Julie Mayfield was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. She attended Davidson College for her undergraduate education and later went to law school at Emory University. 

Julie is an attorney and environmental advocate who has served as the executive director of the Western North Carolina Alliance, now known as MountainTrue. She has worked for Amnesty International USA, the Georgia Justice Project, the Atlanta Community Food Bank, and as vice president and general counsel at the Georgia Conservancy. Mayfield also ran Emory Law School's environmental law clinic.

Julie Mayfield currently serves as the  State Senator in State Senate District 49. She was elected in 2020 and is serving her second term. She previously served on Asheville’s City Council starting in 2015. 

Candidate website

As a City Council member, fought for better public transit and more affordable housing to make Asheville more affordable.

As a City Council member, advocated for improved public transit and more affordable housing.

Supports increasing the minimum wage to $15/hour statewide.

Wants to increase the minimum wage to $15/hour statewide.

Plans to secure authority for the City and County to raise additional revenue from tourism through mechanisms like sales taxes or a food-and-beverage tax.

Supports securing changes to Buncombe County’s occupancy tax law to increase funding for community projects.

Supports SB 179 to allow Asheville to fund its transit system through a sales tax instead of general fund dollars.

Sponsored Senate Bill (SB) 179 to allow Asheville to fund its transit system through a sales tax instead of general fund dollars. This bill was ultimately defeated.

Supports amending property tax exemptions to help long-time homeowners reduce displacement and gentrification.

Supports amending property tax exemptions to help long-time homeowners "reduce displacement and gentrification."

Plans to redirect hotel tax dollars to community priorities like affordable housing, public transit, sidewalks, and parking.

Supports local governments adopting inclusionary zoning, green building standards, tree ordinances, and impact fees to increase affordable housing.

Plans to address the affordability crisis by tackling high housing prices and rents that outpace paychecks, leaving working-class people behind.

Plans to address the "affordability crisis" by tackling high housing and rent prices.

- As a City Council member, advocated for improved public transit and more affordable housing.
- Wants to increase the minimum wage to $15/hour statewide.
- Plans to secure authority for the City and County to raise additional revenue from tourism through mechanisms like sales taxes or a food-and-beverage tax.
- Supports securing changes to Buncombe County’s occupancy tax law to increase funding for community projects.
- Sponsored Senate Bill (SB) 179 to allow Asheville to fund its transit system through a sales tax instead of general fund dollars. This bill was ultimately defeated.
- Supports amending property tax exemptions to help long-time homeowners "reduce displacement and gentrification."
- Plans to redirect hotel tax dollars to community priorities like affordable housing, public transit, sidewalks, and parking.
- Supports local governments adopting inclusionary zoning, green building standards, tree ordinances, and impact fees to increase affordable housing.
- Plans to address the "affordability crisis" by tackling high housing and rent prices.

Economy

As a State Senator, played a leading role in adopting H951, a bipartisan bill for a clean energy future. Supports making the region more resilient to climate change, investing in transportation and EV infrastructure, and protecting low-income residents during the clean energy transition.

As a State Senator, helped adopt a bipartisan bill for a "clean energy" future. Supports making the region more resilient to climate change, investing in transportation and electric vehicle infrastructure, and protecting low-income residents during the clean energy transition.

Supports protecting public lands, monitoring water quality, and advocating for better transportation alternatives. As Co-Director of MountainTrue, led efforts to clean up coal ash pits, retire a coal-fired power plant, and secure funding for environmental projects.

As a State Senator, worked on bipartisan energy legislation requiring a 70% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 and 100% carbon neutrality by 2050.

Believes in reducing fossil fuel use, investing in climate resilience, and creating green jobs that pay a living wage. Said, “climate change disproportionately impacts poor and working class people” and must be addressed equitably.

Believes in reducing fossil fuel use and that “climate change disproportionately impacts poor and working-class people” and must be addressed equitably.

Supports SB 451 to ban single-use plastics, non-recyclable food service products, and plastic bags.

Supports SB 451 to ban single-use plastics, non-recyclable food service products, and plastic bags. This bill was ultimately defeated.

Believes we must choose between "climate catastrophe" and building a more environmentally responsible society. Warns that without adaptation, we face 4-6 degrees of warming by century's end, incompatible with human civilization.

Supports investing in climate-resilient infrastructure and communities, including funding for disaster preparedness, response, and creating distributed energy systems.

Wants to increase funding for disaster preparedness, response, and creating distributed energy systems.

Believes we must "maintain existing forests and green spaces" and expand them to reduce flooding, cool surface temperatures, and enhance carbon sequestration.

Supports passing a Green New Deal for North Carolina to create jobs in clean energy sectors.

Believes humans have warmed the planet by 1 degree Celsius, causing melting ice caps, rising sea levels, human displacement, and severe natural disasters.

- As a State Senator, helped adopt a bipartisan bill for a "clean energy" future. Supports making the region more resilient to climate change, investing in transportation and electric vehicle infrastructure, and protecting low-income residents during the clean energy transition.
- Supports protecting public lands, monitoring water quality, and advocating for better transportation alternatives. As Co-Director of MountainTrue, led efforts to clean up coal ash pits, retire a coal-fired power plant, and secure funding for environmental projects.
- As a State Senator, worked on bipartisan energy legislation requiring a 70% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 and 100% carbon neutrality by 2050.
- Believes in reducing fossil fuel use and that “climate change disproportionately impacts poor and working-class people” and must be addressed equitably.
- Supports SB 451 to ban single-use plastics, non-recyclable food service products, and plastic bags. This bill was ultimately defeated.
- Believes we must choose between "climate catastrophe" and building a more environmentally responsible society. Warns that without adaptation, we face 4-6 degrees of warming by century's end, incompatible with human civilization.
- Wants to increase funding for disaster preparedness, response, and creating distributed energy systems.
- Believes we must "maintain existing forests and green spaces" and expand them to reduce flooding, cool surface temperatures, and enhance carbon sequestration.
- Supports passing a Green New Deal for North Carolina to create jobs in clean energy sectors.
- Believes humans have warmed the planet by 1 degree Celsius, causing melting ice caps, rising sea levels, human displacement, and severe natural disasters.

Energy & the Environment

Supports Medicaid expansion and better health policies to address equity.

Believes abortion access is critical and urges voting for pro-choice candidates to protect reproductive rights.

Believes abortion decisions should remain between individuals and their doctors, not the government. Plans to "ensure reproductive freedom remains legal in NC."

Supports expanding Medicaid to cover mental health, dental, and vision care.

Believes healthcare and equity are interconnected, requiring access to housing, food, transportation, safety, education, and economic stability.

- Believes abortion access is critical.
- Believes abortion decisions should remain between individuals and their doctors, not the government. Plans to "ensure reproductive freedom remains legal in NC."
- Supports expanding Medicaid to cover mental health, dental, and vision care.
- Believes healthcare and equity are interconnected, requiring access to housing, food, transportation, safety, education, and economic stability.

Healthcare

Supports fair elections and opposes gerrymandering, believing it undermines democratic representation.

Believes the General Assembly overreached by imposing voting districts and eliminating primaries in Asheville. Plans to restore at-large elections and primaries for the 2020 elections.

Believes the General Assembly overreached by imposing voting districts and eliminating primaries in Asheville. 

Opposes Republican leadership's efforts to "politically gerrymander" elections and reduce transparency.

Opposes "Republican leadership['s]" efforts to "politically gerrymander" elections and reduce transparency.

As a State Senator, shepherded H400 to change the Asheville city school board from appointments to elections.

As a State Senator, sponsored legislation to change the Asheville city school board from appointments to elections.

Believes voters need comprehensive information about candidates, including records, issue stances, and campaign donations. Said, "the first official financial disclosure deadline was May 10, which doesn’t line up well with this year’s election calendar."

Believes voters need comprehensive information about candidates, including records, issue stances, and campaign donations.

Believes decisions about elections should be made locally in Asheville, not in Raleigh. Invites public participation in council meetings and hearings on this issue.

Believes in protecting elections from external interference. Plans to “stand up to protect our elections from Raleigh’s meddling.”

Believes in transparency by releasing financial disclosures before Election Day.

- Believes the General Assembly overreached by imposing voting districts and eliminating primaries in Asheville. 
- Opposes "Republican leadership['s]" efforts to "politically gerrymander" elections and reduce transparency.
- As a State Senator, sponsored legislation to change the Asheville city school board from appointments to elections.
- Believes voters need comprehensive information about candidates, including records, issue stances, and campaign donations.
- Believes decisions about elections should be made locally in Asheville, not in Raleigh. Invites public participation in council meetings and hearings on this issue.

Voting & Elections

Plans to "relieve [police] officers of the legal obligation to respond to traffic accidents" by implementing a civilian crash investigator program.

Supports expanding resources and capacity for the Asheville Police Department and other departments statewide.

Believes black people were often beaten or killed by racist white mobs, with support from law enforcement and elected officials.

Believes "black people were beaten or killed by racist white mobs," with support from law enforcement and elected officials.

Believes people of color are not free from police brutality and systemic racism. Plans to "move the General Assembly to follow Asheville’s lead" in creating a just and equitable future.

Believes people of color are not free from police brutality and "systemic racism." Supports investments in neighborhood safety and criminal justice reform to reduce racial disparities.

- Plans to "relieve [police] officers of the legal obligation to respond to traffic accidents" by implementing a civilian crash investigator program.
- Supports expanding resources and capacity for the Asheville Police Department and other departments statewide.
- Believes people of color are not free from police brutality and "systemic racism." Supports investments in neighborhood safety and criminal justice reform to reduce racial disparities.

Public Safety

As a State Senator, sponsored SB 698 to secure $250,000 in grant funds for local schools to purchase feminine hygiene products.

As a State Senator, sponsored SB 698 to secure $250,000 in grant funds for local schools to purchase "feminine hygiene products." This bill was ultimately defeated.

- As a State Senator, sponsored SB 698 to secure $250,000 in grant funds for local schools to purchase "feminine hygiene products." This bill was ultimately defeated.

Education

The candidate's website says, "SB 180 that would allow undocumented people to obtain drivers’ licenses."

Supports allowing undocumented individuals to obtain drivers’ licenses.

- Supports allowing undocumented individuals to obtain drivers’ licenses.

Foreign Policy and Immigration

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Julie Mayfield

Believes the Supreme Court's decision to end the right to abortions is unsurprising and contradicts public support for reproductive freedom and Roe v. Wade.

Supports reproductive freedom and pledges to be "unwavering in my support for a woman’s right to choose."

The candidate's website says, "In the wake of the leaked draft decision purporting to overturn Roe v. Wade, it is, first, important to remember that this is only a draft decision and that abortion remains ..."

Believes in championing reproductive freedom and equity for women.

Believes abortion remains legal despite the leaked draft decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Believes Democrats must maintain or gain seats in the NC House and Senate to prevent Republicans from regaining a super-majority, which would undermine Governor Cooper’s veto power on abortion bills.

Opposes Republican attacks on elections and voting rights.

As a City Council member, voted for a resolution addressing systemic racism and promoting fairness within criminal justice. Supports investments in neighborhood safety and criminal justice reform to reduce racial disparities.

Julie Mayfield was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, and has deep family roots in the North Carolina mountains dating back more than 150 years. She attended Davidson College for her undergraduate education and later went to law school at Emory University. There is no information provided about her church attendance or family.

Julie Mayfield is an attorney and environmental advocate who has served as the executive director of the Western North Carolina Alliance, now known as MountainTrue. She has worked for Amnesty International USA, the Georgia Justice Project, the Atlanta Community Food Bank, and as vice president and general counsel at the Georgia Conservancy. Mayfield also ran Emory Law School's environmental law clinic and has been a member of the Asheville City Council. Currently, she is a Democratic State Senator representing Buncombe County in the North Carolina General Assembly.

Julie Mayfield is a Democratic State Senator who has represented Buncombe County in the North Carolina General Assembly since 2021. She previously served on Asheville’s City Council starting in 2015. During her tenure, she has been involved in advocacy for a better transit system, improvements to the I-26 Connector Project, and a transition to clean energy. She filed to seek a third term as the Senator for District 49.

Supports giving Asheville and other local governments the authority to pass living wage laws and adopt affordable housing mandates.

- Your State Senator participates in the legislative process at the state level. They are one of 50 members of the North Carolina Senate. The North Carolina Senate is the upper house of the North Carolina General Assembly (the state's lawmaking body).
- Your State Senator drafts laws, approves budgets, has oversight of the state executive branch, and debates and votes on proposed laws.
- In addition to drafting and voting on bills, your State Senator can serve on committees. This is important because many bills can be stalled in committee, preventing them making it to a vote.
- Your State Senator is responsible for representing your interests. They also are responsible for helping you navigate the state's services and bringing back resources to your district.
- The State Senator is elected to a 2-year term. There is no term limit.