By Reggie Connell, Managing Editor
The race is on!
Apopka Mayor Bryan Nelson announced his intention to run for a third term in office during an interview published in The Apopka Chief on Tuesday. Nelson filed with the City Clerk's office on May 1st.
His announcement sets up a long-anticipated election matchup - Nelson vs. Orange County Commissioner Christine Moore. Moore filed to run for mayor on April 7th.
Related: Who will run for Mayor of Apopka in 2026?
If either candidate wins the office, it would be historically notable.
If successful, Nelson would become the longest-serving mayor (12 years) in Apopka's history outside John Land's remarkable 61 years in office. Moore, if elected, would become Apopka's first female mayor.
Two seats on the Apopka City Commission are also in play in 2026.
Commissioners Alexander Smith (Seat 1) and Diane Velazquez (Seat 2) are also expected to run for re-election. Both incumbents would be seeking their third full term in office. Smith was first elected in 2018 and ran unopposed in 2022. Velazquez was first elected in 2014, lost her seat in 2018, won a special election in 2020 to regain Seat 2, and then won a full term in 2022.
If either or both win, they would be the first three-term commissioners to sit on the Apopka City Council since Billie Dean served six terms and retired in 2018 as vice mayor.
Election Day for the three offices is March 2026.
Nelson was first elected Apopka Mayor in 2018 and won a second term in 2022. From 2006 to 2014, he represented House District 31 in the Florida Legislature. He was also the Orange County District 2 commissioner in 2014 and served until 2018.
Moore was elected as District 2 commissioner in 2018 after serving on the Orange County School Board from 2009 to 2018.
This developing story will be updated in future editions of The Apopka Voice.
