Sebastian picks two city council members on November 3. Here is who is running and how to vote.

The people who set Sebastian's tax rate, approve annexations and decide how the city spends its reserves are on the ballot this fall. On November 3, 2026, voters inside Sebastian city limits will fill two seats on the five-member City Council.

This article covers the facts: who is running, what the seats are, and when and where you can vote. It does not tell you who to vote for. That part is yours.

The two seats and the five candidates

Both seats are at-large and nonpartisan, and each carries a two-year term. At-large means the whole city votes on every seat. There are no districts. You can pick up to two candidates.

The seats are now held by Ed Dodd and Sherrie Matthews. Matthews is seeking another term. Dodd is not on the ballot.

The five candidates, listed in alphabetical order, are:

• Robert Gable
• Damien Gilliams
• Richard Gillmor
• Sherrie Matthews (current council member)
• Deborah Shellenberger

Sebastian does not elect its mayor directly. After the election, the five council members choose the mayor and vice mayor from among themselves.

What came up at the candidate forum

All five candidates took questions at a forum on Friday, October 2, at the Tiffany Room at Capt. Hiram's. It was presented by the Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce, the Taxpayers Association of Indian River County and Sebastian Daily. The candidates did not see the questions ahead of time.

According to Sebastian Daily's report, the topics were the ones that land on Sebastian homeowners: growth and annexation, the city budget and whether to use reserves to hold down the tax rate, septic-to-sewer and the state's 2030 deadline, the Indian River Lagoon, and Amendment 3, the statewide homestead exemption measure that is also on the November 3 ballot. The candidates did not all agree on these issues.

A recording of the forum, about 73 minutes long, is posted on Sebastian Daily's YouTube channel and Facebook page. If you want to hear the candidates in their own words, that is the easiest place to start.

How and where to vote

The voter registration deadline for this election was October 5, so it has passed. If you are already registered, you have three ways to vote.

Early voting. Early voting runs October 19 through October 31, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, with hours until 6 p.m. on Thursdays. Any registered Indian River County voter can use any early voting site. The closest one for most Sebastian residents is the Sebastian City Hall Council Chambers at 1225 Main Street. The other three sites are in Vero Beach: the Main Library at 1600 21st Street, the Supervisor of Elections office at 4375 43rd Avenue, and the Intergenerational Recreation Center at 1590 9th Street SW.

Vote by mail. The Supervisor of Elections says general election ballots started going out in late September. If you have not asked for one and want one, your request must reach the elections office by 5 p.m. on October 22. Florida's Department of State says a mail ballot must be received by the Supervisor of Elections office no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day to count. A postmark is not enough, so leave time for the mail.

Election Day. On November 3, polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. You must vote at your own assigned polling place that day, which may not be the same building you used last time.

What to do this week

1. Check that this race is on your ballot. Some homes with a Sebastian mailing address are outside city limits. Look up your sample ballot at voteindianriver.gov. If the Sebastian City Council race is on it, you live in the city.
2. Look up your polling place now, not on November 3. Use the Find My Polling Place tool at voteindianriver.gov or call the Elections Office at 772-226-4705.
3. If you vote by mail, track your ballot. The Supervisor of Elections has a Track Your Vote-By-Mail Ballot page, or you can call 772-226-4700. Mail it back early.
4. Hear the candidates yourself. Watch the forum recording, and look at each candidate's own materials. Think about the issues that hit your house: your tax bill, sewer, drainage and what gets built near you.
5. Read the whole ballot before you go. Amendment 3 and other races are on the same ballot. The sample ballot lets you read every item at home first.

Whatever you decide, two of these five people will help set Sebastian's tax rate, budget and growth rules for the next two years. A few minutes with your sample ballot is time well spent.