Former Palm Coast City Council member Ray Stevens has been re-elected to his former seat without opposition. The qualifying deadline for local elections in Flagler County came and went at 12:00 p.m. Friday, with Stevens as the only qualified candidate in the District 3 race.
Stevens was elected to a four-year term representing District 3 in November 2024, He defeated opponent Andrew Werner in the general election, with those two advancing from a primary election that also featured Dana ‘Mark’ Stancel. At the end of February 2025 Stevens resigned his seat due to health concerns.
In April 2025 the City Council appointed former Flagler County Commissioner David Sullivan to serve until the 2026 election cycle, when a special election could be held to fill the remainder of Stevens’ original four-year term. Though he initially entertained running, Sullivan did not file. Stevens will now have the chance to serve the final two years of his term after initially completing only the first few months.
Will the former and future City Councilman be in better health this time to serve the city? He seems to believe so.
“I have two motorcycles, I rode my Harley two weeks ago,” Stevens reflected. “I ride a bicycle, I do calisthenics. Am I as good as I was ten years ago, five years ago? No. But I’m up here in Georgia right now, up in Blue Ridge. I just did some fencing work, tree work. So I’m doing okay.”
The two other Palm Coast City Council races drew three and four qualified candidates, respectively. None have an incumbent. District 3 candidates include Tony Amaral Jr., Jeani Duarte, and Jimmy Hendy. District 4’s race is made up of Dee Galery, John Kvederis, Ramon Marrero, and Darlene Shelley.
The primary election for Palm Coast City Council takes place on August 18. If any one candidate eclipses 50% of the vote, they’ll win the seat then and there. If not, the top two will move on to a runoff election on November 3. Residents of Palm Coast can vote in all City Council races regardless of whether they live in the district in question.
