Gabrielle Russon
Backed by the local GOP, Amy Pennock took down incumbent Seminole County of Elections Supervisor Chris Anderson in a dramatic race filled with accusations about influencing the election and misconduct in office.
With all precincts reporting Tuesday, Pennock won with about 60% of the vote to Anderson’s 40%. Pennock will draw Democrat Deborah Poulalion in the Nov. 5 General Election.
Anderson was appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2019 and then elected in 2020. He drew Pennock as a challenger in a rare competitive Republican Primary.
Anderson made headlines during his tenure leading up to Election Day.
Anderson was in court Monday after he was sued by a Pennock donor who accused him of trying to influence his election by shaking hands with early voters and prominently displaying his signs around polls. But a Seminole County judge lifted a temporary injunction, siding with Anderson. Anderson told the Orlando Sentinel he was vindicated.
Earlier this year, Anderson was accused of giving his friends and neighbors high-paying government jobs. He had publicly accused county officials of racism in a feud with Seminole leaders. He was sued last month by his office’s former attorney over a social media video Anderson made with his wife.
Anderson abused his public office to further his own agenda, Pennock said, as she raised concerns Anderson was destroying the department.
“The number of reports I have heard regarding people getting multiple ballots, or people registered in other jurisdictions receiving sample ballots, etc., is astonishing,” Pennock told Florida Politics before the election.
Pennock, a forensic accountant, has two master’s degrees in business administration and forensic accounting. She currently serves on the Seminole County School Board.
Her campaign platform was tested, trusted and transparent, she said.
“As the next Supervisor of Elections I will seek to restore the institutional knowledge, and take steps to make sure that people can once again trust the process from start to finish,” she said earlier. “We may not always like the outcomes, but as your next Supervisor of Elections, there will be no question regarding the integrity of the process and the results.”
