This article was originally published by the Asheville Watchdog.
The scrutiny surrounding Asheville Vice Mayor Antanette Mosley has intensified as the North Carolina State Board of Elections investigates her residency claims. While serving on Asheville’s City Council, Mosley has been benefiting from a primary-residence tax break on a property in Atlanta, raising questions about her compliance with local election laws.
Jason Tyson, the board’s director of external affairs, confirmed the investigation, stating, “We have logged an incident regarding Ms. Mosley’s residency and are looking into it.” However, he refrained from providing further details on the investigation’s scope.
The Board of Elections is tasked with probing potential election law breaches, including unlawful voting activities and voter registration fraud. These probes can originate from various entities such as political parties, candidates, or private citizens.
According to a report by Asheville Watchdog, Mosley has consistently received primary-residence tax exemptions on her Atlanta home over the past five years. Despite this, her election documents reflect Asheville as her place of residence, a requisite for her city council position.
Fulton County Tax Assessor property records
Florence Brooks, the exemption manager at the Fulton County Assessor’s Office, stated that Mosley has requested to remove the homestead exemption on her Atlanta property retroactively to 2018. This exemption, intended for owner-occupied residences, had saved her over $19,000 from 2018 to 2025.
Brooks noted that Mosley will need to pay the back taxes. In Georgia, falsely claiming a homestead exemption is criminal only if the exemption is claimed elsewhere.
In a separate matter, voting records reveal Mosley participated in elections in both Georgia and North Carolina between 2008 and 2014, including voting in two different primaries in 2012. The NC Local initially reported Mosley’s dual-state voting history.
Mosley’s attorney, Gene Ellison, challenged the evidence of her voting in two states, questioning the timing of media inquiries just before the candidate filing deadline. “Go fishing somewhere else, young man,” he remarked to a Watchdog reporter.
While dual voter registration is not illegal, federal and state laws prohibit voting more than once in the same election. These laws carry severe penalties, including fines and imprisonment. Proving such violations is complex, as different states have varying definitions and regulations regarding double voting.
Residency and Tax Status Under Scrutiny
Since 2002, Mosley has benefited from a primary-residency tax break on her Atlanta home. Simultaneously, her voter registration and candidacy filings list Asheville addresses. Recently, she disclosed that she does not reside at her listed Asheville residence but temporarily rents an apartment for safety reasons.
Starr Sariego
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The Asheville Watchdog
Her voter registration in Georgia was canceled in 2014 due to her relocation out of the state. Mosley later applied for a position on the Asheville City Council in 2020, using the Devonshire address, and was appointed. She was reelected in 2022 and recently filed to run for city council again, continuing to use the same address.
The complexities of election laws make it challenging to assess whether Mosley’s actions constitute double voting. While state laws often prohibit voting more than once in the “same election,” interpretations can vary, especially when voting occurs across state lines. Experts note that while having dual voter registrations is not a crime, being registered in multiple states can lead to public scrutiny, particularly for public officials.
Western Carolina University political scientist Chris Cooper highlighted the public perception issues arising from Mosley’s voting and tax records, similar to the situation faced by former Rep. Mark Meadows. Cooper emphasized that public officials are expected to maintain clear and orderly records.
