Sprinkel re-elected to Winter Park Commission

Winter Park City Commissioner Sarah Sprinkel successfully defended her commission seat Tuesday as city residents voted in her favor by 61.8 percent.

Sprinkel’s victory over opposing candidate Sandy Womble marks her second three-year term on the City Commission.

The vote counts for each precinct slowly crept in by way of text message as a crowd of Sprinkel supporters gathered behind Palmano’s Trattoria and Wine Bar in anticipation.

Sprinkel’s son, Clark, kept a watchful eye on the numbers from an Excel spreadsheet before finally announcing his mother’s victory more than an hour after the polls closed.

The newly reelected Commissioner spoke before the crowded patio of loyal voters.

“I really struck oil when I had all of you guys come out and help me,” Sprinkel said.

“Thank you guys for coming out and for helping us because you know how much I love this city and how much I love you. I promise I’ll do my best and will not disappoint you.”

Sprinkel walked away with 2,549 votes over Womble’s 1,571, topping her at all five voting precincts.

The final vote count showed a slightly closer race compared to her first election, where Sprinkel won with 65 percent of the total 5,089 votes.

The 4,120 votes on Tuesday went solely toward deciding the new city commissioner, with no charter amendments on the ballot.

Womble said she learned a great deal from her candidate experience, but would not be running for a Commission seat again.

“I have put in 10 years working in politics and helping other people run,” Womble said. “I would be very interested in helping people throw their hat in the ring for the next race.”

“I’m not going to run again not because it was so terribly difficult … I just want to do other things in life.”