Incumbents are sailing to reelection in Seminole County, where five current officeholders — as well as one political newcomer — in three municipalities were elected to their city councils after not drawing challengers.
That means Oviedo, Altamonte Springs and Lake Mary will not hold city elections on Nov. 4.
In Oviedo, Mayor Megan Sladek, an attorney and real estate broker, sailed to a fourth term, where she has served as mayor since 2019. The mayor’s term is two years and pays $19,513 annually.
One of the biggest challenges Oviedo faces in the coming years, according to Sladek, is controlling development despite recent state legislation that makes it easier for developers to build apartments and other high-density residential developments.
She cited Florida’s Live Local Act, a 2023 law that aims to increase the number of affordable and workforce housing by requiring cities to approve multifamily development projects in areas already zoned for commercial, industrial or mixed-use under most conditions.
“So basically apartments can fill the entire city, and there’s not a darn thing we can do about it. And I don’t like that one bit,” Sladek said. “It is a challenge we’ll face.”
Natalie Teuchert, a mechanical engineer, was re-elected to a third term on the Group 1 seat on the Oviedo Council, where she has served since 2021. Oviedo Council members earn $16,260 a year. Oviedo has about 41,000 residents.
Even though Oviedo’s qualifying period for candidates ended at noon Thursday, it was the second chance for Oviedo residents to submit their names as candidates.
In a rare move last month, city leaders scheduled a subsequent qualifying period after resident Jimmy Boston, who qualified to challenge Sladek last month, dropped out of the race. According to Oviedo’s charter, council members were then required to schedule a subsequent qualifying period. No candidate filed to run against Sladek.
In Altamonte Springs, Jim Turney was re-elected to another term on the commission’s District 1 seat, where he has served since 2017. Turney is a businessman and former chairman of the Libertarian Party.
In the city’s District 3 seat, Sarah Reece was re-elected to a 13th term. The retired nurse was first elected in 1999.
Altamonte Springs commissioners serve two-year terms and earn $9,000 a year. The city’s population is about 47,000.
In Lake Mary, Nicholas Carlin — a political newcomer who has served on the city’s Planning and Zoning Board, and Parks and Recreation Advisory Board — was elected to the city commission’s Seat 2.
He will replace Commissioner George Duryea, an accountant who was first elected in 1987 and is one of the longest serving elected officials in Central Florida. Duryea decided not to seek another term.
In the Lake Mary Commission’s Seat 4, attorney Justin York was re-elected to a fourth term.
Lake Mary commissioners serve two-year terms and earn $8,700 a year. The city’s population is about 17,000 residents.
