Lee Elections Office Guide to ‘what’s next’ following today’s Primary Election
2026 PRI Contest Guide 07-27-26 (3)
The Lee County Supervisor of Elections Jenna Persons-Mulicka’s office has prepared a ballot contest guide for the 2026 Primary and General elections.
The guide provides at-a-glance information as to what comes next in key local races, as well as what’s next for other races and initiatives on the ballot.
Races include:
City of Cape Coral, City Council – Nonpartisan Contest capecoral.gov
The City of Cape Coral City Council contests are voted on citywide. This means that all city voters, regardless of the district in which the voters reside, can vote on all city council contests. The contests can appear on the Primary or General Election ballot, depending on the number of candidates who qualify for such offices.
The City of Cape Coral Charter does not provide for a majority vote-getter concept in Primary Elections. If three or more candidates are in a contest in the Primary Election, the top two vote-getters must run off in the General Election.
If there are only two candidates in a contest, those candidates appear only on the General Election ballot since a run-off election is not required.
The contests below are currently scheduled for the Primary ballot:
• City of Cape Coral Mayor
• City of Cape Coral City Council Districts 1 and 6.
The top two vote-getters in each race – mayor and District 1 and 6 – automatically run off in the General Election where voters will also decide their representative for Cape Coral City Council District 4, which is General Election only because there are only two candidates.
The city of Cape Coral’s three proposed charter amendments will be decided in the primary.
All city voters are eligible to vote on the charter amendments. If a majority of the City’s voters vote YES on any one of the charter amendments, the charter amendment will be approved.
School Board Member – Nonpartisan Contest leeschools.net
School Board Member contests can appear on the Primary or General Election ballot, depending on the number of candidates who qualify for such offices. Florida’s law provides for a majority vote-getter concept in School Board Member elections.
If two or more candidates are in a contest, those candidates appear in the Primary Election. In the Primary Election, if a candidate receives a majority of the votes cast or (50% + 1 vote) in their contest, the candidate receiving the majority vote wins. In this scenario, the contest is decided in the Primary Election. Fifty percent plus one means – 50% of the vote plus (1) additional vote. For example, if the vote total is 500 votes and one candidate receives 251, that candidate has received 50% of the vote plus (1) additional vote; this is a majority of the votes cast.
If no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast in their contest, the top two vote-getters run off in the General Election.
• School Board District 1 – only voters in District 1 – (2) candidates
This contest will be decided in the Primary Election
• School Board District 4 – only voters in District 4 – (4) candidates
The contest will appear in the Primary Election and could be decided in the Primary, but only if there is a majority vote-getter; if there is no majority vote-getter, the contest’s top two vote-getters will run off in the General Election
• School Board District 5 – only voters in District 5 – (3) candidates
The contest will appear in the Primary Election and could be decided in the Primary, but only if there is a majority vote-getter; if there is no majority vote-getter, the contest’s top (2) vote-getters will run off in the General Election
• School Board, District 6 – (2) candidates – countywide – all voters, regardless of party affiliation
This contest will be decided in the Primary Election
Lee County Board of County Commissioners
Only one Lee County Commission race will appear in the ballot: District 5 – Universal Primary Contest meaning all eligible Lee County voters can vote on this contest regardless of their or the candidate’s party affiliation.
This contest will be decided in the Primary Election.
For more information on the Primary Ballot, the Lee Elections 2026 Primary Election Lee County Ballot Contest Guide is attached.
To reach CJ HADDAD, please email cjhaddad@breezenewspapers.com