Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

West Melbourne City Council Election 2026

3 of 7

council seats up

Vote for up to 3

5 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 · Vote for up to 3

Diana AdamsIncumbentAdjunct professor of public administration and nonprofit leader serving on the West Melbourne council. She has held the seat since 2022.6sourced
John DittmoreCandidate whose campaign site centers on controlled growth and infrastructure.3sourced
Adam GaffneyQualified for the West Melbourne City Council ballot on August 13, 2026.2sourced
Lacey VillarealAir Force veteran and former Melbourne Main Street Association board member. She served in the Air Force from 2003 to 2011 as a Cryptologic Language Analyst.3sourced
Helen VoltzIncumbentRetired nurse and former Brevard County commissioner serving on the West Melbourne City Council. Her current term runs November 2024 to November 2026.7sourced

Three council seats (Seats 4, 5 and 6) are on this ballot and all voters citywide choose up to three candidates; the three with the most votes win. The Mayor is not on the ballot.

2 notes on these statements

Stephen Phrampus holds a council seat that is on the ballot but is not on the 2026 candidate list. City of West Melbourne

Diana Adams, Stephen Phrampus and Helen Voltz hold the three seats on the Nov. 3 ballot. City of West Melbourne

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

Pat BentleyCouncil Member; term ends 20285sourced Austin GaylordCouncil Member; term ends 20285sourced Alexis McGuireDeputy Mayor and Council Member; term ends 20285sourced Andrea YoungMayor; term ends 20282sourced

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 decidesData center rules, Budget and the property tax rate, Norfolk Parkway and The Pines Key datesDeadlines and vote centers

Next date

Voter registration deadline

Mon, Oct 5, 2026

TodayAll key dates

What the next council decides

Data center rules

Where it standsOn July 21, 2026 the council adopted Resolution 2026-12 (6-0), which gives public notice of a pending ordinance and directs staff to develop data center requirements.

What's on the tableWhere data centers may locate, how large they may be, and what hearings they must go through.

Planning staff said no large-scale data centers were being considered and no applications had been received. City of West Melbourne · Jul 21, 2026
Staff said it could draft rules allowing data centers in only two of the city's 19 zoning districts. City of West Melbourne · Jul 21, 2026
Planning staff said tax abatements must be placed on the ballot for a vote by residents. City of West Melbourne · Jul 21, 2026

Budget and the property tax rate

Where it standsOn Sept. 9, 2026 the council voted 7-0 for a tentative 2026-27 millage rate of 1.7724, which the city manager said equals the rolled-back rate, and set final adoption for Sept. 23.

What's on the tableThe tax rate and spending priorities in future budgets, including how to respond if Amendment 3 changes property tax revenue.

The current millage rate was 1.8151 as of June 16, 2026, which the city manager said results in about $544 a year on a $300,000 home. City of West Melbourne · Jun 16, 2026
The overall 2026-27 budget presented Sept. 9 was $97,934,580, a 7.28% decrease from the amended 2025-26 budget. City of West Melbourne · Sep 9, 2026
The tentative budget approved 7-0 removed the appropriation for Flock cameras, a $45,000 annual contract. City of West Melbourne · Sep 9, 2026
The city manager said the city's ad valorem revenue is about $6 million and Amendment 3 would cost it $1.1 million in the first year if it passes. City of West Melbourne · Sep 9, 2026
The city manager said staff did not want to raise the tax rate unnecessarily if Amendment 3 does not pass. City of West Melbourne · Sep 9, 2026

Norfolk Parkway and The Pines

Where it standsOn April 7, 2026 the council voted 4-3 to table the Norfolk Parkway improvements timetable for D.R. Horton's The Pines development, which lies outside the city limits.

What's on the tableWhat milestones and timelines to require for road improvements tied to a development next to the city, and how to handle its traffic.

The council voted 7-0 to authorize a tri-party agreement with Melbourne and D.R. Horton for sewer service to The Pines. City of West Melbourne · Apr 7, 2026
The city manager said the milestone language was 300 homes or three years, whichever comes first. City of West Melbourne · Apr 7, 2026
A D.R. Horton manager said construction could take seven years based on typical home sales. City of West Melbourne · Apr 7, 2026

Golf carts and e-bikes

Where it standsThe council adopted an e-bike and micromobility ordinance on July 21, 2026 (6-0) and a golf cart and low-speed vehicle ordinance on Aug. 19, 2026 (6-1).

What's on the tableHow the new rules are enforced and whether to change them, including paths for golf carts.

The city attorney said golf carts are not permitted on city streets or sidewalks under the ordinance. City of West Melbourne · Aug 19, 2026
The city attorney said registered and insured low-speed vehicles are not permitted on streets with speed limits over 35 mph. City of West Melbourne · Aug 19, 2026
The city attorney said police will begin an education campaign, then give warnings, then issue citations. City of West Melbourne · Aug 19, 2026

Water and sewer plants

Where it standsThe council is funding a new water plant, a sewer plant upgrade and a new industrial injection well, with grant money covering part of the well.

What's on the tableHow to pay for and sequence the large water and wastewater construction projects.

The 2026-27 budget lists the water plant at $24,750,000, the bio-nutrient removal project at $7,500,000 and the industrial injection well at $5,900,000. City of West Melbourne · Sep 9, 2026
Staff estimated construction of the new injection well at $13 to $14 million, with $1.85 million in grant funding and possibly $7.4 million more. City of West Melbourne · May 19, 2026
The assistant city manager said the utility can cover the remaining cost of the injection well without a rate increase. City of West Melbourne · May 19, 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 West Melbourne treat data centers?
2. What property tax rate should West Melbourne set?
3. What should the city require of the developer's road-improvement timetable for The Pines?
4. How should the city handle its water and sewer plant projects?

Seat the Council →

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

Key dates

Domestic vote-by-mail ballots mailedBrevard County Supervisor of ElectionsSep 30, 2026
Voter registration deadlineBrevard County Supervisor of ElectionsOct 5, 2026
Early voting beginsBrevard County Supervisor of ElectionsOct 19, 2026
Last day to request a mail ballotBrevard County Supervisor of ElectionsOct 22, 2026
Early voting endsBrevard County Supervisor of ElectionsOct 31, 2026
Election Day (polls open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.)Brevard County Supervisor of ElectionsNov 3, 2026

The seat math

4 stay (not up this year): Pat Bentley, Austin Gaylord, Alexis McGuire, Andrea Young3 on this ballot

7 council seats. The council decides by a 4-vote majority.

The City Council is made up of six Council Members and the Mayor, who are all elected at large by the city's voters. City of West Melbourne
The three council members elected in 2026 serve four-year terms, and the three candidates with the most votes win. City of West Melbourne
The council meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m., except where there are conflicts. City of West Melbourne

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