Don Dempsey
Incumbent District 1 council member; advanced to runoff (Melissa Thorne eliminated).
How they got on the ballot: Second in Aug 18 primary; trailed Anderson by over 3,000 votes
Campaign finance: state and county candidates file with the Florida Division of Elections or the county Supervisor of Elections. Search contributions ↗
Sources last checked 2026-10-16. Report an error ↗
Positions on the major issues
Compare with opponents →Each entry describes what the candidate has said or done, and what they say they will do, in neutral terms with sources. The chip shows how that relates to the statement voters rate in the matching tool.
Taxes & spending Leans agree· based on record
At the County Council's final budget hearing on Sept. 22, 2026 he voted for the rolled-back general-fund rate of 3.1007 mills, saying he had reconsidered his earlier vote for a flat rate and now favored full rollback. The council reached rollback by cutting about 70% of the law library program budget and transferring $4.8 million in one-time money from economic-development reserves.
"full rollback"
Property taxes Strongly agrees· stated position
Says he will vote yes on Amendment 3 and would make up the lost revenue with budget cuts.
"Yes. Budget cuts."
Housing affordability Leans disagree· stated position
Asked how to address affordability, answered that free-market principles, not new government programs, are the solution.
"To allow the free market principles that built this country."
Environment & water Strongly agrees· stated position
His campaign site says he fought to protect water, environment, homes and health from large data centers and advocated for a permanent ban on large-scale data centers in the county, and that he opposes deep-well injection of reclaimed water.
"I will fight against injecting our Reclaimed Water deep into the ground potentially polluting our Aquifer"
Growth & development Leans agree· stated position
His campaign site lists a permanent ban on large-scale hyperscale data centers among his accomplishments and says the county must push back on state preemption of local authority.
"Tallahassee is chipping away at our Home Rule Rights and we must fight back"
No public position found on 2 issues
We searched campaign sites, questionnaires, interviews, votes and official actions and did not find a clear stance on: Crime & policing, Veterans. This is reported as unknown rather than guessed from party affiliation; these issues are excluded from this candidate's match score.
Other issues this candidate has raised
- Data centers — Told News 6 he sponsored an ordinance to permanently ban data centers.
Record: votes, actions and documented facts
- Voted Sept. 22, 2026, with a unanimous County Council, to adopt the rolled-back general-fund millage of 3.1007 for FY2026-27, after saying he had changed his position from the flat rate he backed at the earlier hearing.
- Oct. 6, 2026: voted with the 6-1 majority on first reading of an ordinance banning large-scale (50 MW+) data centers in unincorporated Volusia County; he had raised sinkhole and aquifer concerns. Final vote set for Oct. 20.