My Grandmothers Couldn’t Vote Freely, but Today I’m the Mayor

My grandmothers couldn’t vote freely, but today I’m the mayor

This opinion column is syndicated by Beacon Media and is available to republish for free anywhere under our guidelines. My grandmothers were born during a time when their race made casting a ballot dangerous. Now, their grandson has been elected mayor. My name is Preston Blakely, and I was elected to serve Fletcher, North Carolina, a small town of a little more than 8,000, just south of Asheville. I’ve served as mayor since 2021: Elected at 27, …

Fletcher mayor looks ahead while honoring his family's legacy - Hendersonville Lightning

My grandmothers were born in a time when their race made casting a ballot dangerous. Now, their grandson is a mayor.