{"biography":"Kimberly Ann \"Kim\" Roney is a current Asheville City Council member who has entered the 2026 race for mayor of Asheville, North Carolina, with the general election slated for Nov.\u202f3, 2026 [16][17]. As a councilmember since 2020, she serves on the city\u2019s legislative body and works alongside the city manager on policy initiatives.\n\nRoney was raised in Asheville and has deep ties to the community. Sources differ on her college education: she is reported to have graduated from the University of North Carolina at Asheville [16][17] and also to hold a degree in Music Industry from James Madison University, earned after moving to Asheville in 2006 [19]. She works as a music educator, piano technician, and small\u2011business owner, and she helped found and serve as the station manager of 103.3 Asheville\u202fFM, a community radio station.\n\nBefore her council service, Roney served on several city advisory boards, gaining experience in local governance and community outreach. She previously ran for mayor in 2022, advancing through the municipal primary before losing to incumbent Esther Manheimer in the general election [16][17].\n\nIn her 2026 campaign, Roney emphasizes three core priorities. First, affordability: she proposes building deeply affordable housing on city\u2011owned land, partnering on home\u2011repair programs, investing in resilient infrastructure, directing Helene disaster\u2011relief funds to local businesses, and completing long\u2011awaited transit and multimodal projects [12][16]. Second, public safety: she plans to work with the new city manager, DK\u202fWesley, on collaborative solutions addressing mental\u2011health and behavioral\u2011health needs, homelessness, and preventing intimate\u2011partner and gun violence [12]. Third, representation: she seeks to mobilize voter turnout in 2026 to secure elected officials at all levels who will invest in Western North Carolina\u2019s health and well\u2011being [12].\n\nRoney also cites advancing climate action and neighborhood resiliency as part of her platform, echoing a Labor\u2011Day social\u2011media post that highlighted affordability, climate, and public\u2011safety responses as key goals [16][17]. Her campaign narrative stresses community solidarity, resource sharing, and grassroots engagement, urging residents to participate in door\u2011to\u2011door outreach, digital organizing, and other volunteer activities to build a stronger, more connected Asheville [12][19].\n\n## Sources\n- [11] [Kim Roney for Asheville (@KimRoneyforAsheville)](https://www.facebook.com/KimRoneyforAsheville/)\n- [12] [Looking ahead: Council member Kim Roney emphasizes community solidarity and getting out the vote in 2026 \u2013 Mountain Xpress](https://mountainx.com/news/local-government/council-member-kim-roney-emphasizes-community-solidarity-and-getting-out-the-vote-in-2026/)\n- [16] [Asheville City Council member Kim Roney enters 2026 mayoral race | WUNC News](https://www.wunc.org/2025-09-02/asheville-city-council-member-kim-roney-enters-2026-mayoral-race)\n- [17] [Asheville City Council member Kim Roney enters 2026 mayoral race](https://www.bpr.org/bpr-news/2025-09-02/asheville-city-council-member-kim-roney-enters-2026-mayoral-race)\n- [19] [Home - Kim Roney for Mayor](https://kimroney4asheville.com/)","campaigns":[{"contest":"asheville_city_mayor","county":"buncombe","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"City Of Asheville Mayor"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Kimberly","fullname":"Kimberly Ann Roney","lastname":"Roney","middlename":"Ann","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"asheville_city_mayor","contest_title":"City Of Asheville Mayor","county":"buncombe","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":"buncombe","office_key":"city_mayor","office_title":"Mayor","party":"","pgr":"general","state":"NC"}],"county":"buncombe","cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"asheville_city_mayor","contest_title":"City Of Asheville Mayor","county":"buncombe","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":"buncombe","office_key":"city_mayor","office_title":"Mayor","party":"","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},"party":"","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"city_mayor","office_title":"Mayor","state":"NC","terms":[]}],"summary":"Kim Roney, an Asheville City Council member since 2020, is running for mayor in 2026 with priorities of affordable housing, public safety, and voter mobilization.","terms":[],"token":"cade77272b666de4"}