From Staff Reports 

Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer advanced in her efforts to win a third term in office, finishing as the top vote-getter in the non-partisan city primary election on May 17.

Manheimer topped the five-candidate field with 42.27 percent of the vote. 

Finishing a strong second was first-term City Council member Kim Roney, who netted 33.43 percent of the vote. 

The two top-finishers will square-off in the general election on Nov. 8.

Also running were Cliff Feingold (who got 16 percent of the vote), Michael Hayes (6.79 percent of the vote), and Johnathan Wainscott (1.48 percent of the vote).

Regarding Asheville’s mayor, Manheimer “is an American politician and attorney serving as the mayor of Asheville, North Carolina,” the website Wikiwand noted.

“Manheimer was born on July 24, 1971 in the hamlet of Skyum Bjerge in Thy, Denmark, to American expat parents. She has two siblings. Her family returned to the United States when she was three, and she lived in San Diego, Olympia, Spokane, and Bethesda, Maryland, before moving to Asheville when she was 17.

“Manheimer graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder, and she served as campus director of the American Movement for Israel and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in anthropology. She attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, earning degrees in law and a Master of Public Administration,” Wikiwand stated.

“After graduating from UNC Chapel Hill, Manheimer returned to Asheville, North Carolina in 2002. She was elected to the Asheville City Council in 2009 and served until 2013. She was elected mayor of Asheville in 2013.

“In March 2016, Manheimer spoke out against the controversial Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, state legislation that eliminated anti-discrimination protections for the LGBT community.

“Manheimer is married to Mark Harris. They have three sons. She is the third Jewish mayor of Asheville, after Ken Michalove in 1989 and Leni Sitnik in 1997,” Wikiwand concluded.

As for Roney, whose council term runs December 2020 to December 2024, she serves on the following council committees: Governance, Public Safety Committee, Board & Commission Committee, Council Member 

Roney also is a liaison/member of a number of boards and commissions: