Esther Elizabeth Manheimer

Esther Elizabeth Manheimer is the incumbent mayor of Asheville, North Carolina, and is seeking re‑election in the non‑partisan race for City of Asheville Mayor on November 3, 2026. As mayor, she serves as the city’s chief executive, overseeing municipal operations, proposing the annual budget, appointing department heads, and representing Asheville in regional and state matters [6].

Manheimer was born on July 24, 1971, in Skyum Bjerge, Thy, Denmark, to American expatriate parents and moved to the United States at age three. She grew up in several western states before settling in Asheville at 17 [6]. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology from the University of Colorado Boulder in 1993 [6] and later attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she received a Juris Doctor and a Master of Public Administration in 1997 [6].

After law school, Manheimer returned to Asheville in 2002 and practiced law, focusing on commercial litigation, land use, and land disputes as a principal at the Van Winkle Law Firm [6]. She entered public service by winning a seat on the Asheville City Council in 2009, where she served until 2013 [6]. In the 2013 municipal election she was elected mayor, taking office on December 10, 2013, and has been re‑elected in 2017, 2021 and 2022 [6][15].

During her tenure, Manheimer has championed several initiatives. She opposed North Carolina’s Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act in 2016 [6] and helped launch the Mayors Organized for Reparations and Equity (MORE) coalition in 2021, positioning Asheville among the first cities to explore reparations‑related investments [6]. She has overseen the passage of major bond measures for open‑space conservation and affordable housing, including a $30 million greenways bond and a $40 million housing bond approved by Buncombe County voters in 2022 [15]. In response to Hurricane Helene, she met with President Joe Biden and Governor Roy Cooper aboard Marine One to discuss disaster relief in 2024 [6]. She also co‑authored a joint statement in 2025 affirming Asheville’s stance against federal immigration enforcement actions and emphasizing community safety [3].

Manheimer’s platform for the 2026 race continues to focus on affordable housing, equity investments, climate resilience, and fiscal responsibility. She has spoken publicly about reparations as “investment in communities that have been underserved historically,” citing urban‑renewal displacement and proposing grant programs to restore generational wealth [20]. Her record of working with the city council, securing bond funding, and engaging in regional policy debates positions her as a seasoned municipal leader seeking another term.

Manheimer is married to Mark David Harris, a longtime educator and wrestling coach, and they have three sons [6]. She remains active in the local Jewish community and is the third Jewish mayor in Asheville’s history [6].

Sources

• [1] Esther Manheimer (Mayor of Asheville, North Carolina, candidate 2022) - Ballotpedia
• [3] Joint Statement from Mayor Esther Manheimer, Board of Commissioners Chair Amanda Edwards, and Members of Asheville City Council and the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners - The City of Asheville
• [6] Esther Manheimer - Wikipedia
• [8] News briefs: Mayor Esther Manheimer to hold gerrymandering press conference | Mountain Xpress
• [11] 2022 Primary Voter Guide: Asheville Mayor – Mountain Xpress
• [15] Asheville Mayor Manheimer wins reelection, Buncombe voters pass bond measures
• [20] Mayor: Reparations, past racial discrimination can mean 'investment' | North Carolina | thecentersquare.com