Asheville has a cornucopia of candidates to choose from for the city council election in November. With 3 open seats up for grabs, 6 candidates are in the running — including 2 incumbents and 4 challengers. Only half of them will be elected by Asheville’s citizens.

But who are they?

Candidate profiles are listed in the order of which they were interviewed. City council incumbent Kim Roney (I) who is running for reelection could not be reached for an interview.

Tod Leaven (D) – “Building an Asheville We All Deserve”
Raised in Chicago, Leaven calls himself a “Continuous Ashevillian since 1993.” Leaven is an Army veteran, having served in combat in Kosovo and Iraq.

He says he was able to buy a house in 2005 when he returned from the Army and was waiting tables at the Grove Park Inn.

Leaven’s campaign calls for treating “homelessness as a housing issue” by creating more affordable housing, fiscal responsibility and “restorative justice.”

Leaven has a wife, Jessica, and three daughters, Hannah, Elenor and Abigail. Leaven owns and operates Leaven Law with his wife, is the chair of the board for the Montford Park Players, and serves as an adjunct clinical assistant professor of law at UNC School of Law.

“I have a profound realization… [that] the unhoused are people,” said Leaven. His view of those experiencing homelessness is informed by his twin sister who died on the streets of Asheville.

“No parent should outlive their kids.”

Leaven says he is inspired by presidents Truman, Lincoln, Obama and Bush Sr. as well as General Grant and Bob Dole.

Bo Hess (D) – “A Thriving Asheville for Everyone”
Born in Lubbock, Texas at Reese Air Force Base, Bo Hess became a “Proud North Carolinian and a proud Ashevillian” later. Hess works as a psychiatric social worker, training the Asheville Police Department on addressing mental illness challenges with the unhoused. He also works as a clinical supervisor and professor at Western Carolina University in “psychiatric social work.”

Hess is running because he believes “We need people besides business owners and attorneys” in office. His campaign focuses on public health by addressing safety on the streets, “addressing the mental health and homelessness issue” and addressing affordable housing. He is also concerned about the growth of AI technology and climate change.

Hess says that internally, his campaign team has changed his slogan to “Always Hustle for the Common Good,” yet they often shorten it to “Hustle, Hustle, Hustle.”

Hess is inspired by U.S. Representative Jasmine Crocket (TX) because “she’s no b.s.”

C.J. Domingo (R) – “Progress with Prudence”
An Asheville native, C.J. Domingo learned to swim at Malvern Hills pool in a city he called “a place for everybody.” Domingo laments, “I feel like we’ve lost that welcoming.”

Domingo is a former director of transportation for the city of Asheville and currently works in logistics for Loomis Securitas in South Asheville.

Domingo’s father, a Philippine immigrant, worked for the city for 40 years. Domingo is concerned that there is less “training and maintaining… than when my dad worked there.” Back then, Domingo claims, the “city took active investment in those folks… [but] the city does not invest in people in the long view [anymore].”

Domingo believes the “city’s job is to give people more bang for their buck.” He calls for “open and accountable governance” and offers himself to voters as a candidate who is “principled toward the long focus but pragmatic in the short focus.”

Domingo says he was inspired by presidents Washington, Lincoln and John Adams.

Kevan Frazier (D) – “An Asheville Everyone Can Call Home”
As an Asheville native, Kevan Frazier says, “I grew up in a time when Asheville was really struggling… I’ve seen it turn into a mountain metropolis.” Frazier is the executive director of programs in Asheville for Western Carolina University and the owner of Well-Played Board Games.

Frazier says he jumped into the race because he was “Getting concerned that major initiatives have been taking too much time to get going.”

For his campaign, Frazier is focusing on changing laws around new housing, “equity and environmental” challenges and “repairing the damage of systemic racism in our government.” He also wants to support law enforcement by hiring more officers, saying “The big issue right now is there’s not enough coverage… they need more staff.”

“I don’t think it’s wise to dip into savings,” Frazier says, concerned about the current deficit the city is running at. He hopes to balance the books if elected.

Frazier says he is inspired by presidents Washington, Lincoln, and F.D. Roosevelt.

Sage Turner (D, Incumbent) – “Reelect Sage Turner for Asheville”
Having lived in Asheville for nearly 25 years, Sage Turner has a long history as a community member. She manages the finances and development plans for the French Broad Food Co-Op, a local “community owned grocery store… [with] about 3,000 members of the community [as] owners,” according to Turner.

Turner has been in office since 2020. She serves on the Planning & Economic Development Council Committee, the Equity & Engagement Council Committee and as chair of the Housing & Community Development, which she says, “is my number one concern.”

Turner has a son, Dylan, who is a senior at Appalachian State College.

Turner first ran for office after “the Flat Iron was voted in to become a hotel.” For her, that vote highlighted Asheville “grow[ing] very quickly without government infrastructure.”

“It’s really important to me that downtown is a vibrant city center,” she says.

Turner says she is inspired by North Carolina State Senator Julie Mayfield who served on the Asheville City Council before Turner was elected.

Editor’s note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated Tod Leaven was able to afford his home on his Applebee’s salary. This story has been updated with the correct information.