Jacob Ogles
It looks like Tarus Mack will take back his place on the Ocoee City Council with a little more than a one-vote cushion this year. So will fellow incumbent Wanda Randolph.
In City Council races for Seats 4 and 5, both incumbents drew challengers this year.
The more high-profile contest was definitely between former City Council member Mack and incumbent City Council member Marlin Daniels.
There, Mack won with nearly 56% of the vote to Daniels under 45%, based on, according to unofficial final results from the Orange County Supervisor of Elections with all precincts counted.
That’s a very different story from the 2020 election in the city.
This race was a rematch after an election was decided, then overturned, over a single-vote margin of victory for Mack. The tossing of two votes by a court of law forced Mack to give up his seat to Daniels mid-term in 2021, but he set out this year to return to City Hall, and succeeded.
Meanwhile, Randolph faced challenger Crystal Short-Bertrand for the Seat 5 spot on the Council.
Randolph won with just over 52% of the vote, based on early returns and unofficial results. Short-Bertrand received around 48%.
The Orange County Democrats congratulated both Mack and Randolph for the win.
“We are thrilled to see such outstanding Democratic candidates elected to key municipal seats across Orange County. Their victories demonstrate the strength and resilience of the Democratic Party in our region and reaffirm our collective commitment to building a more inclusive and prosperous future for all residents,” said Orange County Democratic Party Chair Samuel Vilchez Santiago.
“As we celebrate these victories, we recognize that there is still much work to be done. Despite not having a Presidential primary on our Democratic ballot, we engaged with thousands of voters ahead of these municipal elections and were able to get Democrats elected, or qualify for run-offs, in most of the contested seats across the county. The Orange County Democratic Party remains steadfast in its commitment to advancing policies that promote opportunities for all residents of Orange County. We extend our gratitude to the voters who participated in the democratic process and exercised their fundamental right to vote. Voters’ engagement is essential to the strength and vitality of our democracy.”
