Editing Asheville, North Carolina (section)

==Government==
===Local government===
The City of Asheville operates under a [[council–manager government]], via its charter. A [[List of mayors of Asheville, North Carolina|mayor]] and a six-member city council are elected at-large for staggered four-year terms. The City Council appoints a city manager, a city attorney, and a city clerk.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ashevillenc.gov/Government/AboutCityGovernment.aspx |title=About City Government |publisher=Ashevillenc.gov |access-date=June 29, 2013 |archive-date=August 1, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130801014928/http://ashevillenc.gov/Government/AboutCityGovernment.aspx |url-status=live}}</ref> The City Council appoints a vice-mayor from among its members. In the absence or disability of the mayor, the vice-mayor performs the mayoral duties. City Council determines the needs to be addressed and the degree of service to be provided by the administrative branch of city government.

The [[Governor of North Carolina]] maintains an official secondary residence, the [[North Carolina Governor's Western Residence]], in Asheville.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ourstate.com/governors-mansion-west/ | title=NC Governor's Mansion in Asheville | date=July 2, 2013 }}</ref>

In 2005 Mayor Charles Worley signed the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement and in 2006 the City Council created the Sustainable Advisory Committee on Energy and the Environment. In 2007 the Council became the first city on the East Coast to commit to building all municipal buildings to [[Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design|LEED]] Gold Standards and to achieve 80 percent energy reduction of 2001 standards by 2040. Also in 2007 the Council signed an agreement with [[Warren Wilson College]] stating the intent of the city and college to work together toward climate partnership goals.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Warren Wilson College to Partner with Asheville on Climate {{!}} Greenbiz |url=https://www.greenbiz.com/article/warren-wilson-college-partner-asheville-climate |access-date=2022-11-06 |website=www.greenbiz.com |date=14 August 2007 |language=en |archive-date=November 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221106155450/https://www.greenbiz.com/article/warren-wilson-college-partner-asheville-climate |url-status=live }}</ref>

Following President [[Donald Trump]]'s decision to remove the United States from the [[Paris Agreement]], Mayor Esther Manheimer was one of the original 61 mayors to commit to uphold the agreement in the city.<ref name="468 US Climate Mayors commit to adopt, honor and uphold Paris Climate Agreement goals">{{cite web |url=https://climatemayors.org/actions-paris-climate-agreement/ |website=Climate Mayors |access-date=12 February 2021 |title=468 US Climate Mayors commit to adopt, honor and uphold Paris Climate Agreement goals |date=June 2017 |archive-date=February 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224075536/https://climatemayors.org/actions-paris-climate-agreement/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

On July 14, 2020, the Asheville City Council voted unanimously to approve [[Reparations for slavery in the United States|reparations]] to the city's Black citizens. The move came during the [[George Floyd protests|2020 George Floyd protests]]. The resolution called for increased investment in Black communities in the city. The [[Buncombe County, North Carolina|Buncombe County]] Board of Commissioners soon followed the adoption of the measure.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Burgess |first1=Joel |title=In historic move, North Carolina city approves reparations for Black residents |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/07/15/asheville-passes-reparations-black-residents-historic/5441792002/ |website=USAtoday.com |publisher=USA Today |access-date=14 February 2021 |archive-date=July 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200715163907/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/07/15/asheville-passes-reparations-black-residents-historic/5441792002/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The protest also started a move to remove and replace the [[Zebulon Baird Vance Monument|Vance Monument]] in the city, concluding in its removal in May 2021.<ref name=":19">{{Cite web |date=March 19, 2010 |title=Zebulon Vance Monument, Asheville |url=https://docsouth.unc.edu/commland/monument/205/ |access-date=August 17, 2024|website=Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina |publisher=University of North Carolina Libraries / North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources |language=en |publication-place=Chapel Hill, North Carolina}}</ref>

====City Council members====
{{See also|List of mayors of Asheville, North Carolina}}
* Mayor: [[Esther Manheimer|Esther E. Manheimer]] (2013–present; councilor 2009–present)<ref name="CityCouncil"/>
* Vice mayor: Sandra Kilgore (2022–present; councilor 2020–present)<ref name="CityCouncil"/>
* Councilor: S. Antanette Mosley (2020–present)<ref name="CityCouncil"/>
* Councilor: Kim Roney (2020–present)<ref name="CityCouncil"/>
* Councilor: Sheneika Smith (2017–present)<ref name="CityCouncil"/>
* Councilor: Sage Turner (2020–present)<ref name="CityCouncil"/>
* Councilor: Maggie Ullman (2022–present)<ref name="CityCouncil"/>

====Controversy====
In 2009, a group of Asheville citizens challenged the legitimacy of [[Cecil Bothwell]]'s election to the City Council,<ref name="Schrader091209">{{cite news |author1=Jordan Schrader |author2=Dale Neal |title=Critics of Cecil Bothwell cite N.C. bar to atheists |work=[[Asheville Citizen-Times]] |date=December 8, 2009 |url=http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20091208/NEWS01/912080327 |access-date=December 10, 2009 |archive-date=August 7, 2011 |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20110807020225/http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20091208/NEWS01/912080327 |url-status=live}}</ref> citing the [[Constitution of North Carolina]], which does not permit [[Atheism|atheists]] to hold public office.<ref>{{cite web |title=Article VI: Suffrage and Eligibility to Office - Sec. 8. Disqualifications for office. |quote=The following persons shall be disqualified for office: First, any person who shall deny the being of Almighty God. |url=http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Legislation/constitution/ncconstitution.html |work=North Carolina State Constitution |publisher=State of North Carolina |access-date=February 15, 2014 |archive-date=February 9, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140209114622/http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/legislation/constitution/ncconstitution.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Bothwell has described himself as a "[[Post-theism|post theist]]" rather than an atheist,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20091208/NEWS01/912080327?nclick_check=1 |title=Critics of Cecil Bothwell cite N.C. bar to atheists |work=The Asheville Citizen-Times |access-date=April 13, 2013 |archive-date=January 10, 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130110214247/http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20091208/NEWS01/912080327?nclick_check=1 |url-status=live}}</ref> and is a member of a local [[Unitarian Universalist]] congregation. The opponents to his election never filed suit. In response to the charge, legal scholars explained that the [[Supreme Court of the United States|U.S. Supreme Court]] held in ''[[Torcaso v. Watkins]]'' that religious tests for political office are unconstitutional.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20091214/NEWS01/312140021/Asheville-councilman-atheism-debate-goes-viral-Cecil-Bothwell-gets-wide-audience |title=Asheville councilman atheism debate goes viral: Cecil Bothwell gets wide audience |work=citizen-times.com}}</ref>

Bothwell served his four-year council term and was re-elected in 2013.<ref>{{cite news |title=Wisler, Smith, Bothwell win council seats |url=http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20131106/NEWS/311060047/Wisler-Smith-Bothwell-win-council-seats |access-date=February 15, 2014 |newspaper=Asheville Citizens-Times |date=November 5, 2013}}</ref> He was defeated in the primary when he ran for a third term in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2017/10/10/kapoor-manheimer-run-away-vote-bothwell-roney-battle-spot/752262001/ |title=Kapoor, Manheimer dominate Asheville primary; Bothwell loses |first=Joel Burgess, Mark Barrett, Alexandria Bordas and Jennifer |last=Bowman |website=The Asheville Citizen Times |access-date=April 29, 2018 |archive-date=November 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120164827/https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2017/10/10/kapoor-manheimer-run-away-vote-bothwell-roney-battle-spot/752262001/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

While the city council elections are non-partisan, party politics may enter into play, as Republican and Democratic party members back their registered members' candidacy. An effort by the council to return to partisan elections was defeated by voters in a referendum held in November 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McDaniel |first=Polly |date=2019-09-25 |title=Asheville City Council takes next step toward reinstating at-large elections and nonpartisan municipal primaries |url=https://www.ashevillenc.gov/news/asheville-city-council-takes-next-step-toward-reinstating-at-large-elections-and-nonpartisan-municipal-primaries/ |access-date=2022-11-06 |website=The City of Asheville |language=en-US |archive-date=November 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221106155450/https://www.ashevillenc.gov/news/asheville-city-council-takes-next-step-toward-reinstating-at-large-elections-and-nonpartisan-municipal-primaries/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Law enforcement===
The Asheville Police Department (APD) was created in 1849. It has been accredited by the [[Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies]] since 1994.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ashevillenc.gov/departments/police/default.aspx?id=1802 |title=Asheville North Carolina |access-date=2008-11-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011082334/http://www.ashevillenc.gov/departments/police/default.aspx?id=1802 |archive-date=2007-10-11 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

===State government===
In the [[North Carolina Senate]], most of Asheville is in the [[North Carolina's 49th Senate district|49th district]], represented by [[Julie Mayfield]] ([[North Carolina Democratic Party|D]]), and a small portion of the eastern part of the city is in the [[North Carolina's 46th Senate district|46th district]], represented by [[Warren Daniel]] (R). In the [[North Carolina House of Representatives]], Asheville is split between the [[North Carolina's 114th House district|114th]], [[North Carolina's 115th House district|115th]], and [[North Carolina's 116th House district|116th]] districts, represented by [[Eric Ager|J. Eric Ager]] (D), [[Lindsey Prather]] (D), and [[Caleb Rudow]] (D), respectively.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Buncombe County Representation |url=https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/CountyRepresentation/Buncombe |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230804034029/https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/CountyRepresentation/Buncombe |archive-date=August 4, 2023 |access-date=August 4, 2023 |website=North Carolina General Assembly}}</ref>

===Federal government===
In the [[2012 United States presidential election|2012 presidential election]], [[Barack Obama]] won the entirety of Buncombe County with 55% of the vote. Obama visited the city on a few occasions.<ref>{{cite news |last=James |first=Frank |url=https://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2011/10/17/141415067/obama-hearts-north-carolina-but-it-may-have-lost-that-loving-feeling |title=Obama Hearts North Carolina But It May Have Lost That Loving Feeling : It's All Politics |newspaper=NPR |date=October 17, 2011 |access-date=June 29, 2013 |archive-date=August 13, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130813230903/http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2011/10/17/141415067/obama-hearts-north-carolina-but-it-may-have-lost-that-loving-feeling |url-status=live}}</ref> In April 2010, he and his family vacationed in the city.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/16/obama-vacation-first-fami_n_541131.html |work=Huffington Post |first=Nicholas |last=Wing |title=Obama Vacation: First Family To Visit Asheville, North Carolina |date=April 16, 2010 |access-date=October 25, 2011 |archive-date=March 20, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320101352/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/16/obama-vacation-first-fami_n_541131.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

In the United States presidential election of 2016, [[Hillary Clinton]] won 54% of the vote in Buncombe County and Donald Trump 40%, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections. In 2020, Joe Biden won 59.74% of the vote in Buncombe County and Donald Trump 38.63%.

Asheville is a college town that, similar to many other American college towns, has seen its partisan lean since 2000 shift from Republican leaning to solidly Democratic — where [[George W. Bush]] won the county by 11 points in 2000, [[Joe Biden]] won the county by 21 points in 2020 — a 32-point swing in two decades.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mahtesian |first1=Charlie |last2=Alexander |first2=Madi |url=https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/07/21/gop-college-towns-00106974 |title='This Is a Really Big Deal': How College Towns Are Decimating the GOP |newspaper=[[Politico]] |date=July 21, 2023 |access-date=July 22, 2023 |archive-date=July 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230722111016/https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/07/21/gop-college-towns-00106974 |url-status=live }}</ref>

North Carolina is represented in the [[United States Senate]] by [[Thom Tillis]] ([[North Carolina Republican Party|R]]–[[Huntersville, North Carolina|Huntersville]]) and [[Ted Budd]] (R–[[Advance, North Carolina|Advance]]). The city of Asheville is located in [[North Carolina's 11th congressional district]], which is currently represented by [[Chuck Edwards]] (R–[[Flat Rock, Henderson County, North Carolina|Flat Rock]]).