Cedrick Valrie (Mayor of Lakeland, Florida, candidate 2025)

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Cedrick Valrie

Nonpartisan

Candidate, Mayor of Lakeland

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 4, 2025

Education

Other

George Fox University, 2016

Graduate

Southeastern University, 2010

Personal

Religion

Assemblies of God

Profession

Professor

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

Cedrick Valrie ran for election to the Mayor of Lakeland in Florida. He was on the ballot in the general election on November 4, 2025.^[source]

Valrie completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Cedrick Valrie provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on October 13, 2025:

• High school: Lillie B. Williamson
• Graduate: Southeastern University, 2010
• Other: George Fox University, 2016
• Gender: Male
• Religion: Assemblies of God
• Profession: Professor
• Incumbent officeholder: No
• Campaign slogan: Bringing people together to build a better Lakeland.
• Campaign website
• Campaign endorsements
• Campaign Facebook

Elections

General election

General election for Mayor of Lakeland

Kay Klymko, Kaitlin Gracie Kramer, Sara Roberts McCarley, and Cedrick Valrie ran in the general election for Mayor of Lakeland on November 4, 2025.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Kay Klymko (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Kaitlin Gracie Kramer (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Sara Roberts McCarley (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Cedrick Valrie (Nonpartisan)

---

	Incumbency information for this election was not available.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Endorsements

To view Valrie's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Valrie in this election.

Campaign themes

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Cedrick Valrie completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Valrie's responses.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am Dr. Cedrick Valrie, a professor at Southeastern University, a board member of Church for the One, and a mentor to the next generation. My wife, Sarah, and I have been married for 18 years and have four amazing children.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• I believe in creating a table big enough for everyone. Healthy growth calls for continuous improvement. I will work to create a space where every person is valued and the needs of all parts of our community are heard.
• I will make it easier to find information. I will champion tools and processes that empower city staff and leaders to connect people to important information and opportunities in real-time.
• I will lean on the wisdom of the local experts. The best way for us to reach forward and make the decisions needed to flourish is to bring informed experts to the table, including our incredible employees, who share a deep love for Lakeland.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

As a strong voice who puts Lakeland first, I am passionate about livability, public safety infrastructure, and paving a path for the next generation of citizens to live, work, and play.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Great figures like Colin Powell, George Washington Carcer, Maya Angelou, Mother Teresa, and Winston Churchill, made progress under pressure. The lived with conviction and purpose and did not shrink back.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Approachability and understanding are two characteristics that strengthen professional relationships and work culture.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Listening to the people to better understand their needs so

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I parked my blue Chevy Astro van at Bishop State Community College in Mobile, Alabama. While reaching for the door handle to enter English 101, a hand written note read that class was cancelled be of national events. We will never forget September 11, 2001.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

In my first job, I was a community organizer/youth pastor at a youth center. In that role, the team and I visited students at school and their homes to encourage them and to hear their progress.

What is your favorite book? Why?

1. The Scriptures. 2. Character Matters 3. Aesops Fables for Children

These reads are empowering, grounding, and filled with common sense purpose in life today and tomorrow.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

I would be Professor Xavier. I like bringing people together to build a better future.

A mayor is a leader in his or her city. What does that mean to you?

It means honoring the citizens and staff with dignity. We serve together to find the best possible outcome to our challenges and celebrate the wins together.

What do you love most about your city?

I love its people. The history, culture, climate, and outdoor activities also make it easy to enjoy.

What do you perceive to be your city's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Public safety infrastructure: first responder resources, water and waterways, and schools.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between your city and the state government?

Align with state officials in the most productive ways that will benefit the city in the short and long term.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between your city and the federal government?

Work in tandem with federal guidelines to best support and attain resources for the local community.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the mayor's office and law enforcement?

Community engagement, life-giving culture, and transparency are marks of a healthy relationship.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Lakeland Professional Firefighters

Candidates hear many personal stories from voters. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching or memorable?

The other day, while delivering yard signs, a single flagged me down and ask about the campaign. After about 15 minutes, he encouraged me to remember the people and their realities. That should I become mayor, visit the people in all districts to better understand their needs. I said, "I will."

What is an accomplishment that you are proud of?

My family and I are novice homesteaders. To date, we planted and harvested from 22 fruit trees, multiple vegetables, and herbs. Recently, we added baby quail in addition to the chickens all situated on a half-acre of land.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

See also

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Candidate

Mayor of Lakeland

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