Candidates line up for 2018 elections

The filing period for the 2018 elections closed at the end of February with a surprising announcement from an Asheville politician.

Democrat Keith Young, who is in his first term on Asheville City Council, filed to run for the U.S. House of Representatives in District 12, which includes Charlotte. The seat is held by Democrat Alma Adams, who won a special election for the seat in 2014. Young is one of four Democrats, including Adams, who have filed to run for the seat. Three Republicans are also vying for the office.

Young ran unsuccessfully for Buncombe County Board of Commissioners in 2012 and 2014 before being elected to City Council in 2015. The website for his new campaign for state office features a “Dump Trump” theme.

The filing period for candidates in state, federal and most county elections in North Carolina ended at noon on Feb. 28. Primary elections will occur on May 8, and the general election will take place Nov. 6.

Voter registration information can be found on the Buncombe County Board of Election Services website. The registration form must be postmarked or delivered to the county board of election officer no later than 25 days before the date of the election.

The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, on which members serve staggered four-year terms elected through partisan elections, has three seats open this year, but one, the District 1 seat held by Al Whitesides, a Democrat, has no challengers.

Districts 2 and 3 will have primaries on May 8 to narrow the field to one Democrat and one Republican candidate from each district to square off in the November election. District 3 Commissioner Robert Pressley has no challenger in the Republican primary but will face one of three Democrats in the fall. Current Democratic county commissioner for District 2, Ellen Frost, did not file for re-election.

The race for Buncombe County sheriff includes eight candidates to replace Van Duncan, the three-term sheriff who announced his retirement last year. In the primary, the field will get narrowed to the top vote-getter from each political party.

Registration begins in June for 2018 general election nonpartisan races, locally including two N.C. Superior Court seats, five District Court seats, and two Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor seats. And in July, registration for three nonpartisan Buncombe County Board of Education seats will open.

Here’s a final list of candidates who will appear on the May 8 partisan primary ballots in Buncombe County:

U.S. House of Representatives, District 10

• David Wilson Brown (D)
• Gina Collias (R)
• Patrick McHenry (R)*
• Jeff Gregory (R)
• Ira Roberts (R)
• Seth Blankenship (R)
• Albert Lee Wiley, Jr. (R)

(Republican primary contest only, May 8)

U.S. House of Representatives, District 11

• Philip G. Price (D)
• D. Scott Donaldson (D)
• Steve Woodsmall (D)
• Mark Meadows (R)*
• Chuck Archerd (R)
• Clifton B. Ingram, Jr. (L)

(Democratic and Republican primary contests only, May 8)

N.C. State Senate, District 48

• Norm Bossert (D)
• Chuck Edwards (R)*

(No primary contest; general election Nov. 6)

N.C. State Senate, District 49

• Terry Van Duyn (D)*
• Mark Crawford (R)
• William Meredith (L)

(No primary contest; general election Nov. 6)

N.C. House of Representatives ,District 114

• Susan C. Fisher (D)*
• Kris A. Lindstam (R)

(No primary contest; general election Nov. 6)

N.C.House of Representatives, District 115

• John Ager (D)*
• Nathan West (R)
• Amy Evans (R)

(Republican primary contest only, May 8)

N.C. House of Representatives, District 116

• Brian Turner (D)*
• Marilyn A. Brown (R)

(No primary contest; general election Nov. 6)

District Attorney, District 40

• Todd M. Williams (D)*
• Ben Scales (D)

(Democratic primary contest only, May 8 — No general election challenger)

Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, District 1

• Al Whitesides (D)*

(Unopposed)

Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, District 2

• Amanda Edwards (D)
• Dereck Lindsey (D)
• Nancy Nehls Nelson (D)
• Patrick Fitzsimmons (D)
• Glenda P. Weinert (R)

(Democratic primary contest only, May 8)

Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, District 3

• Taylon Breeden (D)
• Donna Ensley (D)
• Catori Swann (D)
• Robert Pressley (R)*

(Democratic primary contest only, May 8)

Buncombe County Clerk of Superior Court

• Steven Cogburn (D)*

(Unopposed)

Buncombe County Sheriff

• R. Daryl Fisher (D)
• Rondell Lance (D)
• Quentin Miller (D)
• Randy Smart (D)
• Chris Winslow (D)
• Shad L. Higgins (R)
• Tracey Debruhl (L)
• Michael Morgan (L)

(Democratic and Libertarian primary contests May 8. No Republican primary)

* denotes incumbent
D = Democrat
R = Republican
L = Libertarian