Orange County Commission District 1 race too close to call

In poetic, fitting fashion, one of West Orange’s most contentious political races in history wasn’t settled even after all the votes were tallied.

In the race for the Orange County Commission District 1 seat, incumbent Nicole Wilson eked out an apparent win over challenger Austin Arthur — but only by the slimmest of margins. According to the Orange County Supervisor of Elections’ unofficial election results Tuesday, Aug. 20, just five votes separated the candidates. Arthur received 14,047 votes (49.99%), while Wilson garnered 14,052 (50.01%). There were 89 write-in votes. 

The results have triggered a recount and other machinations, which Christopher Heath, Orange County Supervisor of Elections public information officer, said will take place this week. 

“There’s two days for people to cure their vote-by-mail ballots that have been rejected,” Heath said. “So, let’s say we have a signature mismatch or something like that, you can submit a cure affidavit, and that will correct some of them. But then we will go through the recount process of a machine recount, and then we will go through a recount process of a hand recount if it’s within a quarter (of a) percentage point.”

If after all of that, the race is a tie, there is another way to decide.

“If it is an absolute tie, state law says the candidates shall draw lots,” Heath said. “The statute does not say what lots is. That will be for the supervisor himself to determine.”

Earlier in the evening, the results had Arthur leading by 24 votes. Then, at about 9 p.m., the results changed to show Wilson leading by five.

“We feel we won by 24 votes,” Arthur said when reached at his watch party Tuesday night.

And although Arthur said his campaign assumed the race would be close, he did not expect it to be this close. 

“I think that what is clear is that people are divided on who they want to be their next commissioner,” Arthur said. “I don’t really think the community is divided at the root. ... When I’m knocking on doors ... I don’t hear division. I hear a West Orange County frustrated with ... development, with infrastructure and with no access to their commissioner."

Arthur said the negativity surrounding the election caused division in the community. 

“There were AI versions of my voice ... a website that is spewing hatred about me and my family, fake social-media accounts ... that’s what caused the division,” he said. “We are united on concerns but divided on this election.”

Wilson did not return repeated calls seeking comment.

In two other County Commission races, no candidate received 50% plus one vote, and both will head to runoffs. In District 3, Mayra Uribe and Linda Stewart will head to a runoff. In District 5, Kelly Semrad and Steve Leary also will head to a runoff.

ORANGE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD
In similar fashion, Tuesday’s primary yielded no winner for the Orange County School Board District 4 seat.

The three-way race featured candidates Anne Douglas, Kyle Goudy and Jake Petroski. 

Goudy secured the most votes — 8,537 (37.31%), with Douglas receiving 7,500 (32.78%) and Petroski getting 6,844 (29.91%).

However, because no one candidate received 50% plus one vote, Goudy and Douglas will move on to a runoff in the November general election.

“First and foremost, I want to thank my family, the voters, volunteers and countless people that made this victory tonight possible,” Goudy said. “We firmly believe that I am the candidate with the right mix of education and business experience for the job. We will diligently work to meet members of the community and make sure that we understand their concerns as it relates to education in Orange County.

Douglas vowed to keep fighting.

“Voters in School Board District 4 have spoken, and they are tired of the extremist policies coming out of Tallahassee,” Douglas said. “I’m excited that many voters chose me, but this is far from over. We need fighters to protect our kids, our parents and our teachers. I’m going to fight hard to make sure that we win in November and our kids win after November.”

Petroski congregated both.

“I want to first thank my amazing wife, Christin, and daughters, Ava and Ellie, for sacrificing so much this past year,” he said. “It has been an amazing experience filled with personal growth and new friendships that will last far beyond any election. I am proud of the campaign we ran. I want to congratulate the other candidates as they move into the next phase of the election process.”  

In the District 6 race, voters selected Stephanie Vanos. Vanos replaces Dr. Karen Castor Dentel, who stepped down to run for Orange County Supervisor of Elections. 

ORANGE COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR
Democrat incumbent Scott Randolph easily defeated challenger David Nelson Freeman to retain his seat as Orange County tax collector.

Randolph received 58,775 votes (85.96%), while Freeman received 9,603 votes (14.04%). 

Randolph will face a write-in candidate in the Nov. 5 general election.

STATE ATTORNEY
In the Republican primary for state attorney, Ninth Judicial Circuit, Seth Hyman (29,861 votes, 64.39%) defeated Thomas Feiter (16,511 votes, 35.61%).

Now, Hyman will move on to the Nov. 5 general election to face incumbent Andrew Bain, an independent who was appointed to the position by Gov. Ron DeSantis, and Democrat Monique Worrell, who DeSantis suspended from the position in August 2023.

STATE SENATE DISTRICT 13
In the Republican primary for State Senate District 13, voters selected Keith Truenow as their candidate to face Democrat Stephanie Dukes in the Nov. 5 general election. 

Truenow received 6,085 votes (65.39%), while Bowen Kou secured 2,521 votes (27.09%). A third candidate, CJ Blancett, received 700 votes (7.52%).

Truenow replaces State Sen. Dennis Baxley, who has held the office since November 2022.

STATE SENATE DISTRICT 15
Incumbent Geraldine Thompson successfully defended her seat against challenger Randolph Bracy III.

Thompson received 23,825 votes (60.72%), while Bracy garnered 15,413 votes (39.28%)

STATE REP. DISTRICT 44
District 44 Florida State Rep. Jennifer “Rita” Harris easily won reelection over challenger Daisy Morales.

Harris received 7,302 votes (65.03%), while Morales secured 3,927 votes (34.97%).