Darlene Shelley won the Palm Coast City Council District 4 election on Tuesday, besting opponent Dylana ‘Dee’ Galery. Later this year, Shelley will inherit the District 4 seat from Charles Gambaro, who ran for Congress instead of seeking another term in office.
Shelley and Galery advanced to the general election in their race out of a primary field that included four candidates. Shelley secured the most votes in the August 18 primary with 32.06%, with Galery trailing at 26.94%. Failing to advance were John Kvederis (23.45%) and Ramon Marrero (17.55%).
In order to avoid a runoff, one of the four primary candidates would’ve needed to eclipse 50.0% of the vote on August 18. In a four-way race, winning an outright majority is uncommon if not unheard-of for City Council races. Shelley and Galery commanding around a third and a quarter of the vote respectively was as strong of a showing as either candidate would’ve realistically hoped for.
Darlene Shelley’s campaign spotlighted land conservation, public safety, health and welfare, fiscal responsibility, and transparency. She received endorsements from Mayor Mike Norris, as well as former-and-future City Councilman Ray Stevens.
Though Palm Coast City Council races are nonpartisan, Dee Galery received widespread support from Flagler County Democrats. She was included in mailers alongside statewide candidates such as David Jolly and Angie Nixon.
Despite her heavy Democratic support, Galery openly billed herself as a fiscal conservative during the general election campaign cycle. Such messaging may be essential in Flagler County, which has historically voted red by wide margins. Galery’s campaign emphasized infrastructure, bringing high-paying jobs, transparency, and accountability in budgeting.
Election Results
- Dylana ‘Dee’ Galery – 48.63% – 19,133
- Darlene Shelley – 51.37% – 20,214 – WINNER
