The Apopka Voice Reader's Poll 3.0: Races tighten in Apopka elections

Decision Apopka 2018

1,540 vote in third Reader's Poll of the election cycle

Orange County Commissioner Bryan Nelson, Apopka City Commission Seat #1 candidate Suzanne Kidd, and Seat #2 candidate Alice Nolan won The Apopka Voice Reader's Poll 3.0 conducted over the weekend. 1,540 readers participated in the poll, which began on Friday and ended at noon today. It was the largest participation in a poll for City elections in the news site's history.

The poll was the first taken since the Apopka Area Chamber of Commerce Mayoral Debate on January 31st and the Florida Farmworkers Association Forum Debate on February 6th.

The Apopka Voice Reader's Poll 3.0 Results:

Mayor of Apopka:

Bryan Nelson 825 votes (53.6%)

Joe Kilsheimer 715 votes (46.4%)

Apopka City Commission Seat #1:

Suzanne Kidd 540 (35.3%)

Alexander Smith 425 (27.8%)

Gene Knight 398 (26.0%)

Theresa Mott 165 (10.8%)

Apopka City Commission Seat #2

Alice Nolan 691 votes (45.1%)

Diane Velazquez 674 votes (44.0%)

Leroy Bell 149 votes (9.7%)

Alicia Koutsoulieris 18 votes (1.2%)

Nelson defeated incumbent Mayor Joe Kilsheimer in the unscientific poll, claiming 825 votes (53.6%). Kilsheimer received 715 votes (46.4%). However, Kilsheimer cut into Nelson's lead from the previous poll when Nelson received 55.7% of the votes.

In the Apopka City Commission Seat #1 poll, Kidd received 540 votes (35.3%), followed by Alexander Smith with 425 votes (27.8%), Gene Knight with 398 (26.0%), and Theresa Mott with 165 (10.8%). Smith was the biggest mover in the poll, increasing his percentage from 19.2% to 28.2% and pushing past Knight for second place. He also cut into Kidd's lead in the previous poll from 10.2% (over Knight), to 7.5%.

In the Apopka City Commission Seat #2 race, Nolan and Velazquez have run neck-and-neck in two straight polls. Last month, Velazquez beat Nolan by only three votes. This month, Nolan flipped that razor-thin margin and won the poll by 17 votes. Nolan received 692 votes (43.9%), followed by Velazquez with 675 votes (43.9%), followed by Leroy Bell, who received 150 votes (9.8%), followed by Alicia Koutsoulieris with 18 votes (1.2%). Both Nolan and Velazquez increased their percentage in this poll, while Bell and Koutsoulieris fell slightly.

The Apopka elections are Tuesday, March 13th.