Voters cast ballots in Winter Garden, Ocoee, Oakland

Residents in Oakland, Ocoee and Winter Garden have spoken. Elections were held in the three West Orange County municipalities Tuesday, March 19, with early voting taking place March 4 through 17.

When the polls were closed and the ballots were counted, voters had selected Shane Taylor as their new mayor of Oakland, George Oliver III as District 4 commissioner in Ocoee and Chloe Johnson as District 3 commissioner in Winter Garden.

A runoff between incumbent Ron Mueller and Iliana Ramos Jones will determine the winner of Winter Garden’s District 2 race.

The town of Windermere did not host a 2024 election. Incumbent Mayor Jim O’Brien ran unopposed, as did council members Andy Williams and Brandi Haines.

OAKLAND

In Oakland, Taylor bested Sal Ramos 756 to 416 in the race for mayor on the Oakland Town Commission. Taylor received 64.51% of the votes to Ramos’ 35.49%.

Taylor received 265 early votes, 130 mail-in votes and 361 election-day votes. Ramos received 76 early votes, 81 mail-in votes and 259 election-day votes.

“It’s a new era for the town of Oakland, and the people have spoken that they want a change in direction for the town,” Taylor said. “Our campaign was strictly grassroots; it was neighbors, it was friends, it was volunteers. The true American spirit to run a grassroots campaign and make a change can happen.”

Taylor is ready to serve the town of Oakland. He said his first priority as mayor will be to hear from the residents and find out what they want to see in their town. He also wants to meet with Town Manager Andy Stewart and Public Works Director Mike Parker to carve a path forward.

Ramos vacated his Town Commission seat to run for the mayor’s position. No one qualified for the empty seat, so the commission will have to appoint someone.

Taylor and Ramos were vying for mayor after Kathy Stark, the mayor for 20 years, retired from the position.

Mike Satterfield, commissioner for Seat 2, had no opposition and was returned to his seat for another term.

OCOEE

In a race decided by just 32 votes, Oliver regained his former seat and defeated Nate Robertson in a special election for the Ocoee City Commission District 4 seat.

Oliver received a total of 739 votes (51.11%) to Robertson’s 707 votes (48.89%). His win came with 309 election-day votes, 259 mail-in ballot votes and 171 early votes, compared to Robertson’s 317 election-day votes, 212 mail-in ballots and 178 early votes.

“First of all, I want to thank the residents of District 4,” Oliver said. “I also want to let them know that they can count on total transparency from my office, and they can count on me to reach out and establish a rapport with them … so they are fully abreast of what’s going on in the city and in District 4.”

This special election was to fill the seat, left vacant by Oliver in 2023, until the end of the original four-year term, which expires in 2025.

Elsewhere on the ballot in Ocoee, 11 of the 13 charter amendments questions that were up for a vote passed.

A total of 53.80% of voters said no to question No. 1, which would have made the city of Ocoee’s powers be liberally construed in favor of the city to effect its intended purposes, while 57.63% of voters denied question No. 2, which would have given the city the right to acquire or dispose of property.

The 10 other amendment questions all passed, including the establishment of a one-year residency requirement to run for city office (No. 3), a limitation of commission member salaries to part-time (No. 5) and an authorization to allow the commission to extend the residency requirement for the City Manager by unanimous consent (No. 8).

WINTER GARDEN

Winter Garden will hold a runoff election April 16 for the City Commission District 2 seat between incumbent Mueller and challenger Jones. Danny “DJ” Culberson Jr. was the third contestant in the race.

Jones had 247 election-day votes, 151 early votes and 189 vote-by-mail, which accounted for 587 votes (48.04%).

“Although we did not achieve the result we would have liked, we are honored to be included in the upcoming runoff in about a month,” she said. “I want to thank Danny Culberson for running a kind and honest race. We will continue to reach out to voters to let them know of our vision and hopes for Winter Garden’s future. I have spoken with the mayor and all the other commissioners tonight and they all have pledged their continued support in this effort as we reach out to voters to let them know of the runoff coming up.”

Mueller had 137 election-day votes, 182 early votes and 193 vote-by-mail, totaling  512 votes (41.90%).

“Given this will be a runoff election, I plan to continue down the same path I have been on by focusing on positivity, building our community, looking at what has been accomplished and moving forward to our vision for the future,” Mueller said. “That’s worked well for us in the past, and it resonated with our voters this time. I’m going to continue that journey forward.”

Additionally, Culberson had 40 election-day votes, 38 early votes and 45 vote-by-mail, for a total of 123 votes (10.07%).

In the District 3 race, Chloe Johnson beat out Karen McNeil for the City Commission District 3 seat.

Johnson had 275 election-day votes, 176 early votes and 236 vote-by-mail, which accounted for 687 total votes (68.09%).

“My nerves are all over the place, but I feel so good right now,” Johnson said about winning. “It feels amazing to know that all of my hard work has paid off.”

McNeil had 115 election-day votes, 98 early votes and 109 vote-by-mail, which added up to 322 total votes (31.91%).

Johnson earned incumbent Mark A. Maciel’s endorsement following his withdrawal from the election two days after qualifying in November.

“I think people chose to elect me because I showed that the work that you do really speaks for itself,” Johnson said. “I work hard, I’m patient, and I’m dedicated. It proved itself. … I plan to just listen and learn as much as I can.”

Current District 4 Commissioner Colin Sharman was unopposed, so no election was required.