Council member Gordon Smith was hit in the head by Lael Gray’s campaign manager, David Roat, at an election-night party, according to reports. Here, Smith describes the fracas. “I went to Lael’s party, I was giving her a hug and I got hit in the back of the head,” Smith says. “I went into a crouch, there were a few more blows, he was pulled off of me, and it was over.” (Photo by Bill Rhodes.)
With all city precincts reporting, Marc Hunt and Chris Pelly have won seats on Asheville City Council. Incumbent Jan Davis has come in a mere 40 votes ahead of Lael Gray, meaning the race is likely headed for a recount. With all precincts reporting, the A-B Tech sales tax referendum has passed. (Photos by Bill Rhodes)
The latest campaign finance reports — and the last before the Nov. 8 election — in the Asheville City Council race show some candidates rapidly increasing their funds, though the amounts still remain lower than the last race.
Live Twitter coverage of the Asheville-Buncombe League of Women Voters’ forum for the six candidates vying for three open spots on Asheville City Council.
In the latest installment of our ongoing series of interviews with Asheville City Council candidates, Jake Frankel talks to Jan Davis about issues ranging from economic development and incentives to affordable housing and campaign strategy. (Audio from the interview included).
Sure, Council elections aren’t partisan, but there are many Democrats in Asheville, and five of the nine candidates vying for City Council seats made their pitches last night, Aug. 2, at a Young Democrats meet-and-greet. The event was the first of the campaign season to get multiple candidates at the same event.
Nine candidates, including two incumbents, will vie for three seats on Asheville City Council this year, as the filing period ended today at noon. Vice Mayor Brownie Newman will not run for re-election, and LGBT activist TJ Thomasson joined the race, filing earlier today.
With one day left in the filing period, the Asheville City Council race is heating up, as the field has grown to eight candidates vying for three seats. After remaining publicly noncommittal for months, Council member Jan Davis filed for another run. Haw Creek Community Association President Chris Pelly and activist Lael Gray also officially joined the race.
The election season for Asheville City Council, and several other municipalities, kicked off today as the official filing period opened at noon. Incumbent Council member Bill Russell and candidate Marc Hunt both showed up at the Board of Elections to file.
Hunt and Russell talk to an onlooker who’s just snapped their photo. Photo by Jerry Nelson.
