MEET THE CANDIDATES: Ocoee City Commission District 4

The March 11 Ocoee general election will ask residents to choose between incumbent George Oliver III and challenger Ages Hart for the District 4 City Commission seat.

Beyond opposing each other in this election, the two commission candidates have a deeper connection that makes this race one of the most interesting in West Orange. Oliver, who first won the District 4 seat in 2018 and became the city’s first black commissioner, stepped down from the seat in 2023 to challenge for the mayor’s office. 

Incumbent Rusty Johnson topped Oliver in that election and Hart was appointed to fill the District 4 seat as the interim commissioner, serving in the role for 11 months until the city held a special election in March 2024. Hart chose not to run in the special election. 

Oliver, after winning a lengthy legal battle against the city regarding candidate qualifications, did run and beat Nate Robertson to complete the one remaining year of the seat’s original four-year term. 

Now, with just days remaining until voters cast their ballots at one of Ocoee’s three polling locations — the Jim Beech Rec Center, 1820 A.D. Mims Road; the Ocoee Lakeshore Center, 125 N Lakeshore Drive; and Ocoee Fire Station 39, 2515 Maguire Road. 

Voting will take place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 11.

Click each name to read the candidates' responses.

Ages Hart

George Oliver III