Glen Gilzean won’t run for full term as Orange County Supervisor of Elections

Glen Gilzean, who was appointed to be the Orange County Supervisor of Elections, announced that he won’t be running for a full term.

For less than a year, Gilzean worked as the Administrator at Disney World’s Central Florida Tourism Oversight District until Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed him to oversee elections in Orange County in March. The Orlando Sentinel reported that Gilzean, who is paid $205,000 as Supervisor, is also getting paid $20,000 a month from the tourism district for consulting.

Gilzean waited until after 12 p.m. Friday, when the qualifying deadline ended, to confirm that he won’t be asking the voters for the Supervisor job. Orange County’s longest-serving Supervisor of Elections, Bill Cowles, retired in the middle of his term, opening the position up this year before the election.

“In my time in this important role, I have embraced challenges the same way I have in other public offices, asking what can be done, and then finding innovative ways to implement improvements,” Gilzean wrote on Facebook.

“I also know my job first and foremost is to guide this office through November’s pivotal election. So, I will see that through. I will continue to push for the changes that have been made and the ones to come; and yes, I will ensure that this upcoming election is a beacon of trust, transparency, and efficiency.”

Up until now, Gilzean had stayed silent on his future plans as he attended a forum by League of Women Voters of Orange County Wednesday. He spoke briefly as the current Supervisor and then sat down when the other five candidates running for the job participated in a Q&A.

“I’m confused,” one audience member asked of Gilzean’s presence. “Is he going to be a candidate by Friday or not?”

The answer: not.