Five Jacksonville Aldermen File for Re-Election

Filings for the spring aldermanic races closed October 27, with two challengers entering Ward 3.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Elections

Wide view of a plain low-rise municipal building exterior with empty front steps and a flagpole under soft overcast daylight. — Five Jacksonville aldermen filed for re-election in Ward 1 through Ward 5 before the October 27 deadline, while challengers Brandon Adams and Jonathan Stewart entered the Ward 3 race. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Five incumbent aldermen filed for re-election in Jacksonville during the filing period that ran from October 19 through October 27, 2025. Two challengers, Brandon Adams and Jonathan Stewart, filed in Ward 3 to oppose incumbent Joe Lockman.

Why it matters

The field of candidates determines whether a primary is needed, since one is held only if at least five candidates file for a single post. The city clerk is also reviewing which filing period applies, after an earlier announced window of November 16 through November 23.

Five incumbents and two Ward 3 challengers filed, with the primary threshold set at five candidates per post. The clerk and city attorney have not yet confirmed which filing window governs the race.

The players

Joe Lockman

Joe Lockman is the incumbent alderman for Ward 3 in Jacksonville who faces two challengers in the upcoming spring election.

The details

Rob Thomas filed in Ward 1, Alison Rubin de Celis in Ward 2, Joe Lockman in Ward 3, Aaron Scott in Ward 4, and Mark Sorrill in Ward 5. The election is non-partisan, and a primary would be held in February if needed, with the general election in April 2026.

October 19, 2025: Filing period opened for Jacksonville aldermanic races.
October 27, 2025: Filing period closed.
November 16 through November 23, 2025: First announced filing period, now under clerk review.
February 2026: Primary election, if needed.
April 2026: General election for aldermanic seats.

Political Context

Jacksonville's rule requiring a primary when five or more candidates file for one aldermanic post makes the current filing count decisive for the spring calendar. Whether any ward crosses that threshold depends on the filing window the city clerk ultimately confirms.

Voters in Jacksonville's wards will see their candidate lists settled only after the filing period is confirmed. If any ward reaches five candidates, residents will vote in a February primary before the April general election.

The takeaway

Watch for the city clerk's ruling on the filing window, because it decides whether Jacksonville voters face a February primary in Ward 3 or elsewhere. Check the final candidate list before the spring ballot is set.

What happens next

The city clerk and city attorney are expected to confirm the correct filing period, which will determine the final candidate list for the February primary, if one is needed.