Candidate Filing Closes: Here Are The Candidates For 2026 Primary
Candidate filing for the 2026 midterm election officially closed this Friday at noon. The primary election will feature candidates for the U.S. Senate, U.S. House, Asheville City Council, Asheville City School Board of Education, Buncombe County Board of Education, Buncombe County Commissioners, and the City of Asheville Mayor.
Here are the key dates for the 2026 Primary:
Jan. 12, 2026: Absentee voting begins
Feb. 6, 2026: Voter Registration deadline
Feb. 12, 2026: Early Voting begins
Feb. 17, 2026: Last day to request absentee
Feb. 28, 2026: Early Voting ends
March 3, 2026: Election Day
March 13, 2026: Canvass
Here are the candidates for races in Buncombe County:
U.S. Senate
Democrat
Former Governor Roy Cooper
Daryl Trent Farrow
Marcus Williams
Orrick Quick
Justin Dues
Robert Colon
Libertarian
Shannon Bray
Republican
Trump-endorsed former RNC Chairman Michael Whatley
Elizabeth Temple
Don Brown
Margot Dupre
Thomas Johnson
Michele Morrow
U.S. House District 11
Democrat
James Ager
Paul Maddox
Richard Hudspeth
Zelda Briarwood
Lee Whipple
Libertarian
Travis Groo
Republican
Congressman Chuck Edwards
Adam Smith
N.C. Supreme Court
Democrat
Associate Supreme Court Justice Anita Earls
Republican
North Carolina Representative Sarah Stevens
N.C. Court of Appeals Seat One
Democrat
John Arrowood
Republican
Matt Smith
Michael Byrne
N.C. Court of Appeals Seat Two
Democrat
Toby Hampson
Republican
George Bell
N.C. Court of Appeals Seat Three
Democrat
James Whalen
Christine Walczyk
Republican
Craig Collins
N.C. Senate District 46
Democrat
Kyle Bradley
Republican
Senator Warren Daniel
N.C. Senate District 49
Democrat
Senator Julie Mayfield
Republican
C.J. Domingo
North Carolina House Seat 114
Democrat
Representative Jamie Ager
Republican
North Carolina House Seat 115
Democrat
Representative Lindsey Prather
Republican
Fire Chief Anthony Penland
North Carolina House Seat 116
Democrat
Representative Brian Turner
N.C. Superior Corut Judge District 40 Seat One
Democrat
Ward Scott
N.C. Superior Court Judge District Seat Two
Democrat
Alan Thomburg
Julie Kepple
N.C. Superior Court Judge District Seat Three
Democrat
James Mills
Ben Scales
N.C. Superior Court Judge District Seat Four
Democrat
Susan Dotson-Smith
N.C. Superior Court Judge District Seat Five
Democrat
Ed Clontz
District Attorney District 40
Democrat
Katie Kurdys
Martin Moore
Courtney Virginia Booth
Buncombe County Board of Commissioners District One
Democrat
Anna Stearns
Republican
Rob Stetson
Buncombe County Board of Commissioners District Two
Democrat
Terry Threadwell
Lonnie Israel
Republican
Greg Parks
Buncombe County Board of Commissioners District Three
Democrat
Al Whitesides
Buncombe County Clerk of Superior Court
Democrat
Jean Marie Christy
Buncombe County Sheriff
Democrat
Quentin Miller
Gary Parris
Republican
Vic Morman
Buncombe County School Board of Education District Three (Nonpartisan)
Rob Elliot
Buncombe County Board of Education District Five (Nonpartisan)
Judy Lewis
Alina Moiseyev
Buncombe County Board of Education District Six (Nonpartisan)
Taras Shevchenko
City of Asheville Mayor (Nonpartisan)
Councilor Kim Roney
Mayor Esther Manheimer
City of Asheville City Council (Nonpartisan)
Maggie Berthiaume
CJ Snyder
Dan Ferrell
Jeffrey Burroughs
Kyle Turner
Tyler Ladd
Angel Gonzales
Drew Ball
Scott Burroughs
S. Antanette Mosley
Nina Ireland
R. Blake Butler
David Moritz
Jared Wheatley
Jess Young McClean
Keith Young
Shauda Jackson
Bobby Smith
Tiffanny DeBellott
Sheneika Smith
Asheville City School Board of Education (Nonpartisan)
Rebecca Strimer
Daria Datnoff
Gordon Grant
Liza English-Kelly
Daniel Shelley
