From Staff Reports

Jasmine Beach-Ferrara, an Asheville Democrat, announced on Oct. 10 that she will not seek re-election to the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners — nor to any public office — in the next election in 2024. 

She is Buncombe’s first openly gay commissioner.

The commissioner cited her desire to spend more time with family as the reason behind the move. She also is the executive director of the Campaign for Southern Equality.

“This was not an easy decision, but it was a clear one,” the commissioner said in a series of tweets on Oct. 10. “The reason is simple and straight from the heart: I want to spend more time with my family.”

Beach-Ferrara was elected to the Buncombe County Commission in 2016, representing District 1. She has said redrawn district lines prompted her to run for District 2 in 2020.

She has served on the Early Childhood Education and Development Committee, Justice Resource Advisory Council, and Juvenile Crime Prevention Council.

In 2021, Beach-Ferrara ran for U.S. Congress in North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District and won the Democratic nomination. She ultimately lost to Republican Chuck Edwards in the 2022 General Election.

In her Oct. 10 announcement, Beach-Ferrara said she would continue to focus on public service moving forward and thanked those who have supported her campaigns for office over the years.

Following is Beach-Ferrara’s statement in its entirety: 

“There’s a lot going on in the world, so I’ll keep this brief, with more on other platforms. After a lot of late night conversations with @meghannburke, I’ve decided not to run for re-election to Buncombe County Commission, or any other office, in 2024.

“This was not an easy decision, but it was a clear one. The reason is simple and straight from the heart: I want to spend more time with my family.

“I am enormously grateful to everyone who has supported my campaigns for County Commission and U.S. Congress, from knocking doors to showing up before dawn to work the polls. Whether you win or lose a political campaign, the work goes on.

“Now, in a time of great consequence and uncertainty in our country, what happens in our hometowns truly matters. Moving forward, I’ll continue to focus on public service and how, together, we can create a North Carolina & a country where there’s room at the table for everyone.”