JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office commander is the first candidate out of the gate for a Jacksonville City Council seat that might get a special election next year if incumbent council member Terrance Freeman decides to make a run for the state House of Representatives.

Deborah Wesley, who has served 34 years in the Sheriff’s Office and is a one-star commander in the office’s Department of Corrections, entered the race with the immediate endorsement of Sheriff T.K. Waters.

“It’s been decades since a member of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has gone on to serve on City Council. That changes with this election,” Waters said.

Wesley, a Republican, will run to fill the at-large group 1 seat held now by Freeman, who cannot run again for City Council because of term limits.

“I’ve spent my life serving this city, supporting families, and standing firm for our values,” Wesley said in the July 7 announcement of her campaign. “As a Jacksonville native, I understand the unique challenges our neighborhoods face because I’ve lived them — and I’ve worked every day to make our city safer, stronger, and more united.”

The next round of elections for city offices is slated for March 2027 but the contest for that particular council seat might come sooner in August 2026.

Freeman has been exploring a run for the state House seat held currently by Wyman Duggan, who cannot seek another House term because of term limits.

The election for state offices will have a primary in August 2026 followed by a general election in November 2026. If Freeman becomes a candidate for the House seat, the city would have a special election at the same time for voters to elect a new at-large council member for filling the rest of Freeman’s unexpired term on council.

Freeman, a Republican, said he is seriously considering a race for House District 12.

“I’ve been humbled by the encouragement I’ve received from conservative leaders and members of our community who share my commitment to common-sense principles, public safety and responsible government,” he said. “I’ll be making a final decision in the coming months after thoughtful consideration and prayer.”

With term limits preventing some council members from seeking re-election in 2027, they will be looking at other races if they want to remain in elective office.

City Council member Randy White has already filed to run for tax collector. That election runs at the same time as City Council elections so there won’t be a special election for White’s seat.

In the race for the at-large group 1 seat, Wesley said that as a “lifelong public safety professional, I know what it takes to keep our communities safe and uphold the rule of law.”

Waters, whose endorsement will be sought by Republicans running in the city races, said Wesley has a “no-nonsense approach to getting things done” and will bring “the discipline, command presence and sense of duty we need at City Hall.”

The at-large group 1 seat is one of five seats on the 19-member council that has a citywide election where all voters can cast ballots.