The Democrat Lynne Russo She won North Carolina's 117th House district, a seat previously held by Republicans. The district encompasses most of Henderson County in western North Carolina.
The election was close: Russo received 22,710 votes, 51.74%, while Republican Chelsea Walsh garnered 21,180, or 48.26%. These figures correspond to the unofficial results from the North Carolina State Board of Elections, with 27 reported seals.
“We did it. We moved mountains,” Russo wrote on Facebook the night of the election, originally in English. “Tonight, my heart overflows with gratitude for everyone who believed, joined in, and made this possible. Serving as your next state representative will be the honor of my life.”
Russo, a small business owner, focused her campaign on recovery from Hurricane Helene, investment in public schools, and the cost of living. One of her proposals is to suspend the 2% local food tax for one year.
Just two years ago, Republican Jennifer Balkcom retained this same seat with 57.75% of the vote. However, this time she did not run for reelection in District 117. In August, when Congressman Chuck Edwards decided not to seek reelection, the Republican Party chose Balkcom to replace him in the race for Congressional District 11, and Walsh inherited the nomination for the state House.
Balkcom lost that contest against Democrat Jamie Agerwho also won in Henderson, with 52.61% of the county vote. The Democrat Roy Cooper, elected to the federal Senate, also won in the county, with 51.79%.
Voter turnout in the county was 61.42%: 57,168 of the 93,070 registered voters cast their ballots.
The bond to preserve farmland
Voters approved the bonus of up to $25 million for the county's farmland preservation program. There were 31,823 votes in favor (59.46%) and 21,697 against (40.54%).
The money will be used to pay landowners who voluntarily agree to keep their land undeveloped. The county can borrow this money and repay it over approximately 20 years through property taxes, which will cost the owner of a $400,000 home about $40.40 per year.
Between 2017 and 2022, Henderson lost about 20% of its farmland, about 4.5 acres per day, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Census of Agriculture.
The new mayor of Hendersonville
Jerry Smith, Jr. won the mayoral race in Hendersonville with 54.06% of the vote, defeating Councilwoman Jennifer Hensley, who garnered 45.76%. Smith served as a city councilman from 2009 to 2023 and will replace Barbara Volk, who was elected to the City Council in 1989 and did not seek reelection.
In the City Council, councilwomen Gina Baxter and Melinda Lowrance were re-elected.
The other legislative contests
Republican Tim Moffitt retained his seat in the 48th State Senate District, which encompasses all of Henderson County and precincts in other counties. He won in Henderson by just 632 votes, but in the rest of the district, he pulled ahead, finishing with 55.20% of the vote compared to 44.80% for Democrat Doyle G. Brown, Jr.
Republican Jake Johnson was also re-elected in the state House's 113th district, which includes eight precincts in Henderson. He won 58.56% of the vote, compared to 41.44% for Democrat John Morgan.
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Other local disputes
Sheriff Lowell Griffin was re-elected unopposed, as were Commissioners J. Michael Edney, Rudd Orr, and Rebecca K. McCall of Districts 1, 3, and 4. District Attorney Andrew Murray of District 42, Superior Court Clerk J. Tyler Ray, and Property Registrar Lee King were also unopposed.
In Mills River, Sandra Goode won Council District 1 with 68.85% of the vote, and Jerry Frady won District 3 with 55.95%. James Cantrell ran unopposed in District 2.
In Fletcher, Mayor Preston Blakely and Councillor Trevor C. Lance were re-elected unopposed. In Flat Rock, John Gerni, Roger Bass, and Barbara W. Jeter, the only candidates, will fill the three up-and-coming village council seats.
The results are not yet official. The Henderson County Board of Elections will review the provisional ballots and conduct the official count on Friday, November 13.
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