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Lake Wales clerk sets April 7, 2026 municipal election and outlines canvassing board duties
Summary
The City of Lake Wales clerk gave detailed dates and procedures for the 2026 municipal election — April 7 regular election, May 5 runoff if needed — outlined qualifying windows and canvassing board obligations, and asked commissioners to consider serving on the canvassing board.
The City of Lake Wales clerk told the commission that the regular municipal election is scheduled for Tuesday, April 7, 2026, with a possible runoff on May 5 if no candidate wins a majority.
Candidate packets will be available in the clerk’s office beginning at 9 a.m. Friday, Feb. 6; the qualifying period runs from noon Monday, Feb. 16 through noon Friday, Feb. 20. The clerk said the seats up this year are Seat 3 (Keith Thompson) and Seat 5 (Robin Gibson), each for three-year terms beginning May 5, 2026.
The clerk outlined the canvassing board and associated dates: logic-and-accuracy testing of tabulating equipment on Tuesday, March 31 at 3:30 p.m. at the Elections Operations Center; election-night canvassing on April 7 (beginning around 5 p.m.); certification of the election on Thursday, April 9 at 5 p.m.; and a post-election manual audit likely the morning of April 14 (exact time not specified). The clerk also encouraged residents to contact the supervisor of elections to request vote-by-mail ballots and noted the voter-registration deadline as May 9, 2026.
The clerk reminded the commission that state statute restricts canvassing-board service for any member actively participating in a campaign for the contest being canvassed and that a quorum must be present at canvassing meetings. The clerk asked each commissioner to consider serving; several indicated willingness when asked.
What happens next: the city will make candidate packets available as indicated and has scheduled a special commission meeting for Feb. 20 at 4 p.m. to finalize related timelines. The clerk’s dates and procedural reminders will guide the commission’s canvassing-board planning through certification and audit of the April election.
