Kim Roney Defeats Esther Manheimer for Asheville Mayor
Kim Roney defeated incumbent Esther Manheimer with 57.88% of the vote to become the next mayor of Asheville, focusing on housing affordability and government transparency.
City Council member Kim Roney defeated three-term incumbent Esther Manheimer in the Tuesday mayoral election in Asheville, North Carolina. Roney secured 57.88% of the vote to Manheimer's 41.42%, winning by approximately 7,000 votes in a rematch of the 2022 race. Manheimer had served as mayor since 2013.
Roney campaigned on a grassroots platform emphasizing government transparency, public safety, and the cost of living. Her specific goals include expanding the role of mental health professionals in emergency responses, improving the regional transit system, and utilizing city-owned land to increase housing affordability. She is scheduled to be sworn in on December 8, after which the City Council will appoint a replacement for her vacant council seat.
The election also saw Drew Ball win a seat on the Asheville City Council, while incumbents Maggie Ullman and Antanette Mosley were reelected. The incoming leadership faces immediate challenges, including recovery from Hurricane Helene and the rewriting of the Unified Development Ordinance to balance urban growth with the protection of legacy Black neighborhoods. Roney and other council members expressed optimism that recent Democratic victories in North Carolina state elections will improve collaboration with the state government in Raleigh.
