{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nDrew Ball, whose legal name is Daryl Andrew Ball, is a candidate for Asheville City Council in Buncombe County, North Carolina [1]. He is currently serving as a Buncombe County Commissioner representing District 3, a seat he chose not to seek re-election for after Republican legislators redrew partisan maps [2][3]. Ball led the March 3, 2026 primary field in a 20-candidate race with approximately 16 percent of the vote and advanced to the November general election, in which three seats are available [4][5].\n\nBall's Asheville City Council campaign centers on Hurricane Helene recovery, expanding housing options through zoning reform and partnerships with nonprofits, and economic vitality through streamlined permitting and support for local businesses and the arts [2][7].\n\n## Background and education\nBall grew up attending public schools in Western North Carolina. His mother was a special education teacher and his sister serves as superintendent of a large Western North Carolina school district [2]. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from NC State University and a Master of Public Administration from American University [2].\n\n## Career\nBall currently serves as Southeast Campaigns Director at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) [6]. Previously he served as Director of Environment North Carolina and has held roles with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, the Sierra Club, and the North Carolina General Assembly [2]. As a Buncombe County Commissioner, he focused on budget management, infrastructure investment, housing initiatives, and disaster recovery following Hurricane Helene [7]. He also served as Western Regional Director for Voter Protection during the 2020 Biden-Harris campaign [2].\n\nBall is a volunteer firefighter with Reynolds Volunteer Fire Department and served as Chief Public Information Officer during the Hurricane Helene emergency response [2]. He is a board member of the NC Sierra Club and a section maintainer for the Mountains-to-Sea Trail [2]. He is also an accomplished musician, performing with local bands [2].\n\n## Family\nBall is engaged to his partner Meaghan, with whom he shares their home along with two rescue dogs [2].\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Drew Ball files for Asheville City Council \u2013 Mountain Xpress](https://mountainx.com/blogwire/drew-ball-files-for-asheville-city-council/)\n- [2] [Drew Ball for Asheville City Council \u2013 ball4yall.com](https://www.ball4yall.com/)\n- [3] [Buncombe County Commissioner District 3 \u2013 Buncombe County](https://www.buncombenc.gov/directory.aspx?eid=166)\n- [4] [Asheville City Council primary results \u2013 BPR](https://www.bpr.org/2026-03-03/asheville-city-council-primary-all-incumbents-plus-ball-young-and-burroughs-move-forward)\n- [5] [6 Asheville City Council candidates advance to Nov. election \u2013 WLOS](https://wlos.com/news/local/asheville-city-council-candidates-advance-november-election-3-seats-available-drew-ball-maggie-ullman-jeffrey-burroughs-keith-young-antanette-mosley-sheneika-e-smith)\n- [6] [Drew Ball \u2013 BPR](https://www.bpr.org/drew-ball)\n- [7] [2026 City Council Candidate Survey \u2013 Drew Ball \u2013 Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce](https://www.ashevillechamber.org/news-events/2026-city-council-candidate-survey-drew-ball/)\n","campaigns":[{"contest":"asheville_city_council","county":"buncombe","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"City Of Asheville City Council"},{"contest":"asheville_city_council","county":"buncombe","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"City Of Asheville City Council"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Daryl","fullname":"Daryl Andrew Ball","lastname":"Ball","middlename":"Andrew","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"asheville_city_council","contest_title":"City Of Asheville City Council","county":"buncombe","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":"buncombe","office_key":"city_council","office_title":"City Council Member","party":"","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},{"contest":"asheville_city_council","contest_title":"City Of Asheville City Council","county":"buncombe","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-03-03","office_county":"buncombe","office_key":"city_council","office_title":"City Council Member","party":"","pgr":"general","state":"NC"}],"county":"buncombe","cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"asheville_city_council","contest_title":"City Of Asheville City Council","county":"buncombe","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-03-03","office_county":"buncombe","office_key":"city_council","office_title":"City Council Member","party":"","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},"party":"","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"city_council","office_title":"City Council Member","state":"NC","terms":[]}],"summary":"Drew Ball is a candidate for Asheville City Council in North Carolina, receiving an endorsement from Asheville For All in February 2026.","terms":[],"token":"b7a4febcfd7cc9de"}