Meet the candidates for Orange County Sheriff

In a Q&A with the Windermere Observer, the candidates answered questions regarding their priorities for the Sheriff’s office and plans to address the agency’s current challenges.

By Gabby Baquero
| 3:50 p.m. August 23, 2018

Southwest Orange
News

The position of Orange County Sheriff is up for grabs, and three candidates have qualified for the ballot.

The special election was triggered when Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings, who was elected in 2008, filed to run for the position of Orange County Mayor.

The three candidates seeking to succeed Demings – retired Florida Highway Patrol Chief Jose “Joe” Lopez, Orlando Chief of Police John W. Mina and Orlando venture capital firm CEO Darryl B. Sheppard – will face off during the Nov. 6 general election.

There is no primary election in the Orange County Sheriff race because there is only one partisan candidate. Republican Thomas Stroup initially entered the race but later withdrew, and former Eatonville Police Chief Eric McIntyre did not qualify to run before the qualifying period closed.