Esther and her husband Mark Harris are raising three boys. The boys attend UNC-Chapel Hill and NC State. Mark is a social studies teacher at Enka High and a wrestling coach. Esther and Mark are proud graduates of our local public schools, are active in community life, and treasure time with their parents and extended family here in Buncombe County.

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Esther was first elected to the Asheville City Council in 2009, and elected Vice-Mayor by her peers in 2011.  She was elected Mayor in 2013, 2017, and 2022.  As mayor, Esther has focused her attention on achieving greater equity for all residents of Asheville through community investments in housing, infrastructure, and city services. 

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Esther serves on several local, state, and national boards and commissions, and is the past Chair of the North Carolina Metropolitan Mayors Coalition. 

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Esther graduated from Asheville High School, earned a BA from the University of Colorado at Boulder and earned her Juris Doctor and Masters of Public Administration from UNC—Chapel Hill.  She is a partner in the Van Winkle Law Firm in Asheville, where she specializes in land and commercial litigation.