View an overall snapshot of the results from key races on the local, state and federal level that are important to the Orlando region, including the election of 11 Political Leadership Institute (PLI) graduates.
The Orlando Economic Partnership would like to congratulate 11 Political Leadership Institute (PLI) graduates for winning their races during this election cycle:
- State Representative David Smith
- State Representative Colleen Burton
- State Representative Melony Bell
- State Representative-elect Kristen Arrington
- Seminole County Commissioner-elect Andria Herr
- Seminole County Supervisor of Elections Chris Anderson
- Orange County School Board Member Melissa Byrd
- Orange County School Board Member Pam Gould
- Osceola County Commissioner Peggy Choudhry
- Osceola County Commissioner Brandon Arrington
- Osceola School Board Member-elect Jon Arguello
Congratulations to candidate for Clermont City Council Ebo Entsuah, who faces a run-off in January, and candidate for Apopka City Council Yesenia “Jesi” Baron, who faces a run-off in December.
For an overall snapshot of the results from key races on the local, state and federal level that are important to the Orlando region, please see below:
Local Election Results
Orange County School Board:
These races are non-partisan.
School Board District 4
School Board Member Pam Gould (Incumbent) won with 59.3% of the vote against Prince Brown (PLI graduate).
School Board District 5
Vicki-Elaine Felder won with 60.8% of the vote against Michael “Mike” Scott.
Orange County Constitutional Offices:
Constitutional Offices are partisan races. However, there were no Republican primaries in any of the Orange County Constitutional races.
Orange County Property Appraiser
Amy Mercado – D won with 96.1% of the vote against Tim Loucks – Write-in Candidate.
Orange County Sheriff:
Sheriff John Mina – D won with 95.3% of the vote against a write-in candidate.
Seminole County Board of County Commissioners:
These races are partisan and voted county-at-large.
District 1:
Commissioner Bob Dallari – R (Incumbent) won with 53.2% of the vote against Katrina Shadix – D.
District 3:
Commissioner Lee Constantine – R (Incumbent) won with 54% of the vote against Kim Buchheit – D.
District 5:
Andria Herr – R (PLI graduate) won with 51.2% of the vote against Pernell Bush – D and Andre Klass – L.
Seminole County Constitutional Offices:
These races are partisan and voted county-at-large.
Clerk of the Court and Comptroller
Grant Maloy – R won with 54.7% of the vote against Kristina Renteria – D.
Property Appraiser
Property Appraiser David Johnson – R (Incumbent) won with 60.8% of the vote against Jeff Triplett – NPA.
Sheriff
Sheriff Dennis Lemma – R (Incumbent) won with 58.2% of the vote against Paul Spike Hopkins – D.
Supervisor of Elections
Supervisor Chris Anderson – R (Incumbent, PLI graduate) won with 54.1% of the vote against Deborah Poulalion – D.
Seminole County Tax Collector
Jeff “J.R.” Kroll – R won with 54.15% of the vote against Lynn “Moira” Dictor – D.
Osceola County Board of County Commissioners:
These races are partisan.
District 1 Commissioner
Commissioner Peggy Choudhry – D (Incumbent, PLI graduate) won with 94.5% of the vote against Janette Martinez – Write-in Candidate.
District 3 Commissioner
Commissioner Brandon Arrington – D (Incumbent, PLI graduate) won with 62% of the vote in a 4-way race.
District 5 Commissioner
Ricky Booth – R won with 60.7% of the vote against Tahitiana Chaffin – D
Osceola County School Board:
These races are non-partisan.
School Board District 2
Julius Melendez won with 59.3% of the vote against Kerly Santos.
Osceola County Constitutional Offices:
Constitutional Offices are partisan races.
Osceola County Property Appraiser
Property Appraiser Katrina Scarboro – D won with 71.8% of the vote against Wilfredo “Will” Fonseca – NPA.
Osceola County Sherriff
Marco Lopez – D won with 67.2% of the vote against Luis “Tony” Fernandez – NPA.
Osceola County Supervisor of Elections
Supervisor Mary Jane Arrington – D (Incumbent) won with 76.3% of the vote against Beulah “Rosita” Farquharson – NPA.
Constitutional Amendments
Constitution Amendments – Citizen-led/Petition:
As a reminder, each statewide constitutional amendment needs 60 percent approval to pass. Orange County charter questions need 50 percent approval to pass.
Amendment 1 – Citizenship Requirement to Vote in Florida Elections passed with 79.3% of the vote. This will require that only United States citizens who are at least 18 years old, permanent residents of Florida and registered to vote as provided by law shall be qualified to vote in a Florida election.
Amendment 2 – Raising Florida’s Minimum Wage passed with 60.8% of the vote. This will increase the state minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2026
Amendment 3 – All Voters Vote in Primary Elections for State Legislature, Governor, and Cabinet failed with 57% of the vote. This would have established a top-two open primary system for state office (State Legislature, Governor, and Cabinet) primary elections, regardless of party affiliation.
Amendment 4 – Voter Approval of Constitutional Amendments failed with 52.5% of the vote. This would have required voter-approved constitutional amendments to be approved by voters at two general elections.
Constitution Amendments – Legislature:
Amendment 5 – Limitation on Homestead Assessments passed with 74.5% of the vote. This will increase the period during which a person may transfer “Save Our Homes” benefits to a new homestead property from two years to three years.
Amendment 6 – Ad Valorem Tax Discount for Spouses of Certain Deceased Veterans Who Had Permanent, Combat-Related Disabilities passed with 89.7% of the vote. This will allow a homestead property tax discount to be transferred to the surviving spouse of a deceased veteran.
Orange County Charter Review Commission – Local Charter Questions:
Local Question 1 – Rights of Nature passed with 89.2% of the vote. This will amend the charter by providing charter protections for the natural rights of the Wekiva and Econlockhatchee Rivers and all other Waters of Orange County by prohibiting pollution, providing a definition of Waters, providing a private right of action and standing for citizens of Orange County to enforce these protections against governmental agencies, non-natural persons or corporate entities that intentionally or negligently pollute the Waters, and providing for severability and exceptions.
Local Question 2 – Protecting Split Oak Forest passed with 86.4% of the vote. This will amend the charter by providing charter protections for Split Oak Forest by restricting the Board of County Commissioners’ ability to amend, modify, or revoke the current restrictions and covenants running with the land, which limit the use of Split Oak Forest, in whole or in part, to conservation and the protection of its wildlife, vegetation, and environment as set forth in current agreements and restrictive covenants; and providing exceptions as provided by law.
Local Question 3 – Suspending Time for Signatures of Ballots passed with 56.1% of the vote. This will amend the charter to suspend the one hundred and eighty (180) day time-period for the gathering of petition signatures during the completion of the reviews and procedures required by Sec. 602.E. of the Charter and set a ten (10) day deadline for the Supervisor of Elections to provide the 1% notification to the County Commission, the Comptroller and Legal Review Panel under Sec. 602.E. (1) of the Charter. The intent is to give petitioners a full one hundred and eighty (180) days to gather the necessary signatures.
State Election Results
In Central Florida, we have seen an increase in voter registration from Republicans, Democrats and nonpartisan affiliates that have played a significant role in the outcomes of races across the region. This has been a trend over the years in Orange and Osceola counties. Seminole County, which we have seen get more and more purple, continues to remain a swing county after this election. For this first time since 2008, Seminole County voted with the Democratic nominee for president. Despite that clear shift, citizens voted for mostly Republican candidates at the local and state level. The most expensive state Senate race in the history of Florida elections took place in Seminole County where Republican Jason Brodeur was able to secure the win. Other House Republicans in the county were able to hold their seats as well. We have listed the legislative wins in our region below.
Florida Senate – Central Florida Districts
District 9 (Seminole & Volusia Counties)
Jason Brodeur – R won with 50.3% of the vote against Patricia Sigman – D and Jestine Iannotti – NPA.
District 11 (Orange County)
Senator Randolph Bracy – D (Incumbent) won with 65% of the vote against Joshua Adams – R.
District 13 (Orange County)
Senator Linda Stewart – D (Incumbent) won with 60.6% of the vote against Josh Anderson – R.
District 15 (Orange & Osceola Counties)
Senator Victor Torres – D (Incumbent) won with 57.1% of the vote against Louis Minnis – R and Mike James – NPA.
Florida House of Representatives – Central Florida Districts
District 28 (Seminole County)
Representative David Smith – R (Incumbent, PLI graduate) won with 52% of the vote against Pasha Baker – D and Michael Riccio – NPA
District 29 (Seminole County)
Representative Scott Plakon – R (Incumbent) won with 50.6% of the vote against Tracey Kagan – D and Juan Rodriguez – NPA
District 30 (Orange & Seminole Counties)
Representative Joy Goff-Marcil – D (Incumbent) won with 53% of the vote against Bob Cortes – R.
District 31 (Orange & Lake Counties)
Keith Truenow – R won with 59.7% of the vote against Crissy Stile – D.
District 32 (Lake County)
Representative Anthony Sabatini – R (Incumbent) won with 55.8% of the vote against Stephanie Dukes – D.
District 39 (Osceola & Polk Counties)
Representative Josie Tomkow – R (Incumbent) won with 58.8% of the vote against Chris Cause – D.
District 40 (Polk County)
Representative Colleen Burton – R (Incumbent, PLI graduate) won with 57% of the vote against Jan Barrow – D and Emily Michie – NPA.
District 41 (Polk County)
Representative Sam Killebrew – R (Incumbent) won with 53.55% of the vote against Jared West – D.
District 42 (Osceola & Polk Counties)
Osceola County Commissioner Fred Hawkins – R won with 46.8% of the vote against Barbara Ann Cady – D and Leroy Sanchez – NPA.
District 44 (Orange County)
Representative Geraldine Thompson – D (Incumbent) won with 52.4% of the vote against Bruno Portigliatti – R.
District 47 (Orange County)
Representative Anna Eskamani – D (Incumbent) won with 59% of the vote against Jeremy Sisson – R.
District 48 (Orange County)
Daisy Morales – D won with 65.3% of the vote against Jesus Martinez – R.
District 49 (Orange County)
Representative Carlos Guillermo Smith – D (Incumbent) won with 61.9% of the vote against Robert Allen Prater – R.
District 50 (Brevard & Orange Counties)
Representative Rene “Coach P” Plasencia – R (Incumbent) won with 57.2% of the vote against Nina Yoakum – D.
District 56 (DeSoto, Hardee, and Polk Counites)
Representative Melony Bell – R (Incumbent, PLI graduate) won with 67.5% of the vote against James Davis – D.
Federal Election Results
Unconventional, divisive, expensive—the 2020 general election has been an electoral experience incomparable to any other campaign season our nation has faced in modern history. Campaigning amid the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on our public health system and economy as well as wide-spread demonstrations demanding social justice and equality has created unprecedented political pressure for candidates. The need for elected leaders on the local, state, and federal level to respond and be accountable to the needs of their constituents has been more important than ever. This was proven as Florida had a very high turnout with more than 11 million votes in the state alone, making up 78 percent of registered voters and 51 percent of the overall population.
Central Florida’s Congressional Districts:
These are partisan races. All incumbents held their current seats and City of Lakeland Commissioner Scott Franklin – R was able to successfully win Congressional District 15.
Congressional District 6 (St. Johns, Flagler, Putnam, and Volusia Counties)
U.S. Representative Michael Waltz – R (Incumbent) won with 60.6% of the vote against Clinton Curtis – D.
Congressional District 7 (Orange & Seminole Counties)
U.S. Representative Stephanie Murphy – D (Incumbent) won with 55.3% of the vote against Leo Valentin – R.
Congressional District 8 (Volusia County)
U.S. Representative Bill Posey – R (Incumbent) won with 61.4% of the vote against Jim Kennedy – D.
Congressional District 9 (Orange, Osceola, & Polk Counties)
U.S. Representative Darren Soto – D (Incumbent) won with 56% of the vote against Bill Olson – R.
Congressional District 10 (Orange County)
U.S. Representative Val Demings – D (Incumbent) won with 63.6% of the vote against Vennia Francois – R
Congressional District 11 (Citrus, Hernando, Sumter, Lake, and Marion Counties)
U.S. Representative Daniel Webster – R (Incumbent) won with 66.7% of the vote against Dana Cottrell – D.
Congressional District 15 (Hillsborough and Polk Counties)
Former Lakeland Commissioner Scott Franklin – R won the 55.4% of the vote against Alan Cohn – D.