Two Daytona Beach City Commission races appeared on the 2026 general election ballot, both featuring an incumbent. Both races were decided on razor-thin margins, with one city commissioner being re-elected and the other being voted out.
Zones 1 and 3 appeared on the ballot, putting commissioners Monica Paris and Quanita May before the voters. Zone 5's race was decided in the August primary; with three candidates, the race would've advanced only if no candidate received over 50.0% of the vote. Willie F. Williams reached 60.26% on that day, winning the election outright.
The Zone 1 race drew only two candidates: sitting commissioner Monica Paris and challenger John Navarra. Paris, a one-term incumbent, had her fate decided on the November 3 general election ballot as a result of no third candidate to necessitate a primary.
The race came down to just 96 votes out of over three thousand. Paris retained her seat on the City Commission, securing 51.46% to Navarra's 48.54%. Both candidates were respectful and cordial in their responses after the results became clear.
"This was a close race, and I am incredibly grateful to everyone who placed their trust in me for another four years," Paris wrote on Wednesday. " A special thank you to my wonderful volunteers! So much hard work happened behind the scenes, and your time, dedication, and support meant more than you know. And to my OG mom, who stood beside me every step of the way, I couldn't have done it without you! I also want to thank my opponent, John Navarra, for stepping forward. Running for public office takes courage and commitment, and I hope more residents will get involved in serving our community."
"Congratulations to Commissioner Paris for her victory," Navarra wrote. "Good luck in serving Zone 1 for the next four years. Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to give me a chance to serve the residents of Zone 1 in Daytona Beach."
The Daytona Beach City Commission's Zone 3 race was just as tight as Zone 1. Quanita May sought her third term in office, having been elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. The last time May appeared on the ballot, she won her second term over Steve Miller with 55.40% of the vote.
This year, May and Miller geared up for a rematch. This time Miller, who served one stint on the City Commission in the mid-1990s, was victorious. He defeated May and won his second term in office over 30 years after his first.
"Thank you all for being consistent and showing up throughout the campaign—we couldn’t have done this without you," Miller wrote on Wednesday. "Let’s keep working together for our community!" Quanita May has released no public statement as of Friday morning.
