From Staff Reports
In Summary:
The Orange County Supervisor of Elections has received 1,044 vote-by-mail ballots for the Apopka mayoral runoff, including 739 in the last two days. Democrats lead early returns, followed by Republicans and voters with no party affiliation, while 562 new voters registered before the March 16 deadline. The runoff between Nick Nesta and Christine Moore follows a general election that drew 8,118 voters, with mail-in ballots playing a significant role.
*****
The first votes in Apopka’s mayoral runoff are already in—and they’re arriving fast.
In just a matter of days, more than 1,044 vote-by-mail ballots have been returned, offering an early signal of voter engagement and setting the stage for what could be a high-turnout finish to the April 14 election.
Related: Reset in Apopka - Runoff should turn focus back to what matters most.
Of those ballots, 434 were cast by Democrats, 401 by Republicans, 187 by voters with no party affiliation (NPA), and 22 by voters registered with minor parties.
The pace of returns has accelerated significantly in recent days.
According to the Orange County Supervisor of Elections Office, 739 of the 1,044 ballots were received in the last two days alone, suggesting a surge in early voting as the runoff election draws closer.
That early activity comes on the heels of a bump in voter registration.
Registered voters took advantage of the March 16 deadline to sign up for the election, increasing the total number of registered voters in Apopka from 38,698 to 39,260 — a gain of 562 new voters who are now eligible to participate in the runoff.
The early vote-by-mail numbers also provide a point of comparison to the March 10 general election.
In that election, a total of 2,170 vote-by-mail ballots were cast, accounting for 26.7% of the 8,118 total voters who participated. Among those mail-in ballots, Orange County Commissioner Christine Moore led with 783 votes, followed closely by Apopka City Commissioner Nick Nesta with 737, while incumbent Mayor Bryan Nelson received 651.
Overall, Nesta finished first in the three-way race with 3,365 votes (41.6%), followed by Moore with 2,576 votes (31.85%). Nelson, who was eliminated from the race, received 2,148 votes (26.55%).
With Nelson out, the runoff now presents a head-to-head matchup between Nesta and Moore, placing added importance on turnout — particularly among voters who have already demonstrated a willingness to vote by mail.
Election officials are reminding voters of several key deadlines and opportunities to participate.
Early voting begins on Monday, April 6, and runs through Sunday, April 12, at the Apopka Community Center (7 am to 7 pm), with additional early voting available April 6 through April 10 at the Supervisor of Elections Office in Orlando (8 am to 5 pm).
Election Day is April 14, with polls open from 7 am to 7 pm.
Key Points:
- 1,044 vote-by-mail ballots have already been returned for the April 14 runoff
- 739 ballots were received in just the last two days
- Party breakdown: 434 Democrats, 401 Republicans, 187 NPA, 22 others
- Voter registration increased by 562 voters ahead of the runoff
- 2,170 mail-in ballots were cast in the March 10 general election
