ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Buncombe County sheriff candidate Victor “Vic” Morman is facing a formal challenge to his eligibility to run for office, an issue that will be considered during a special meeting of the Buncombe County Board of Elections on Jan. 20.

The meeting is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. and will address a protest filed against Morman’s candidacy ahead of the 2026 primary election. The challenge possibly centers on Morman’s voter registration history and party affiliation changes in the months leading up to his filing.

Morman, a former Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office sergeant, said he is confident he meets all legal requirements to run and expects the matter to be resolved at the hearing.

“I have to prove that I’m in compliance with everything,” Morman said. “If someone believes they have evidence otherwise, they’ll have to present it.”

According to campaign finance and election records maintained by Buncombe County Election Services, Morman’s party affiliation changed in 2025.

Records show Morman registered as an unaffiliated voter in June 2019. After voting in the Democratic primary in 2022, he changed his registration to Democrat on Sept. 8, 2025. Three days later, on Sept. 11, he filed a Statement of Organization for his campaign committee, listing himself as a Democrat.

On Sept. 19, Morman filed paperwork to change his voter registration to Republican. His campaign committee was amended on Sept. 26 to reflect a Republican affiliation. On Dec. 18 — 90 days after becoming a registered Republican — Morman formally filed to run in the Republican primary for sheriff. Candidate filing closed Dec. 19.

Morman said the timeline demonstrates his eligibility and rejects suggestions circulating on social media that his candidacy was orchestrated to influence the race.

“I’ve been talking about running for more than a year and a half,” he said. “If people took the time to know me, they’d know those claims aren’t true.”

The sheriff’s race includes Democratic candidate Quentin Miller and Republican candidate Gary Parris.

Morman said his decision to run was driven by concerns about leadership and morale within the sheriff’s office. He cited staffing shortages, which he estimated at 70 to 80 deputies, and said improving morale would be his first priority if elected.

“Leadership sets the tone,” he said. “Morale is bad right now, and that affects everything.”

Morman also said he would order an independent audit of the sheriff’s office property room if elected, citing concerns about evidence handling and transparency.

During his law enforcement career, which began in 1996, Morman said he served in patrol, as a school resource officer, as a supervisor with the DWI task force and in community-oriented policing roles. He worked for the Asheville Police Department for more than 12 years and later at the Buncombe County Department of Social Services. He is now a business owner, operating A Plus Transportation, which he said he has owned for about 13 years.

Morman, a Buncombe County native, said he understands not all voters support his candidacy but remains focused on the election.

“I’m just running for office,” he said. “People will see the facts, and they’ll make their own decision.”