Alexander Smith returns to city commission without a challenge

It's not exactly like winning on election day, but Alexander H. Smith will be returning to Seat #1 on the Apopka City Commission for a second term.  Smith was declared the winner because no candidate filed to run against him by the time the qualifying week deadline (January 4th at noon) passed.

But for Smith, it's about service and not victories.

"I'm looking forward to continuing to serve the residents of Apopka," Smith said after qualifying to run for Seat #1 last week. "I will be a voice for all of the people."

In total, seven candidates qualified to run for the City Council - Smith (Seat #1), Commissioner Diane Velazquez and Wes Dumey (Seat #2), Nick Nesta and Eric Mock (Seat #4), and Commissioner Kyle Becker and Mayor Bryan Nelson (Mayor).

Dumey and Mock qualified to run for office on Monday.

Smith, and the winners of Seat #2, Seat #4, and the mayoral election will be sworn into office on April 26th, 2022. 

Seat #1 has had an interesting history in the past 12 years. Commissioner Billie Dean held the office for six terms, but the last time it was contested to a complete outcome was 2010 when he defeated Barb Zakszewski with 1,164 votes (62%) to 725 (38%). In 2014, Dean ran unopposed. In 2018, Smith won the seat when Suzanne Kidd resigned from the runoff after winning the general election.

Apopka residents wishing to vote in the 2022 election must be registered by February 7th at 5 p.m. 

Election day is Tuesday, March 8th from 7 am to 7 pm.

There will be no runoffs (which occur when the leading candidate does not receive 50%-plus-one of the votes in the general election), because there are only two candidates in each contested seat.

Early voting starts on Monday, February 28th through Friday, March 4th from 8 am to 5 pm at the Orange County Supervisor of Elections Office, 119 W. Kaley Street in Orlando.