Mayor Kevin Anderson faces Amber Ware, and Ward 3's Terolyn Watson faces Chantel Rhodes, on Nov. 3. Wards 1 and 5 were decided unopposed. Early voting ends Oct. 31.

Two Fort Myers city races will be decided on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Mayor Kevin B. Anderson faces Amber Ware for the citywide mayor’s seat. In Ward 3, council member Terolyn P. Watson faces Chantel “Telly” Rhodes.

The other two council seats up this year are already settled. Teresa Watkins Brown in Ward 1 and Fred Burson in Ward 5 were the only candidates to qualify, and both are listed as elected unopposed.

That is the record on the Lee County Supervisor of Elections’ 2026 municipal candidate list for Bonita Springs and Fort Myers, compiled after qualifying closed at noon on June 12. Every candidate is listed as nonpartisan.

Who is running

Seat Who votes Candidates
Mayor Every city voter Kevin B. Anderson, Amber Ware
Ward 3 Ward 3 voters only Chantel “Telly” Rhodes, Terolyn P. Watson
Ward 1 Teresa Watkins Brown, elected unopposed
Ward 5 Fred Burson, elected unopposed

Names are as they appear on the county’s list. The mayor and the council seats carry four-year terms, according to the City Clerk’s election page.

The mayor’s race

Anderson is the incumbent. He was sworn in as the city’s 62nd mayor on Nov. 16, 2020, after serving as the Ward 4 council member, according to the city’s Mayor and Council page. The same page says he spent more than 24 years with the Fort Myers Police Department and 15 years at Chico’s FAS before retiring in June 2019.

Ware is the challenger. Both candidates are listed as qualified.

The mayor is the one city official every Fort Myers voter elects. “The mayor represents all residents citywide and is elected by registered voters across all wards,” the city’s page says.

The Ward 3 race

Watson holds the Ward 3 seat now, according to the city’s council roster. Only voters who live in Ward 3 choose its council member. “Each councilperson is elected by registered voters in his/her respective ward,” the city says. Not sure which ward you are in? The City Clerk’s page links the city’s ward maps.

How and when to vote

Elections in Fort Myers are run by the Lee County Supervisor of Elections, not the city.

  • Early voting: daily through Saturday, Oct. 31, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Any Lee County voter may use any of the county’s 13 sites. Inside the city they include the Dr. Carrie D. Robinson Center, 2990 Edison Ave., and the Fort Myers Regional Library voting room, 1651 Lee St.
  • Election Day: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3, at your assigned polling place only.
  • Mail ballots: must be received by the Supervisor of Elections by 7 p.m. Nov. 3. A postmark does not count. Use a ballot drop-off location if time is short.
  • Bring: a current photo ID with your signature.

Full dates, all 13 early voting sites and the ID list are in our Lee County voting guide. The Supervisor of Elections’ office is at 239-533-8683.

What it means for you

  • Every city voter has a choice for mayor on Nov. 3.
  • Only Ward 3 voters see a council race. Ward 1 and Ward 5 voters have no council contest this year.
  • City races sit on the same ballot as the county, state and federal contests. Look up your own sample ballot before you go.
  • Candidates’ campaign finance reports are public on the city’s campaign finance portal.

We will report the unofficial results from the Supervisor of Elections on election night. This story is strictly factual and endorses no candidate.

Related: who to call at City Hall and property taxes.

Sources