While most of the seats on the Jacksonville City Council won’t be up for election until the spring of 2027, this year, Jacksonville voters will cast ballots in a special election for one of the five at-large seats that covers the entire city.
Current At-Large Group 1 councilman Terrance Freeman is running for Florida House District 12. As a result, the state’s resign-to-run law requires him to leave his City Council position on November 2, the day before the general election, or by the date in which his successor is required to take office.
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The special election will operate like Jacksonville’s other unitary elections, where all candidates appear on the ballot together, regardless of party affiliation, and the race is open to all voters. Three candidates will appear on the August 18 primary ballot, and if no candidate gets more than 50% of the vote, the top two vote-getters will advance to the general election.
The winner of the election will serve out the remainder of Freeman’s term, which expires June 30, 2027.
News4JAX sent a questionnaire to each candidate asking about their background and their views on several issues. Scroll down to read the responses of those seeking your vote -- in their own words.
Note: Responses are sorted alphabetically and are presented exactly as submitted, with no editing by News4JAX staff.
| AT-LARGE GROUP 1 CANDIDATES |
Mone’ Holder
Party affiliation: Democrat
Occupation: Chief Advocacy & Political Officer
Age: 39
Family: Mom of two children
Education: Bachelor of Science, Political Science-Florida A&M University
Master of Public Administration-Florida A & M University
Political experience: I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Master’s Degree in Public Administration, both from Florida A&M University.
I worked five years in the Florida Legislature as a staffer in the House Minority Office and for members of the House and Senate.
For nearly two decades I have been in nonprofit executive leadership at Florida Rising where I serve as the Chief Advocacy and Political Officer. I lead the legislative, policy, and electoral departments.
I was appointed to the Jacksonville Planning Commission in 2023 and currently serve as the Chair. In 2025, the City Council unanimously approved my reappointment to the Commission.
What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?
Affordability- The cost of living is the number one pressure on Jacksonville families. Housing, insurance, utilities, and groceries continue to strain household budgets. I will fight to keep Jacksonville affordable by supporting policies that protect housing affordability and make sure city dollars are invested back into our neighborhoods instead of special-interest pet projects.
Public Safety- Every resident of Jacksonville deserves to feel safe in their neighborhood. Public safety requires investment in both our first responders and in our communities. I will support continued investment in our police and fire departments. Additionally, I will support investments in our parks, youth programs, job development, and senior services. By preventing crime, expanding opportunity, and having well equipped police officers and firefighters, we can make Jacksonville safer for everyone.
Ethical Leadership and Integrity- Jacksonville families deserve leaders who put the citizens of Jacksonville first. They are tired of watching political insiders enriching each other and city council members engaging in frivolous political fights. The politics of Washington and Tallahassee have no place in the day-to-day workings of City Hall. I plan to be an ethical compass on the Council and serve as a check and balance on special interests.
How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?
My combination of community leadership, government experience, and executive management is unique among the candidates.
I have a clear understanding on how to leverage community assets to better educate people about local issues and connect communities to resources.
As the Chair of the Planning Commission, I have a deep understanding of city hall’s practices and capabilities that allows me to be effective in office on day one.
As an executive non-profit leader, I’ve managed multi-million dollar budgets and managed staffing of community programs that have directly impacted many citizens.
It would be an honor to use my skillset on City Council to serve the people of Jacksonville.
What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?
After service as an At-Large City Council member, I hope to be remembered as a champion for quality of life for all Jacksonville residents with a special emphasis on reinvigorating and realizing the potential of our extensive park system. I want our park system to be well utilized, well tended, and a source of pride for every Jacksonville resident.
Campaign website: www.holderforjax.com
Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram
Addison Liberty Patrick
Party affiliation: Libertarian
Occupation: Independent Consultant to small businesses and non-profits. I am currently consulting part-time in order to dedicate my full energy, time, and focus to this grassroots campaign for City Council.
Age: 41
Family: I prefer to keep the focus of this campaign entirely on the voters and the issues facing the Jacksonville community.
Education: B.A. Communication Studies, Christopher Newport University and various fellowships.
Political experience: I serve as the Region 5 Representative on the Executive Committee for the Libertarian Party of Florida, representing five counties. I was a delegate to the 2026 Libertarian Party National Convention and the former Chairwoman and Vice Chairwoman of the Libertarian Party of Duval County. My political background includes serving as Public Relations Director for a Florida State Senate campaign and five years of grassroots party organizing. Balanced with my political work, I spent another five years working in and leading operations and boards for 501(c)(3) politically adjacent organizations in Washington, D.C. and Florida. Most recently, I successfully defeated a lawsuit brought by the Duval County Republican Executive Committee that attempted to remove me from the ballot by misapplying a newly enacted statute, securing a court victory that protected voter choice for all of Jacksonville and will serve as persuasive case precedent.
What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?
My primary reason for joining this race is to purge corruption in our local government. Grounded in that mission, the top three local policy issues I will address are:
1. Public Safety and Transparency: Real public safety requires community trust, humane treatment, and an end to power abuses. I will use the Council’s power of the purse to prioritize funding for mental health initiatives within our emergency response models and demand strict officer vetting, training, and ongoing evaluations. Transparency shouldn’t be optional—city departments must fulfill public records requests in a timely manner to properly serve the public, not stall them. Finally, public safety includes our physical environment; I will prioritize funding to repair the hazardous local roads and sidewalks that endanger our neighborhoods daily.
2. Housing Affordability and Creative Ownership Solutions: We must stop city permitting bottlenecks from needlessly holding up developers, which directly drives up construction costs and rents. Jacksonville needs creative housing alternatives to bridge the gap between massive apartment complexes and traditional single-family homes; I will advocate for expanding options like Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), triplexes, and quadplexes. We must also stop sitting on money and ensure any state funds earmarked for affordable housing are allocated in a timely manner. Furthermore, we can drastically reduce neighborhood blight by getting city-owned real properties off the books—selling blighted structures directly to individuals who will fix them up, live there, and put them back on the property tax rolls.
3. Simplifying Zoning Laws and Honoring Neighborhoods: The City Council currently spends the vast majority of its meeting times bogged down in endless discussions over zoning changes, exceptions, and amendments. This over-regulated process is deeply confusing and frustrating to our residents. I will spearhead an overhaul to simplify our outdated local zoning codes, eliminating this bureaucratic bottleneck. Additionally, I will protect our communities by revitalizing and enforcing the Neighborhood Bill of Rights, ensuring growth involves the voices of actual neighbors rather than backroom political deals.
How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?
I am already doing the work of a council member. I am the only candidate in this race who consistently attends City Council meetings, and because I am visible and accessible, constituents are already reaching out to me for help with local issues before I am even elected. I am prepared to sponsor a particular bill on day one.
To maintain complete independence, I refused large industry political endorsements this cycle. People are ready for something different, and I want to serve Jacksonville without baggage. Because I don’t answer to special interest groups, I can easily put the needs of our neighbors first.
What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?
I hope to be remembered for having the political courage to stand up and make sure everyday voters are genuinely represented at City Hall. In local government, political courage is everything—without it, the insiders win and the public gets ignored. Drawing on my career directing community programming, my focus has been on helping neighbors stay informed, step up, and have a clear say in their local government. I want to leave behind a more transparent and accountable Jacksonville.
Campaign website: addisonlibertypatrick.com
Campaign social media: Facebook | X | Instagram | YouTube
Deborah Wesley
Party affiliation: Republican
Occupation: Retired Commander with The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office
Age: 55
Family: The youngest of 10 and mother of 3
Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Supervision and Management
Political experience: None
What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?
First, public safety. After 35 years with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, I know that safe neighborhoods are the foundation of a strong city. While homicides have trended downward over the past few years, reducing violent crime remains a top priority. Neighborhood safety and quality of life issues are also a concern. In addition to crime, these concerns include homelessness, blight, traffic safety, and infrastructure. It is important that every citizen, especially our children and senior citizens, have a safe community in which they may live and thrive.
I will address these issues through accountability and prevention with a special focus on our youth, by advocating for more workforce development and afterschool programs, our homeless population, by advocating for more mental health services, and increased awareness and attention to overall neighborhood safety by every citizen in Jacksonville. Public safety is not just responding to crime, but it is also preventing it. The foundation of safe neighborhoods is strong law enforcement, engagement by community residents, opportunities for our youth, and accountability at every level.
Second, housing affordability and basic cost of living expenses. Families are feeling the strain of rising housing costs, insurance, and everyday expenses. Affordable housing shortages and low wages are a few reasons citizens are struggling financially.
I will address this issue by supporting the expansion of workforce housing so working professionals may be able to afford to live here. I would also work to make the processes of permitting, zoning, and inspections more efficient to prevent delays and lower construction costs while ensuring taxpayers receive value for every dollar the city spends.
Third, responsible growth and infrastructure. Jacksonville is growing rapidly, but our roads, drainage, parks, and public services must keep pace. I’ll advocate for smart growth where infrastructure needs are met during new development, while also protecting the character of our neighborhoods.
How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?
I can help voters by bringing 35 years of proven leadership, including executive-level experience, crisis management, and accountability to City Hall. I’ve spent my career leading large departments, managing hundreds of people, working with budgets, managing multi-million dollar contracts, making difficult decisions that affected people’s lives every day, and being accountable for results. My focus will be on solving problems, protecting taxpayers’ money, and making sure our city government works for every neighborhood.
What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?
When my time on the City Council is over, I hope people remember that Jacksonville is safer, more affordable, and better prepared for the future because I served. I want people to say I listened, kept my promises to serve with integrity, and always put the people of Jacksonville ahead of politics. If families feel safer in their neighborhood, if businesses find City Hall easier to work with, and if taxpayers know their money was spent responsibly, then I will consider my service a success.
Campaign website: deborahwesley.com
Campaign social media: None