We put your questions on a range of topics to candidates in the key Buncombe County Commissioner primaries. These officials oversee major services affecting 250,000 locals. Now, get out there and vote.
It’s voting time, readers. Last week we tried to clear up some mis-impressions about voting in Asheville by providing information about the voter ID requirements (and the exceptions) as well as where and when you could vote.
Now we’re pleased to bring you the Blade‘s guide to your local Buncombe County Board of Commissioner races. Voters this year can cast their ballot in the Democratic primary for District 1 (encompassing most of Asheville), the Republican nomination for chair (elected countywide) and the Democratic and Republican primaries for District 2 (encompassing the northern and eastern parts of the county). In North Carolina, unaffiliated voters can choose the primary of their choice to cast their ballot in. In the case of the District 1 primary, this election will likely decide the seat; there’s no Republican candidate.
While they don’t always get as much attention as their peers in City Hall, the commissioners oversee a larger government including a $388 million budget, most of the public school system, the sheriff’s office, health department, social services and more. They make decisions affecting 250,000 people, including the residents of Asheville.
We asked questions about land-use, LGBT rights, body cameras, transit and more. Our readers submitted a lot of interesting question topics and if you don’t see one you suggested here, don’t despair: we’ll also be questioning the candidates as they head towards the general election too.
Unfortunately, neither of the Republican candidates for chair — Commissioner Miranda DeBruhl and right-wing activist Chad Nesbitt — replied to our questionnaire. The remaining candidates in the other races did (or in one case, took the time to detail why they couldn’t respond). Candidates are in the order they appear on the ballot.
District 1 — Democratic primary
District 2 — Democratic primary
District 2 — Republican primary
Mike Fryar (incumbent) (Fryar replied that he was regretfully unable to reply to the questionnaire due to an emergency, and sent his apologies to Blade readers)
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