Buncombe County canvass: board certifies primary after audits, sustains three ballot challenges

The Buncombe County Board of Elections certified the March 13 primary on March 13, 2026 after staff presented audit reports for absentee, early voting, provisional and election-day ballots and the board sustained three individual ballot challenges.

Board members reviewed staff presentations that showed 30,772 early-voting ballots, 23,267 election-day ballots, 831 accepted absentee ballots after one challenged absentee was removed and 175 provisional ballots, producing a combined total of 55,045 ballots counted in the canvass. The board recorded turnout at roughly 26 percent.

The chair outlined the day’s process and deadlines and directed staff presentations. ‘‘These are the official results,’’ the chair said as staff confirmed the completed audits and the documents required for signature.

Staff presented the challenge log and supporting evidence for three challenged ballots. The board sustained each challenge after review: one absentee ballot that staff said belonged to a voter who had died before election day; one ballot that was originally cast on the wrong ballot style even though the voter later voted on the correct ballot; and a third challenge where staff recommended removal based on the documentation. Each sustaining action was handled by motion and voice vote.

During the canvass staff reported four instances in which voters left the polling enclosure with ballots. ‘‘We researched the polling places, did ballot matching and looked everywhere for them,’’ elections staff member Deon said. Staff said two of those voters were contacted without response and the remaining two incidents were discovered too late to recover ballots; the four voters were recorded as not having voted in the voter-history record for those precincts.

Elections staff said the absentee audit initially showed 832 accepted absentee ballots, but that figure fell to 831 after the board sustained the challenge related to a deceased voter. Staff also noted the breakdown of accepted absentee ballots as roughly 88 percent civilian, 1 percent military and 11 percent overseas ballots.

Board members recessed briefly so staff could print the required abstracts and reports. After reconvening, a motion to accept the abstract and the reports was made, seconded and approved by voice vote. Board members signed three sets of the abstract and packet required by statute; staff said one set will be mailed to the State Board of Elections, one filed with the clerk of court and one retained by the county, and municipal recipients will also receive copies where applicable.

Staff said the abstract is dated March 13, 2026 and that the signed packets will be mailed by the clerk. The chair noted the statutory deadline for filing an election protest is 5:00 p.m. two days after canvass and that a recount request deadline also applies; staff said they did not anticipate protests or recounts for this canvass.

The board thanked elections staff for the audit work and the canvass process and adjourned; the board’s next meeting was set for April 14 to address routine business including approval of minutes.