FranklinNot a ballot

Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Franklin Mayor & City Council Election 2026

3 of 7 council seats are on the ballot, with 6 candidates running. Updated Oct 20, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check

Not sure who to vote for? Answer 5 questions and see which candidates agree with you, and why.

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Nov 3Election Day

How to vote · 11 days left

Find where to voteCheck your registration
Deadline to apply for a mailed ballot (Oct 23): the election office's notice

These links go to official state and county election sites. Hours and rules differ by state; your election office has the final word.

The candidates

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

Voters citywide elect the mayor; only Ward 3 and Ward 5 voters choose their council member. The Ward 6 seat is also up, but no candidate is on the ballot.

Deadline to register or update registration · Oct 23

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Also on your Nov 3 ballot

We research city races only. For these races, go to the state's official guide or a nonpartisan one.

Official voter lookupState voter guideVote411 (League of Women Voters)

Districts come from 2020 Census blocks and the district maps for this election. Your address decides your districts.

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

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

What the next council decides

01Electric rates and utility bills4 sourced facts

Where it standsIn June 2026 the council adopted a fiscal year 2027 utility rate ordinance that raised electric rates 7%.

What's on the tableThe next council sets future utility rates and decides how the new Utilities Advisory Board is formed.

02Budget and taxes3 sourced facts

Where it standsThe proposed fiscal year 2027 budget lists $91,423,681 across all city funds, and the adopted tax rate ordinance keeps the real estate tax at $1.03 per $100.

What's on the tableThe next council writes the fiscal year 2028 budget and sets tax rates.

03Late audits and credit rating3 sourced facts

Where it standsThe city's fiscal year 2025 audit is not finished, and Moody's has dropped its credit rating for the city.

What's on the tableThe next council oversees completion of past audits and the city's effort to restore its credit standing.

04City and school finances3 sourced facts

Where it standsIn March 2026 the council took three steps to settle a fiscal year 2025 funding dispute with Franklin City Public Schools.

What's on the tableThe council approves the school division's budget and any budget amendments the schools bring forward.

05City manager3 sourced facts

Where it standsThe council hired David Freeman as city manager in February 2026 by a 7-0 vote.

What's on the tableThe council appoints the city manager and the city attorney and oversees both.

1 note on these statements

No candidate is on the ballot for the Ward 6 council seat; Jessica G. Banks is not seeking reelection to the Ward 6 seat, and the seat will be decided by write-in votes or, failing a qualified candidate, by council appointment. The Tidewater News · Jul 6, 2026

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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. Should the city raise electric rates to cover rising power costs?

  2. 2. Should the city raise local taxes, such as the meals tax, to pay for services?

  3. 3. Who should sit on the new Utilities Advisory Board?

  4. 4. Should the council approve added funding requests from Franklin City Public Schools?

  5. 5. Should the council discuss its hiring procedures in public before choosing a city manager?

Seat the councilSeat the Council →Pick a winner for each open seat and see where the resulting council stands on each issue.On the recordHow the council voted8 council decisions, each member's vote side by side, with a link to the minutes.

Key dates

The seat math

2 stay (not up this year): Richard Grizzard, Mark R. Kitchen3 on this ballot

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

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

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