Politics

Arrive early, bring no signs to congressman's town hall

U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards is shown in a Lightning file photo.

By Lightning Reports, Published: March 3, 2025

U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards will host an in-person town hall to share an update on legislative issues affecting North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District and to hear from constituents.

The town hall will be 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 13, in Ferguson Auditorium at A-B Tech in Asheville. On Tuesday Edwards announced additional details for the event:

• Doors will open at 5 p.m. 
• Attendees must be constituents of the 11th congressional district. 
• The event will be open until the venue is full; no tickets are required. 
• The following items will not be allowed in the auditorium: large bags or purses; signs; guns, knives or other weapons; noisemakers; loudspeakers or megaphones.

Edwards's announcement of the public event last week came as town halls by other congressmen and U.S. senators had drawn crowds of constituents angry over the Trump administration's mass layoffs and cuts to federal programs. Edwards will share an update on Hurricane Helene recovery efforts and take questions from the audience, his office said.

“I’ve had many constituents ask me lately if I could hold another live town hall," Edwards said in a news release. "The answer is most emphatically, yes. Being accessible, listening, and answering questions for the people of WNC are among my favorite activities, even if we might not always agree. That is why in my first term as a congressman, I held eight in-person town halls. I am eager to host the ninth one in Asheville."