ORLANDO, Fla. – Early voting began Monday for the special election to fill Orlando City’s Council’s District 5 seat while suspended Commissioner Regina Hill faces charges of elderly exploitation.
Seven people are running for the seat. The winner will serve on the city council through 2025, or until Hill’s case is resolved and she is allowed to return to her seat.
Here’s what you need to know about the election and how to vote.
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What does Orlando City Council District 5 represent?
District 5 represents voters in Parramore, Rock Lake, Clear Lake, the Mercy Drive area, the Ivey Lane area, Lake Mann Estates, Malibu Groves, Timberleaf, Kirkman North and Metrowest, as well as much of Downtown Orlando. You can see a map of the district on the city of Orlando website.
If you are not sure if you live within District 5, you can go to the Orange County Supervisor of Elections website and look up your voter information. You also should have gotten a sample ballot for the special election if you were eligible to vote in the district.
Who is running in the special election?
- Travaris McCurdy, a former Florida representative, currently small business programs manager for the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority
- Cameron Hope, who owns First Hope Financial, a tax service and financial advising business
- Shaniqua “Shan” Rose, executive director of the community redevelopment association in Eatonville
- Lawanna Gelzer, community activist and CEO of a consulting firm
- Ericka Dunlap, former Miss America and CEO of a consulting firm
- Tiakeysha Ellison, business and financial coach and president of two nonprofits
- Miles Mulrain Jr., community activist, founder of Let Your Voice Be Heard
Where is early voting taking place?
From now until Sunday, voters can go to the Orange County Supervisor of Elections office on West Kaley Street to vote in the election.
Early voting runs:
- Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Saturday: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Sunday: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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Where can I vote on Election Day?
Election Day for the special election is Tuesday, May 21 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Five polling places will be opened in the district, but voters have been assigned polling places based on where they live. Voters must vote in their assigned polling places. The Orange County Supervisor of Election office can tell you where you go to vote on its website when you look up your voting information.
The five polling places will be:
- OL57: Rock Lake Community Center on North Tampa Avenue
- OL58: John H. Jackson Community Center on Carter Street
- OL59: Fire Station 12 on Park Center Drive
- OL60: Northwest Community Center on WD Judge Drive
- OL61: Majestic Life Ministries on South Kirkman Road
This map can also help you figure out which polling place you are assigned to.
What if I want to vote by mail?
The deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot has passed. If you already had a VBM request on file, you should have gotten your ballot by now. If you did not, call the supervisor of elections office.
You have until 7 p.m. on Election Day to get your ballot into the supervisor of elections office, so mail it out as soon as possible. You can also drop it off at the supervisor of elections office, or surrender it on Election Day and vote in person.
What happened to Commissioner Regina Hill?
Regina Hill was arrested on March 28, after an FDLE investigation into whether she exploited an elderly constituent. The FDLE investigators also accused her of using the power of attorney she obtained for the victim to secure a mortgage for a home, without the victim’s knowledge, and using more than $100,000 of the victim’s cash and credit cards for a number of things.
Hill denies the charges.
Because of the arrest, Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended Hill from her seat on April 1.
The city announced a special election for District 5 on April 8.
Leaders in the community say it’s important for voters to come out for the election because District 5 is home to Orlando’s core and premiere activities, like sports arenas, the Downtown nightlife scene and more, and residents right now are not being represented.
“There’s deals right now being made on the table and nobody is there. It’s vacant. So we have to make sure that people get out to encourage them to vote in this election it’s very very important,” said ZAPZ Network owner Hope Bellamy.
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