Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Edgewater City Council Election 2026

2 of 5

council seats up

2 contests

4 candidates

Updated Oct 5, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check →

The candidates

Listed alphabetically by last name. Every position links to its source.

City Council District 1 · 1 seat

Charlotte Hope GillisIncumbentEdgewater City Council member for District 1 and the council's Vice-Mayor.10sourced
Chuck MartinChuck Martin is a candidate for Edgewater City Council District 1 on the November 3, 2026 ballot.1sourced

City Council District 3 · 1 seat

Voters fill City Council Districts 1 and 3 on November 3, 2026; the mayor's seat was decided in the August 18 primary.

1 note on these statements

Edgewater voters also decide a recycling question and charter amendments on the November 3, 2026 ballot, including limits on selling city parks and a ban on new data centers. Volusia County Supervisor of Elections

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

Diezel DePewMayor of Edgewater; re-elected in the August 18, 2026 primary10sourced Eric RainbirdCouncilman, District 4; term ends 202810sourced Mike ThomasCouncilman, District 2; term ends 20288sourced

Officeholders' pages compare what they've said with how they've voted, with sources.

Start here

Match quiz4 questions · answers stay on your phone Seat the CouncilPick winners, see the council What council decidesUtility rates and the budget, Data centers, Protecting city parks and City Hall Key datesDeadlines and vote centers

Next date

Voter registration deadline

Mon, Oct 5, 2026

TodayAll key dates

What the next council decides

Utility rates and the budget

Where it standsThe council raised utility and fee rates on a 3-2 vote on August 3, 2026, and approved a tentative $128,399,822 budget for fiscal year 2026-27 on September 14.

What's on the tableFuture rate increases, which capital projects are funded or deferred, and how the city responds to possible state property tax changes.

The five-year plan calls for 4.5% annual utility rate increases, the City Manager confirmed. Edgewater City Council minutes, August 3, 2026 · Aug 3, 2026
The City Manager said a possible state property tax reform would bring an estimated $3.5 million deficit in year one and $5 million over two years. Edgewater City Council minutes, August 3, 2026 · Aug 3, 2026
The operating millage rate was held at 6.33 mills, which is 3.49% above the rollback rate of 6.1165. Edgewater City Council minutes, September 14, 2026 · Sep 14, 2026

Data centers

Where it standsThe council approved a permanent moratorium on data center approvals on September 14, 2026, and a Charter amendment banning new data centers is on the November ballot.

What's on the tableWhether the ban stays an ordinance or becomes Charter law, and how strictly the council defines a data center.

Ballot Amendment 4 would prohibit the approval, construction, expansion, or operation of new data centers within the city and require voter approval to amend or repeal the prohibition. Volusia County Supervisor of Elections
The ordinance defines a data center as a facility whose primary purpose is housing computer systems, servers, telecommunications, data storage, or cloud computing infrastructure. Edgewater City Council minutes, September 14, 2026 · Sep 14, 2026

Protecting city parks and City Hall

Where it standsVoters will decide whether a referendum is needed to sell city parks, and the council passed an ordinance requiring a unanimous vote to sell City Hall.

What's on the tableHow any future sale or lease of city-owned land is handled, including downtown redevelopment and public-private partnerships.

Ballot Amendment 3 would require a majority of city voters to approve before park property is sold, transferred, or otherwise conveyed. Volusia County Supervisor of Elections

Growth, annexation and the council's size

Where it standsThe council approved the annexation of a Tatum Boulevard parcel on a 4-1 vote on September 14, 2026, and voters will decide whether to add two council seats at a population of 37,000.

What's on the tableWhich annexation and rezoning requests to approve, and how the city handles drainage and flooding in newer areas.

Ballot Amendment 2 would raise the council from four members to six, plus the mayor, once the city's official population exceeds 37,000. Volusia County Supervisor of Elections
The city's Development Services Director said a $16 million canal project (G2/G11) is underway and expected to substantially reduce flooding in the broader area. Edgewater City Council minutes, August 3, 2026 · Aug 3, 2026
The council voted 4-1 on September 14, 2026 to annex the parcel, and 3-2 on the related land-use and zoning ordinances. Edgewater City Council minutes, September 14, 2026 · Sep 14, 2026

Curbside recycling

Where it standsVoters will answer a ballot question on whether the city should discontinue municipal curbside recycling.

What's on the tableWhether the city keeps funding curbside recycling through utility bills or ends it.

The ballot question says the program costs about $1.1 million a year and about one-half of residents participate. Volusia County Supervisor of Elections
Councilman Rainbird said ending recycling, at a savings of about $8 per month per household, would largely offset the proposed rate increase, which the City Manager confirmed. Edgewater City Council minutes, August 3, 2026 · Aug 3, 2026

Who matches you?

Answer any of these questions. We compare your answers with each person's sourced record, and nothing is stored. Questions where no one has a sourced record yet are left out. Tap a selected answer again to skip it.

1. How should the city handle utility rate increases?
2. How should the city treat new data centers?
3. How should the city protect public land such as parks and City Hall?
4. How should the council treat requests to annex land into the city?

Seat the Council →

Pick a winner for each open seat and see where the resulting council stands on each issue.

Key dates

Voter registration deadlineVolusia County Supervisor of ElectionsOct 5, 2026
Early voting begins (through October 31)Volusia County Supervisor of ElectionsOct 19, 2026
Vote-by-mail request deadline (5:00 pm)Volusia County Supervisor of ElectionsOct 22, 2026
Election Day (polls 7:00 am to 7:00 pm)Volusia County Supervisor of ElectionsNov 3, 2026

The seat math

3 stay (not up this year): Diezel DePew, Eric Rainbird, Mike Thomas2 on this ballot

5 council seats. The council decides by a 3-vote majority.

The City Council is made up of four council members, one from each district, and a mayor, each serving a four-year term. City of Edgewater
Edgewater operates under a Council-Manager form of government; the council appoints the City Manager, City Clerk and City Attorney. City of Edgewater
City elections are held in even-numbered years; a primary is held only if two or more candidates qualify, and if no one wins a majority the top two advance to the general election. City of Edgewater
The mayor votes on council items, with Mayor DePew's vote recorded alongside the four council members' in roll calls. Edgewater City Council minutes, September 14, 2026 · Sep 14, 2026

Every claim here links to its source and was checked against it before publishing. How this guide works →

See something wrong? Report an error

Something wrong or missing? Tell us what and where, with a link to a source if you have one. Reports feed the next verification run.