Board of Elections Candidate Challenge Hearing

On January 20, 2026, the Buncombe County Board of Elections held a candidate challenge hearing to adjudicate two separate challenges filed against local candidates. The meeting, which began at 2:30 p.m. and adjourned at 6:04 p.m., focused on determining the eligibility of Victor L. Morman for the Republican primary for Sheriff and Sybrennah Antanette Mosley for Asheville City Council. The Board reviewed evidence, heard testimony, and voted on the merits of each challenge, resulting in the denial of both challenges.

The first challenge, filed by Tina Lunsford, argued that Sheriff candidate Victor L. Morman did not meet the statutory requirement of being affiliated with the Republican Party for at least 90 days prior to filing his candidacy. During the hearing, both parties presented opening statements and documentary evidence, including voter registration records and party affiliation forms. Morman did not call witnesses, while Lunsford called Heather Boyd as a neutral fact witness to present public records regarding Morman’s residency and financial information, such as a homestead exemption in Georgia. The Board admitted all exhibits presented by both sides, though there was discussion regarding the admissibility of news articles and opinions versus verified public records. After deliberation, the Board voted 4-1 to deny the challenge, with one member abstaining. The Board determined that Morman had met the timely party affiliation requirement.

The second challenge, filed by John P. Miall, Jr., targeted Asheville City Council candidate Sybrennah Antanette Mosley. Mosley testified under direct examination by her counsel and presented a range of exhibits, including property tax bills, a homestead exemption letter, and lease contracts, to establish her residency. Miall called Heather Boyd as a witness and presented additional exhibits, including voting records and Georgia property records. The Board sustained objections to some testimony regarding historical voting patterns and legal residence opinions, and they did not admit news articles offered by the challenger. However, the Board admitted other documents into the record. Following the presentation of evidence and closing statements from both sides, the Board voted 5-0 to deny the challenge against Mosley.

No public comments were received from members of the gallery during either hearing. The Board noted that no gallery testimony was requested for either candidate challenge.

As a next step, the Chair advised that an order reflecting the decision to deny the challenge against Victor L. Morman will be prepared within 20 days. The Board also scheduled its next meeting for Tuesday, January 27, 2026, at 3:30 p.m.

These decisions confirm the continued eligibility of both Victor L. Morman and Sybrennah Antanette Mosley to appear on their respective ballots. The Board’s rulings uphold the candidates' qualifications under state election laws, allowing them to proceed in the upcoming primary elections.