Election ’26 | Cape Coral City Council: District 4 – General Election only
The Cape Coral City Council race for District 4, includes two candidates. This race will only appear on the General Election ballot in November. Cape Coral voters may cast a ballot in every council race no matter where they live or their party of record.
Candidate name: Jennifer Nelson-Lastra (Incumbent)
Age: 55
Education/degrees: University of Texas at Austin.
Occupation and place of employment: Executive Director, Dress for Success SWFL
Time in the district in which you are running/years of residency: Time in Cape Coral, 18 years; time in District 4, 13 years
Business experience applicable to the office you are seeking: Logistics/ Operations/ Transportation; Recyclable commodities market; Kaizen/ 6 S certified; Fundraising; Strategic planning; Grants; Community Relations; Non profit executive leadership; Managing budgets between $100,000 and $1.4 billion; managing up to 250 people
Political Experience/offices held: Cape Coral City Council, 2017-2022; Cape Coral City Council, 2024-present
Civic/Community involvement: Pace Center for Girls of Lee County, Board Member 2012-Present; Metropolitan Planning Organization, Lee County, 2024-present; Cape Coral Transportation Committee, 2024- present; Affordable Housing Committee 2020-2022. 2024-current; Charter School Governing Board, 2017-2019; Horizon Committee Executive Board 2017-2022 ; Keep Collier County Beautiful 2011-2016; Lee County Sustainability Committee, 2012-2016
Family: Husband and daughter plus three bonus kids
Military Experience: None
Website: nelsonfordistrict4.com
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Candidate name: James Vargas
Age: 45
Education/degrees: Attended Metropolitan State University of Denver, studied Business Marketing.
Occupation and place of employment: Co-owner, with wife, of BeastRx Supplements & Nutrition in Cape Coral, which opened in 2024.
Time in the district in which you are running/years of residency: 3 years
Business experience applicable to the office you are seeking: Before becoming a small business owner, spent nearly 10 years with iMarketing Solutions Group. Began as an entry-level employee and worked up to assistant vice president of U.S. Operations. In that role, I traveled throughout the country implementing company policies, overseeing multi-million dollar budgets, and managing client relationships, employee retention, customer satisfaction, and payroll operations.
Political Experience/offices held: None
Civic/Community involvement: PAL 5K Donut Dash; Sweet Science of Boxing; Teacher Appreciation Day by providing lunch for the staff at Mariner High School; Sponsoring local fitness athletes, bodybuilders, and law enforcement athletes; Sponsoring a PAL Girls Softball team; Filling donation boxes for the Port Authority of Fort Myers Christmas Toy Drive; Supporting numerous other local charitable events and community organizations
Family: proud husband and father of three — wife, Yuliia Vargas, married for five years.
Military Experience:
Website: