© 2025 Central Florida Public Media. All Rights Reserved.
90.7 FM Orlando • 89.5 FM Ocala
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Orlando voters go to the polls Tuesday to elect a mayor, two city commissioners

Tuesday is election day in Orlando and Florida House District 35, which includes parts of Orange and Osceola counties.
Joe Byrnes
/
WMFE News file photo
Tuesday is election day in Orlando and Florida House District 35, which includes parts of Orange and Osceola counties.

Election Day is Tuesday, and voters in Osceola and Orange counties are deciding two sets of races.

Polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

There is voting in Orlando’s non-partisan election for mayor and for city commissioner in Districts 4 and 6, the seats held by Patty Sheehan and Bakari Burns.

Mayor Buddy Dyer is running against Samuel B. Ings, Tony Vargas and Steve Dixon.

Sheehan faces Katie Koch and Randy Ross in District 4. And Burns being challenged by Rufus Hawkins in District 6. Runoff elections, if needed, will be held Dec. 5.

In District 2, Commissioner Tony Ortiz is running without opposition.

About 8% of voters in city precincts had cast a ballot by mail or early voting, according to Monday's latest numbers from the Orange County Supervisor of Elections Office.

Pre-election-day turnout is a little better in the special primary election for Florida House District 35. The election is to fill the seat vacated by Fred Hawkins, who resigned over the summer to become president of South Florida State College.

The district includes part of eastern Orange County and much of Osceola County, outside of Kissimmee and St. Cloud.

The turnout so far in those races was about 10% in Orange County and more than 13% in Osceola.

The general election for House 35 is in January.

Oviedo and Lake Mary are also holding municipal elections on Tuesday. Oviedo Mayor Megan Sladek faces challenges from Judith Dolores Smith and Brady Duke. And in Lake Mary Kristina Renteria is running against Commissioner George Duryea.

Joe Byrnes came to Central Florida Public Media from the Ocala Star-Banner and The Gainesville Sun, where he worked as a reporter and editor for several years. Joe graduated from Loyola University in New Orleans and turned to journalism after teaching. He enjoys freshwater fishing and family gatherings.