Election looms in Orange County

Orange County residents have a chance to make their vote count next week as the Nov. 4 general election approaches. Two County Commission seats are up for grabs, along with two seats on the Orange County School Board.

But voters will also be faced with a list of questions regarding citizen participation and future Commission races.

One proposal, if passed, could make it more difficult for residents to put new laws before the County Commission. Residents today have up until 45 days before an election to get 40,000 signatures from citizens on a proposed law. Orange County proposes to push that deadline far earlier, requiring the signatures 150 days before the election.

It wouldn’t be the first restriction placed on residents seeking to pass a new law on their own. In 2006, the Florida Legislature passed an amendment requiring a 60 percent vote by residents to pass a citizen referendum on the ballot. Residents only needed 50 percent of the vote before.

Another question on this year’s ballot asks whether or not to ban residents from proposing new wage and labor laws using the aforementioned process.

Finally, the county proposes to make all Commission races partisan moving forward, as well as make all constitutional offices – including sheriff and elections supervisor –nonpartisan posts with term limits.

If Commission races were converted to partisan, residents would be limited to vote only for candidates within their own party. That could prove advantageous for the Democratic Party, which typically holds the majority in Orange County.

Republican voters still represent a slim majority of Florida.

An election for the empty County Commission District 2 seat formerly held by Fred Brummer will come to a head between Alvin Moore and Bryan Nelson. The successor to Commissioner Tiffany Moore Russell’s District 6 seat will be either Victoria Siplin or Derrick “Shine” Wallace.

Meanwhile the Orange County School Board might have a new chairman. Bill Sublette will look to retain his head seat on the board against Gene Vernon Hair. Regina Hellinger and Linda Kobert will battle for Rick Roach’s empty seat for District 3.

On the federal level, U.S. Rep. John Mica will look to earn his 12th term in Congress against Democratic nominee Wes Neuman and independent Al Krulick.

Multiple county officials have already been reelected in primaries or unopposed, including County Mayor Teresa Jacobs, County Commissioner Jennifer Thompson and School Board members Daryl Flynn and Joie Cadle.