News

Early voting starts at 8 a.m. Thursday

By Lightning Reports, Published: February 10, 2026

Early voting for the March 3 primary starts Thursday and runs through Saturday, Feb. 28.

Voting sites are the elections board office, 75 E. Central St.; Fletcher Town Hall, Etowah library and the Edneyville Community Center.

The primary election is Tuesday, March 3. Hours are 6:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. The Board of Elections is not a voting precinct on Election Day. Go here to find your precinct.

The primary includes a crowded race for Congress, two Henderson County Board of Commissioner contests and two state House races.

Elections for the Henderson County School Board and for municipal seats are in November.

With late filings Thursday and Friday, the field vying for the 11th Congressional District grew to eight — two Republicans, five Democrats and one Libertarian. 

Among those cruising to re-election, barring an unprecedented write-in challenge, were Henderson County Commissioner Michael Edney, who would start a seventh term a year from now, Fletcher Mayor Preston Blakely and all four county constitutional officers: Sheriff Lowell Griffin, District Attorney Andrew Murray, Clerk of Superior Court J. Tyler Ray and Register of Deeds Lee King. 

Candidate list

11th Congressional District

• Chuck Edwards, R (i); Adam R. Smith, R; Jamie Ager, D; Paul Maddox, D; Richard Hudspeth, D; Zelda Briarwood, D;  Lee Whipple, D; Travis Groo, L.

Board of Commissioners

• District 1: Michael Edney, R (i).
• District 3: Steve Wyatt, R; Rudd Orr, R.
• District 4: Rebecca McCall, R (i), Tom Appleby, R.

School Board (3 seats)

• Reid J. Barwick, D; Randy Beaver, R; Shelia Dale, R (i); Mary Ellen Kustin, D; Alyssa Norman, R (i).

Constitutional offices

• Sheriff: Lowell Griffin, R (i)
• Clerk of Superior Court: J. Tyler Ray, R (i)
• Register of Deeds: Lee King, R (i)
• District Attorney (Henderson, Polk and Transylvania counties): Andrew Murray, R (i)
• District Court Judge (seat 5): Abe Hudson, R (i)

N.C. Legislature

• House District 113: Jake Johnson, R (i); Mike Hager, R; Mason Rhodes, D.
• House District 117: Jennifer Balkcom, R (i), Christopher Lamar Wilson, R; Lynne Russo, D.
• Senate District 48: Tim Moffitt, R (i); Doyle G. Brown Jr. (D).

Municipal elections (nonpartisan, on Nov. 3 ballot)

• Hendersonville: mayor, Jennifer Hensley, Jerry Smith. City council (at large, two seats): Gina Baxter, Melinda Lowrance, Jeff Groh, Brett Werner.
• Flat Rock: District 1, John Gerni; District 2, Roger Bass; District 3, Barbara Jeter.
• Fletcher: mayor, Preston Blakely (i); District 1, Amber McKinney, John Brandon Olsen; District 4, Trevor Lance (i).
• Laurel Park (at large, two seats): Debra Bridges (i), Mark Morse (i), Mary Margaret Licisyn.
• Mills River: District 1, Sandra Goode (i), Jennie Case Sealey; District 2, James  Cantrell (i), Brandon McGaha; District 3, Katrina McGuire, Jerry Frady, Mike Cole. District 3 incumbent Shanon Gonce, who is also mayor, is not running for re-election. The Mills River Town Council elects the mayor from among the members.