ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Buncombe County District Attorney Todd Williams announced Friday that he will not seek a fourth term, stepping aside after more than a decade as the county’s chief prosecutor.
Williams, first elected in 2014, said in a letter on the Buncombe DA’s Substack that he plans to leave after his current term ends in 2026 and pursue a new path for himself and his family. He highlighted efforts during his tenure to restore confidence in the justice system, including exonerations, death row reviews, prosecutions in serious cases and justice‑system reforms.
Williams urged voters to weigh the experience and qualifications of the candidates running to replace him. Those who filed for the March 3, 2026, Democratic primary include Buncombe County prosecutor Katie Kurdys, County Commissioner Martin Moore and trial lawyer Courtney Virginia Booth. Williams praised Kurdys and Moore as qualified contenders and criticized Booth’s experience and past campaign finance compliance.
Candidate filing for the primary election closed Dec. 19. In addition to the district attorney’s race, local contests on the March ballot include Asheville City Council, Asheville City Schools Board of Education, Buncombe County Board of Education, Buncombe County Commissioners and Asheville mayor.
State and federal candidates on the ballot include a full slate for U.S. Senate, U.S. House and North Carolina legislative seats. Those include Gov. Roy Cooper and challengers for his U.S. Senate bid, and candidates for the 11th Congressional District and state House and Senate districts.
Candidates and races include:
U.S. Senate
- Roy Cooper (D)
- Daryl Farrow (D)
- Marcus W. Williams (D)
- Orrick Quick (D)
- Justin E. Dues (D)
- Robert Colon (D)
- Shannon W. Bray (L)
- Elizabeth A. Temple (R)
- Donald M. (Don) Brown (R)
- Michael Whatley (R)
- Margot Dupre (R)
- Thomas Johnson (R)
- Michele Morrow (R)
U.S. House of Representatives District 11
- Jamie Ager (D)
- Paul Maddox (D)
- Richard Hudspeth (D)
- Zelda Briarwood (D)
- Lee Whipple (D)
- Travis Groo (L)
- Chuck Edwards (R)
- Adam R. Smith (R)
N.C. State Senate District 49
- Julie Mayfield (D)
- CJ Domingo (R)
N.C. House of Representatives District 114
- Eric Ager (D)
N.C. House of Representatives District 115
- Lindsey Prather (D)
- Anthony J. Penland (R)
N.C. House of Representatives District 116
- Brian Turner (D)
Buncombe County Board of Commissioners District 1
- Anna V. Stearns (D)
- Rob Stetson (R)
Buncombe County Board of Commissioners District 2
- Terry Threadwell (D)
- Lonnie Israel (D)
- Greg Parks (R)
Buncombe County Board of Commissioners District 3
- Al Whitesides (D)
Buncombe County Sheriff
- Quentin Miller (D)
- Gary Parris (R)
- Vic Morman (R)
Buncombe County Schools Board of Education District 3
- Rob Elliot
Buncombe County Schools Board of Education District 5
- Judy S. Lewis
- Alina Moiseyev
Buncombe County Schools Board of Education District 6
- Kim Plemmons
- Taras Shevchenko
City of Asheville Mayor
- Kim Roney
- Esther Manheimer
City of Asheville Council
- Maggie Ullman Berthiaume
- CJ Snyder
- Dan Ferrell
- Jeffrey Burroughs
- Kyle Turner
- Tyler Ladd
- Angel Gonzales
- Drew Ball
- Scott Burroughs
- S. Antanette Mosley
- Nina Ireland
- R. Blake Butler
- David Moritz
- Jared Wheatley
- Jess Young McLean
- Keith Young
- Shaunda Jackson
- Bobby Smit
- Tiffany DeBellott
- Sheneika E. Smith
- Sarah Thornburg
Asheville City Schools Board of Education
- Rebecca Strimer
- Daria Datnoff
- Gordon Grant
- Liza English-Kelly
- Daniel Shetley
View the list of candidates who have filed to run for office here.
Absentee voting begins Jan. 12, 2026; the voter registration deadline is Feb. 6. Early voting runs Feb. 12-28 ahead of the March 3 primary.
