Voters in Orange Park and Green Cove Springs will head to the polls Tuesday, April 14, 2026, for a tightly focused municipal election that packs plenty of local impact into a short ballot. Orange Park will settle one contested town council seat, while Green Cove Springs voters will decide one council race and three proposed charter amendments. Polls in both municipalities are scheduled to be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Candidates To Watch In Orange Park
In Orange Park, incumbent Councilman Doug Benefield is seeking re-election against challenger Chuck Lindholm for Town Council Seat 1. Vice-Mayor Winnette Sandlin is running unopposed for Seat 2 and will not appear on the ballot.
Election-day voting will take place at Orange Park Town Hall, 2042 Park Ave. The town has reminded residents that the voter registration cutoff is Monday, March 16, guidance that appears on the Town of Orange Park website.
Green Cove Springs Race And Charter Quiz
Green Cove Springs voters will see Council Seat 1 contested between Ed Gaw and Tom Centracchio. Seat 2 incumbent Matt Johnson is unopposed, as noted in local coverage.
On top of that race, the City Council has placed three proposed charter amendments on the April ballot. The ordinance, approved in January, asks voters whether to:
- Allow a notary to administer the oath of office
- Let the council waive the residency requirement for the city manager’s dwelling if it is outside the city’s utility service area
- Let the council waive the requirement that the city attorney reside or maintain an office inside city limits
Supporters have framed the package as a way to give the city more flexibility in hiring while keeping the basic requirements on the books, while some council members urged outreach and caution during debate.
The ordinance and full ballot language are posted on the City of Green Cove Springs site, and local interviews with candidates are available through the Clay News & Views podcast.
How To Vote And Key Deadlines
The Clay County Supervisor of Elections lists the Municipal Super Tuesday election on its calendar and directs voters to registration tools, sample ballots and the vote-by-mail portal at ClayElections.gov. Mail-in ballots must be requested by April 2, according to News4JAX, and ballots can be requested through the Supervisor’s office.
For in-person help, the Supervisor’s office is located at 500 N. Orange Ave., Green Cove Springs, and can be reached at (904) 269-6350.
