Candidates in the 2020 general election for the at-large and Owen District seats on the Buncombe County Board of Education give their answers for the Mountain Xpress voter guide.
2020 General Voter Guide: U.S. House of Representatives District 11
Candidates in the 2020 general election for North Carolina’s U.S. House of Representatives District 11 seat give their answers for the Mountain Xpress voter guide.
From NC Health News: How do you vote if you live in a nursing home? It can be complicated.
An octogenarian’s story shows the many obstacles to voting in long-term care facilities in 2020.
2020 General Voter Guide: Voting FAQs
Xpress answers common questions about voting in the 2020 general election, including where to find your sample ballot, how to vote by mail and if identification is required at the polls.
2020 General Voter Guide: N.C. Senate Districts 48-49
Candidates in the 2020 general election for N.C. Senate Districts 48 and 49 give their answers for the Mountain Xpress voter guide.
2020 General Voter Guide: Asheville City Council
Candidates in the 2020 general election for Asheville City Council give their answers for the Mountain Xpress voter guide.
2020 General Voter Guide: N.C. House of Representatives Districts 114-116
Candidates in the 2020 general election for N.C. House of Representatives Districts 114-116 give their answers for the Mountain Xpress voter guide.
2020 General Voter Guide: Buncombe County Board of Commissioners
Candidates in the 2020 general election for four seats on the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners give their answers for the Mountain Xpress voter guide.
2020 General Voter Guide: Buncombe County Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors
Candidates in the 2020 general election for the Buncombe County Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors give their answers for the Mountain Xpress voter guide.
Hemlock Restoration Initiative seeks long-term state support
A $300,000 recurring allocation for the HRI, a program of Asheville-based nonprofit WNC Communities, stalled in the N.C. General Assembly due to partisan gridlock over the state budget. A joint proclamation between the HRI and the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services now aims to make the hemlock’s future more secure.
Enka barn raises questions about Buncombe special interest funding
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on Oct. 6 to award $15,000 toward the construction of an agricultural education facility at Enka High School. But as Chair Brownie Newman noted, recommendations to support such projects are normally made by Buncombe’s School Capital Fund Commission or Board of Education and funded through the regular budget cycle.
Henderson GOP will likely pick Moffitt to replace McGrady Oct. 8
With Republican N.C. House District 117 primary winner Tim Moffitt now also the presumptive candidate to replace outgoing Rep. Chuck McGrady until the Tuesday, Nov. 3, general election, how might his brief incumbency affect the outcome of the race and the new legislative session set to start in January?
Black Mountain candidates share visions for town
This year’s contest to fill three seats on the town’s nonpartisan Board of Aldermen initially drew nine candidates, a field that has since dwindled to six. Four of those candidates participated in a Sept. 21 candidate forum hosted through Zoom by Indivisible Black Mountain.
Asheville City Council, Buncombe County board candidates weigh in on arts policy
Eleven of the 13 local candidates on the Nov. 3 general election ballot completed the Asheville Area Arts Council’s latest survey.
COVID-19 campaigning divides local candidates along partisan lines
Many Republican candidates have continued to build voter support through traditional in-person campaign events such as rallies and fundraising concerts. In contrast, Democrats have largely relied on virtual efforts such as phone banking or Zoom calls, eschewing big events out of concern they might encourage spread of the coronavirus.
Henderson County protects Cawthorn after threats
Maj. Frank Stout of the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office declined to provide additional information about the threats or their credibility, citing an ongoing investigation. However, he said that he’d observed “a lot of hostility in the campaign this year” on social media — more so than in prior election cycles.
From AVL Watchdog: Debate fact-checker: zingers, jabs and lies
In their first public face-off, the candidates vying for the increasingly competitive 11th District congressional seat, Republican Madison Cawthorn and Democrat Moe Davis, touted their differences on just about all issues and hurled accusations, with each calling the other “fast and loose” with the facts. Who was telling the truth?
Night two: Cawthorn and Davis debate in Cullowhee
At 7:30 p.m., NC-11 congressional candidates Madison Cawthorn (R) and Moe Davis (D) took the stage at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee for the second of two public debates ahead of the Nov. 3 election. The event was presented by Blue Ridge Public Radio, Mountain Xpress and Smoky Mountain News. Live-blog summary, plus link to video, in this post.
Video: Cawthorn, Davis debate Sept. 4
Tonight’s the night! For the first time, the major-party candidates for WNC’s open congressional seat will meet to debate the issues. The event is hosted by Western Carolina University’s Biltmore Park instructional site and sponsored by Blue Ridge Public Radio, Smoky Mountain News and Mountain Xpress. Details for the event livestream and live updates here.
Ripple effect: City Council appointment opens new political possibilities
The appointment could shape the outcome of the general Asheville City Council election on Tuesday, Nov. 3. And the very night that the appointee is expected to take their oath of office — Tuesday, Sept. 22 — they will also cast what may be the deciding vote on funding for the Asheville Police Department.
WNC’s congressional seat may truly be in play this year
The contest to represent Western North Carolina in the U.S. House features candidates from different generations with different backgrounds and very different ideas about what needs to happen next in Washington. The main thing Republican Madison Cawthorn and Democrat Morris “Moe” Davis might have in common is they have spent time in the national spotlight, albeit for very different reasons.