- March 24, 2026
Flagler County is just under two months away from the end of its candidate qualifying period.
To qualify as a candidate for local elections must submit their signature petitions to qualify for the seats by noon on May 11. Candidates for local and judicial seats must submit 968 signatures from residents in their districts while special district candidates need 25 signatures, according to the Flagler County Supervisor of Elections Office’s website.
Candidates who do not gather enough signatures can also qualify by paying the qualifying fee by the end of the qualifying period. The fee is based on a percentage of the elected office’s salary, in addition to a filing and an assessment fee.
Palm Coast’s Dylana Galery announced in a press release on March 18 that she has successfully obtained the necessary signatures for her Palm Coast City Council campaign.
“I’m grateful to the residents who signed petitions and took the time to speak with me about the future of our city,” Galery said in the press release.
Galery is one of two candidates for the Palm Coast City Council District 4 seat, currently held by Councilman Charles Gambaro. Darlene Shelley, a 14-year Palm Coast resident, is Galery’s opponent.
The city’s District 2 and 3 seats are also up for election in November.
Antonio Amaral Jr. and Jeani Duarte are the two candidates who have filed to replace Vice Mayor Theresa Carli Pontieri in the District 2 seat.
Ray Stevens is the only candidate who has filed to replace Councilman Dave Sullivan. Stevens was originally elected to the seat in November 2024, but stepped down in February 2025 due to health issues. Sullivan was appointed to the seat by the sitting City Council to fill the seat until the November 2026 election.
If no one else files for the seat and completes the qualifying requirements by the deadline, Stevens will win the seat by default.
The Flagler School Board seats are also on the ballot in November. Will Furry is running for re-election to his District 2 seat, and, thus far, has no competition.
School board member Christy Chong is also the incumbent in her District 4 race, but has two competitors: Ronald Long II and Trevor Donald Tucker.
Cathy Lynn Moon and former school board member Jill Woolbright are the candidates for the School Board’s District 1 seat. Woolbright served on the board from 2020-2022, but lost her 2022 campaign to former board member Sally Hunt, who resigned from the seat in September 2024.
The seat was filled when Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Derek Barrs to fill the seat. Barrs, who lives in the board’s District 3, can not run for the District 1 seat.
The Flagler County Commission will has two seats up for grabs, The Hammock’s District 2 and the west side’s District 4, which are currently held by Greg Hanson and Leann Pennington, respectively.
Hanson is retiring from the seat, but Pennington is running for re-election. No one else has yet filed to run against her for the seat.
Three people are running for Hanson’s seat: Palm Coast Vice Mayor Theresa Carli Pontieri, Greg Feldman and Raymond Ralph Royer.
