Board of Elections Meeting | May 21, 2026

The Buncombe County Board of Elections held a meeting on May 21, 2026, primarily focused on budget and staffing issues related to election services. Key discussions included the Board's budget growth from $2.3 million to $3.3 million and staff increase from seven to twelve over recent years, as well as the complexities of budgeting within the county's general government function. The Board expressed concerns about the organizational chart misrepresenting the Board of Elections' independent reporting structure, emphasizing that the Elections Director reports to the State Board of Elections, not county management. Human Resources and Budget Directors provided detailed explanations of the county's budgeting process, salary determinations, classification and compensation studies, and hiring protocols. The Board sought greater clarity and control over salary and hiring decisions for election staff, highlighting the need to review and possibly revise the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the county to better define roles and authority. No specific contract awards or procurement actions were discussed, but the meeting underscored ongoing efforts to align budgetary and personnel processes with the Board's statutory independence. The Board scheduled a follow-up meeting to continue these discussions and review a badge access resolution.