Gabrielle Russon
Karen Castor Dentel has raised nearly $141,000 to lead the crowded race of five candidates vying for the open Orange County Supervisor of Elections job.
The Democrat also got momentum by winning the Orlando Sentinel’s endorsement.
“This is an important race, arguably the most important one on the ballot,” Castor Dentel said during a League of Women Voters (LWV) of Orange County forum this Summer.
Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Glen Gilzean to be the Elections Supervisor in May to fill the remaining term of Bill Cowles, who retired after 34 years. Gilzean decided not to run for a full term.
Castor Dentel filed to run to replace Gilzean instead of competing for another term on the Orange County School Board. The election supervisor’s annual salary is $205,081.
“I have experience being held accountable to the voters,” she said during the LWV forum.
Her war chest includes a $25,000 donation she made to herself in July, as well as campaign contributions from influential people and businesses in Central Florida, including lawyer John Morgan and Universal Orlando.
Castor Dentel’s most serious competition in the Aug. 20 Primary comes from Democrats Wes Hodge, who has raised nearly $62,000, and Dan Helm, who raised $24,000. Both Hodge and Helm have also loaned their campaigns thousands of dollars.
Hodge served for six years as the Orange County Democratic Party Chair. Helm is a lawyer. The fourth candidate, real estate agent Sunshine Linda Marie Grund, loaned herself $12,000 and is not otherwise fundraising.
The winner of the Democratic Primary will face Cynthia Harris, who has no party affiliation and has collected about $12,000.
Early voting in Orange County started Monday.
“Polls will be open from 9 A.M. to 7 P.M. every day between now and Saturday, Aug. 18 at all 22 of our early voting sites,” Gilzean said in a statement Monday. “While we are moving forward with early voting, we are also working with Orange County to monitor the storm and ensure that everyone from our poll workers to our law enforcement partners to voters remains safe.”
