Punta Gorda, FLVoter Guide 2026 · not a ballot

Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Punta Gorda 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

City Council District 4 · 1 seat

All city voters choose each seat. The city says City Council Districts 1, 2 and 4 are scheduled for election in 2026 and that only opposed races appear on the ballot.

2 notes on these statements

George Williamson told The Daily Sun that a family member is tied to the new owner of Fishermen's Village and that he would recuse himself on any Fishermen's Village issue. The Daily Sun

The Punta Gorda Isles Civic Association listed Jeannine Polk, George Williamson, Gary Butler and Janis Denton as confirmed for its Oct. 6, 2026 meet-the-candidates event. Punta Gorda Isles Civic Association

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

Melissa LockhartCouncilmember; term ends November 20276sourcedDebi LuxMayor and councilmember; term ends November 20277sourced

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

Start here

Match quiz6 questions · answers stay on your phoneSeat the CouncilPick winners, see the councilWhat council decidesDevelopment rules and rezoning, Downtown and historic-district flooding, Budget, property tax rate and police payKey datesDeadlines and vote centers

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Next date

Voter registration deadline

Mon, Oct 5, 2026

TodayAll key dates

What the next council decides

Development rules and rezoning

Where it standsThe council repealed the 2024 land development regulations in July 2025, returning to the earlier rules, and is working on a rewrite.

What's on the tableThe next council will decide what a rewritten code looks like, including density limits, and will keep ruling on rezoning requests.

Downtown and historic-district flooding

Where it standsThe council approved a $745,000 flood study by Kimley-Horn; what projects follow it is still open.

What's on the tableThe next council will decide which drainage and flood-protection projects to fund once the study's recommendations arrive.

  • The Daily Sun reports the council voted 5-0 to approve a $745,000 study by Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc. of Fort Myers. The Daily Sun
  • The Daily Sun reports that after determining flood elevations and doing additional modeling, Kimley-Horn engineers will evaluate possible improvements to the stormwater management system. The Daily Sun

Budget, property tax rate and police pay

Where it standsThe council set the 2026-27 millage rate slightly below the rollback rate, and in March 2026 did not ratify a police union agreement.

What's on the tableThe next council will set future tax rates and decide how to pay for public safety contracts as state proposals to reduce or eliminate property taxes are weighed.

School-zone speed cameras

Where it standsThe council moved a school-zone speed camera program forward, passing the enabling ordinance on first reading in April 2026.

What's on the tableThe next council will decide on final adoption and how the program runs.

Fishermen's Village reverter land

Where it standsThe city is pursuing the reverter parcels at Fishermen's Village while the property's purchaser has said it wants a mutually beneficial resolution.

What's on the tableThe next council will decide whether to keep, lease or give up the city's reverter rights.

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. 1. What should Punta Gorda do with its 2024 land development rules?

  2. 2. How much higher-density development should the city allow?

  3. 3. How should the city set police and fire pay?

  4. 4. Where should the council set the city property tax rate?

  5. 5. Should the city use speed cameras in school zones?

  6. 6. What should the city do with its Fishermen's Village reverter land?

Seat the Council →

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

Key dates

The seat math

2 stay (not up this year): Melissa Lockhart, Debi Lux2 on this ballot

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

  • Five councilmembers are elected by the city's voters to two-year terms, at large in staggered terms; elections are held in November. City of Punta Gorda
  • The mayor and vice mayor are elected by the City Council at its first meeting after an election. City of Punta Gorda
  • Elections are nonpartisan, and all registered electors residing in the city may vote in all City Council district races. City of Punta Gorda

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

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