Buncombe County advances plan for consolidated warehouse to house elections operations

At a meeting of the Buncombe County Board of Elections, county project managers and elections staff presented advance planning for a consolidated county warehouse intended to relocate storage and operations now dispersed across multiple county buildings and to provide a secure, dedicated area for election operations.

The project team described the draft planning footprint, security features and a preliminary timetable. Robert Brown, an architect and project manager with Buncombe County General Services, said the draft total building size being discussed is about "90,000 to 100,000 square feet" in early planning and that the elections program is currently planned for roughly 31,467 square feet within that building. "The entire building will be classified as secure," Brown said, adding that elections would be built as a higher security area inside the facility.

Why it matters: Elections staff currently operate from multiple county locations (including 50 Cox and Valley Street floors) and officials said consolidation aims to remove storage and operations from sites slated for affordable housing and to provide training, secure storage and centralized logistics during peak periods such as voter‑night returns.

Key facts and numbers

- Draft total building area: 90,000–100,000 sq. ft. (advance planning, subject to change). - Draft elections allocation: 31,467 sq. ft. (bench planning draft); within that, full‑time storage and operations 27,212 sq. ft. and a training/multipurpose area 4,255 sq. ft. - Current elections footprint cited in the meeting: 21,981 sq. ft. across multiple sites (including 50 Cox at 10,621 sq. ft.; Valley Street third floor 1,960 sq. ft.; Valley Street fifth floor 5,300 sq. ft.). - Parking planning: 80–100 standard spaces contemplated (80 for training, 100 for peak election night vehicle flow), plus space for box trucks and vans and dedicated loading/drop‑off.

Security and operations

Brown and county staff said the building will be secured with camera surveillance, controlled badge access and discrete high‑security envelopes around areas used by elections and other high‑security functions (the sheriff’s evidence area was cited as another example). Brown described that departments would have dedicated controlled access inside the secure facility: "I can't get in with my badge. I can get into the facility because we'll have a space in the facility. But from within that, I won't be able to go into elections." He added that receiving and delivery would be scheduled and monitored to prevent unscheduled drop‑offs.

Timeline, next steps and contingencies

Project staff described the current next steps as completing advanced planning, producing a building schematic layout and a schematic site plan (showing parking, roads and delivery zones), conducting geotechnical testing and producing a preliminary cost estimate. Brown gave a target to finish the advanced planning phase in September, after which schematic design (if approved) would follow; Brown said schematic and design phases typically take several months and that design‑to‑bid may take approximately 8–9 months. County staff noted that project progression will depend on identifying funding and commissioner approval of budgets and contracts.

Board members raised timing concerns tied to an affordable housing project that may require relocation of the current Cox Avenue warehouse. Commissioners and board members asked for clarity about hard deadlines and contingency plans to avoid disruption of the 2026 election cycle; county project staff said options include renting interim space or relocating to a permanent alternative if the consolidated facility is not ready in time.

Board input and operational detail

Members of the Board of Elections emphasized the need for elections staff to be closely involved in schematic design because of non‑flexible operational dates and peak demands. Several board members pressed for explicit provisions and coordination so that election operations would not be disrupted during construction or while vacating existing sites. Brown and county staff said the data collected from elections (detailed spreadsheets and diagrams of current space use) are intended to translate into layouts for either temporary or permanent sites if needed.

What comes next

County staff will complete the advanced planning package and return with a schematic plan and preliminary cost estimates; any move into schematic design and construction will require separate approvals and funding decisions. County staff said they will continue to update the board as planning and budget decisions progress.