As voter turnout numbers across Buncombe County were historical in number, Asheville voters made history in another way — by electing three women to the three open seats on the Asheville City Council, making it the first all-woman council for the city.
Results were tight between all three candidates – all within one percentage point of the next. The only incumbent on the ballot, Keith Young, did not get enough votes to retain his seat.
Mayor Esther Manheimer said as she watched those results roll in Tuesday night, it didn’t dawn on her right away what had happened.
“I think that it’s exciting. I love that it’s newsworthy in a way, but I also hate that it is because you know, in the history of America and all the city councils that have ever existed there have been plenty of all-male city councils and of course it wasn’t newsworthy,” said Manheimer.