From Staff Reports
Welcome to the 2026 Apopka Mayoral Election.
The Apopka Voice has learned that Orange County Commissioner Christine Moore filed papers at City Hall this morning to run for Mayor of Apopka. Unless a change is made in the City Charter, the election is scheduled for March 2026.
Moore is a 35-year resident of eastern Apopka. She is the first person to file to run for the office.
Related: Who will run for Apopka Mayor in 2026?
Moore served on the Orange County School Board from 2009 through 2018 and is a two-term Orange County Commissioner for District 2 (which includes Apopka) starting in 2019.
“If successful, I promise to work diligently solving Apopka’s numerous infrastructure debacles, lack of city staffing, and insecure financial future," Moore said. "I plan increased opportunities for citizen-led leadership, a revitalized downtown Apopka, and desire to restore joy and civility in the community.”
As Orange County Commissioner, Moore advocated for a $125 million Orange County Utilities septic-to-sewer program to improve water quality and protect Wekiwa Springs. During her two terms as commissioner, over 424.7 acres of conservation land in District 2 were preserved, including the Greeneyes, Lake Lucie, Sand Hill Preserve, and two additional unnamed properties. Neighborhood Lakes, another 1,500-acre property, is managed by the state. Moore also voted to fund the Accelerated Transportation Safety Program for new streetlights, safety improvements, and missing sidewalks.
In Apopka, Moore advocated for a temporary solution to the Border Lake flooding, requiring stronger accountability and performance for the Apopka CRA, which resulted in the first-ever wayfinding signage, Downtown Area Trail, and Apopka Pump Track. She initiated the conversation with the City to seek millions from the county’s Tourist Development Tax, which resulted in future renovations to the amphitheater and sports fields.
Moore served as vice-chair of the Orange County Commission and the Orange County School Board and was the incoming chair of MetroPLAN Orlando, the region’s federal transportation planning agency. She serves on the Central Florida Expressway Authority and enrolled in leadership courses through the Florida Association of Counties, Florida School Boards Association, and Harvard University. She is a past board member of the United Arts of Central Florida and a cum laude graduate of the University of Michigan.
Moore is expected to challenge Apopka Mayor Bryan Nelson, who has yet to announce his intentions, but would be running for a third term. He was first elected as Apopka Mayor in 2018.
This breaking news story will be updated in future editions of The Apopka Voice.
