City Council runoff set for Dec. 3
Early voting runs Thursday-Nov. 27
Gary Siplin, a former state senator, spent about four times more than his best-funded opponent in hopes of a return to elected office — a seat on the Orlando City Council.
But even though he spent $120,000 on the race, when the votes were tallied Nov. 5 Bakari Burns, the CEO of Orange Blossom Family Health, was atop the leaderboard, though he fell short of the majority needed to win the seat outright.
This sets up a Dec. 3 runoff between the top two vote-getters to represent District 6. Burns, who spent $32,000 in the campaign, received 46% of the vote and Siplin 39%. Community activist Lawanna Gelzer came in third with 15%.1
The district covers neighborhoods including MetroWest and Holden Heights in southwest Orlando, stretching out toward Univeral Orlando Resort, the Mall at Millenia and International Drive. Commissioners are elected to fouryear terms, and the job pays $63,374.77.
With turnout for the runoff expected to be tiny, Burns and Siplin will be vying for a fraction of the district’s 25,278 registered voters. District turnout was 13% for the general election, when Mayor Buddy Dyer and two challengers, including current District 6 council member Sam Ings, were also on the ballot.
“We’re encouraged by the results that have come in, but we’re back at it,” Burns said.
Despite finishing second, Siplin remains confident that he’ll prevail in the runoff in part because he has received Gelzer’s endorsement.
“Lawanna Gelzer took 500 votes and now that she endorsed me those votes will return to Gary Siplin,” Siplin said.
This week, Burns reeled in the endorsement of AFL-CIO labor union and Unite Here, which represent a combined 100,000 work