Empty polling booths around an Asheville resident casting her ballot at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church. Voter turnout was low this year, with 19.19 percent total for all local elections in the county. Photo by Nick King.
Election Day is, by its nature, provides a wide array of images, with clear victories and defeats, speeches, emotions running high and citizens going to the polls to decide their leaders. On Nov. 5, Ashevilleans elected a new mayor and three City Council members, though turnout was low.
Here, a series of photos from photographer Nick King provides a glimpse of that day’s events.
Vice Mayor Esther Manheimer waits while news cameras ready to record her victory speech, after results confirmed that she was mayor-elect. Manheimer campaigned as a defender of the current city government, promising to focus on good jobs, equity, and the environment. “Asheville is truly representative of the struggle this state is currently experiencing,” she said.
Former city risk manager John Miall gets a hug from a supporter. Miall ran a campaign centered around criticisms of the current city administration and a promise to bring more efficiency and transparency, but lost to Manheimer by a significant margin.
Buncombe County Commissioner Holly Jones applauds Manheimer during her victory speech. While Council elections are non-partisan, all the candidates but one (community activist Jonathan Wainscott) were Democrats, and many elected officials from that party made the rounds during election night.
Former Coleman CEO Gwen Wisler shouting with delight at Pack’s Tavern as she finds out she got the most votes of any of the Council candidates.
Asheville City Council member Gordon Smith checks election results as they come in on the Board of Elections’ website.
Council member Cecil Bothwell shakes supporters’ hands at the Asheville Pizza and Brewing Company after he learns of his victory. Bothwell said he was disappointed by the turnout, but was thankful for the victory and looked forward to improving the city’s environment in his second term.
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