grows

More about Jerry

View sources (1)

Supports attracting diverse industry for jobs at all skill levels
Jerry Smith's Priorities for Hendersonville's Future
Campaign website · Jerry Smith for Mayor · jerrysmithformayor.com
“Attract a diversified mix of industry and business investment to provide jobs for residents of all skill levels.”
Supports workforce and affordable housing while protecting neighborhoods
Jerry Smith's Priorities for Hendersonville's Future
Campaign website · Jerry Smith for Mayor · jerrysmithformayor.com
“Protect established neighborhoods throughout the City while attracting workforce and affordable housing.”
Supports more greenways and parks for Helene recovery
Jerry Smith's Priorities for Hendersonville's Future
Campaign website · Jerry Smith for Mayor · jerrysmithformayor.com
“Invest in more opportunities for greenways, parks and public amenities to enhance our quality of life and recover from Helene.”
Supports meeting police and fire needs as the city grows
Jerry Smith's Priorities for Hendersonville's Future
Campaign website · Jerry Smith for Mayor · jerrysmithformayor.com
“Support the needs of our police and fire departments in providing safety services for our growing population.”

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; 6 issues covered in this race.