Ballots set for 2024 municipal elections in West Orange County

Ballots have been set for the 2024 municipal elections in West Orange County, which will take place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at polling locations to be determined.

Voters in Oakland will choose a new mayor, while residents in Winter Garden and Ocoee will choose new commissioners. 

Windermere concluded its qualifying period without a contested race, meaning no election is required as all candidates are unopposed.

Here are the latest election updates when its comes to our local municipalities.

OAKLAND

In the town of Oakland, voters will select a new mayor to replace Kathy Stark, who has served two decades.

Stark declined to seek a new term.

Current Town Commissioner member Salvador Ramos and Shane Taylor have qualified to replace her.

In Town Commission Seat 2, Michael Satterfield will remain, as no one qualified to oppose him.

No candidates have sought to replace Ramos in Town Commission Seat 3.

The town will appoint a successor after the new board is sworn in next year.

OCOEE

In the city of Ocoee, George Oliver III will run for his former seat. 

Oliver had originally resigned from his District 4 commission seat to run for mayor, a bid he lost to incumbent Rusty Johnson.

Although a decision was made to clarify the term successor in the city’s charter that essentially ruled that a person cannot be their own successor at the Nov. 7 Ocoee City Commission meeting, last week a judge decided to overturn the ruling.

Read the full story on the ruling here.

Oliver will face Nate Robertson, a first-time commission candidate.

WINDERMERE

The town of Windermere will not be hosting a 2024 election.

Incumbent Mayor Jim O’Brien ran unopposed, as did council members Andy Williams and Brandi Haines.

Haines was selected recently at the November Town Council meeting to fill the empty seat formally occupied by Molly Rose.

Rose made her announcement to resign at the October Town Council meeting, effective immediately, citing the new financial disclosure requirements signed into law by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis this year as the reasoning.

WINTER GARDEN

In the city of Winter Garden, voters will decide the outcome of two commission seats.

In District 2, candidates Danny "DJ" Culberson Jr. and Iliana R. Jones will face off against incumbent Ron Mueller.

Commissioner Mueller is scheduled to appear at a public forfeiture hearing to defend allegations regarding City Charter violations come January 2024.

Current District 4 Commissioner Colin Sharman is unopposed, so no election will be required. 

In District 3, Chloe Johnson will face off against Karen McNeil, after incumbent Mark A. Maciel withdrew following qualifying for re-election.

Maciel said he decided months ago to support and endorse a new candidate for his position: Johnson.

Read the full story on Maciel's decision here.