Marco Island voters will choose three city council members on November 3 from a field of six candidates, in an election that has turned into a referendum on growth, water quality and who the island is built for.
The race, for three of the council’s seven seats, is the most crowded in years and the most expensive in the city’s history, with candidates and political committees spending more than $300,000 to reach fewer than 20,000 registered voters. The central divide is familiar to anyone who has followed Marco Island politics: residents-first candidates who want to slow development and protect the island’s quiet, low-density character, versus growth-friendly candidates who argue the city needs new revenue and investment to fix aging infrastructure.
The candidates
The six candidates are split between two informal slates, though all insist they are running as individuals.
On the residents-first side are incumbent Councilor Greg Palumbo, former planning board member Susan Bailey and small business owner Tom Rourke. Palumbo, seeking a second term, has campaigned on capping building heights, tightening short-term rental rules and prioritising canal water quality over new commercial development. Bailey, a 20-year resident, has focused on traffic, noise and the loss of single-family neighbourhoods to investor-owned rentals. Rourke, a retired engineer, has made wastewater treatment his signature issue, arguing the city must complete its conversion to advanced wastewater treatment (AWT) before approving any major new development.
On the other side are incumbent Councilor Mark Darnell, real estate developer Alicia Vega and former city manager Paul Hendricks. Darnell, who is seeking re-election, has argued the city cannot afford to stop growing, pointing to the cost of replacing water lines, roads and the city’s aging community centre. Vega has campaigned on attracting new businesses to the island’s commercial core, arguing that a broader tax base would ease the burden on homeowners. Hendricks, who ran the city for eight years, has positioned himself as a steady manager who can deliver infrastructure projects on time and on budget.
Water, growth and the vacancy amendment
The campaign has been dominated by three issues. The first is water. Marco Island’s canals, a defining feature of the island, have suffered from algae blooms and declining water quality, which residents blame on septic systems and stormwater runoff. The city’s move to AWT, which removes more nutrients from wastewater, is already underway, but candidates disagree on its pace and cost.
The second is growth. Marco Island has seen a wave of applications for taller condominiums and mixed-use projects, which supporters say will bring jobs and tax revenue and opponents say will strain roads, beaches and emergency services. The third is a ballot amendment that would change how council vacancies are filled, replacing the current appointment system with a special election if a seat becomes vacant more than a year before the next regular election.
A low-turnout race with high stakes
Local elections on Marco Island are officially nonpartisan, but party labels still matter. Republican-leaning voters dominate registration, yet the residents-first movement has drawn support from across the political spectrum, including Democrats and independents who moved to the island for its quiet lifestyle.
Turnout in off-year local elections is often low, but early voting numbers suggest this race could buck that trend. More than 3,000 ballots had already been cast by mail or in person by late October, according to the Collier County Supervisor of Elections, a pace that would exceed the 2023 cycle.
Money and messaging
Campaign finance reports show a sharp divide in fundraising. Growth-friendly candidates have raised more from developers, real estate firms and business groups, while residents-first candidates have relied more on small donations from island residents.
Palumbo has raised about $45,000, Bailey about $38,000 and Rourke about $29,000, according to the latest reports. Darnell has raised about $62,000, Vega about $58,000 and Hendricks about $41,000. Outside spending, including mailers from a committee backed by local developers, has added at least $80,000 more to the race.
What voters will decide
On November 3, voters will pick up to three candidates. The three with the most votes will win seats, with no run-off. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and mail ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day to count.
The outcome will shape Marco Island for years. If residents-first candidates win a majority, the council is likely to slow approvals, tighten rental rules and prioritise water projects over new development. If growth-friendly candidates prevail, the city is more likely to pursue new commercial projects and use the resulting revenue to fund infrastructure.
That local focus is part of a broader pattern in this election cycle, where voters in small cities are weighing growth against quality of life. In Washington DC, voters are choosing a new mayor as the Bowser era ends, while in Los Angeles, fire survivors are still backing Bass for mayor despite their anger at the city’s response.
Sources: Naples Daily News, Marco News and Street Economics.