Longtime Orange County Supervisor of Elections announces retirement ahead of 2024 presidential elect

The longtime Orange County Supervisor of Elections has announced he’ll be retiring before the end of his term and ahead of two major elections.

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First elected in the General Election of 1996, and re-elected in every election since, Cowles will retire as the county’s longest-serving Supervisor of Elections.

Earlier this year, Cowles announced plans not to seek reelection at the end of his current term, which would have ended on Jan. 6, 2025.

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Even before taking office, Cowles played an integral role in Orange County elections while serving as Chief Deputy for seven years starting in 1989 under then-Supervisor Betty Carter.

According to the Supervisor of Elections Office, Cowles has conducted a total of 96 county, state, federal, and municipal elections over his tenure.

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Some of his accomplishments include helping to establish a Voter Registration Hotline created in 1999. Cowles also managed an election in 2016 that saw Orange County voters elect Earl K. Wood, a candidate who was dead at the time.

When he was first elected in 1996, Cowles managed 219 precincts serving more than 363,000 registered voters in Orange County.  By comparison, for the most recent General Election in 2022, there were 253 precincts and more than 869,000 total registered voters, illustrating the county’s growth during his tenure.

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“It has been my honor and privilege to serve the citizens of Orange County for more than 34 years, first as Chief Deputy for seven years followed by 27 years as Supervisor of Elections,” Cowles wrote in his official retirement letter submitted to Gov. Ron DeSantis. “I will greatly miss working with my wonderful and dedicated staff who have always given 100-percent to running efficient, fair and accurate elections.”

Cowles went on to say he’s looking forward to traveling and spending more time with family.

Governor Ron DeSantis’ office said they have not yet made a decision on an interim appointment, but Cowles said voters should know they are in capable hands with the election staff he is leaving behind.

“The good news is when you look back at the staff we have here at the elections office they  have a total of 425  years of elections experience,” said Cowles. “They are prepared, they know their job, they know what is ahead.”

The Governor’s appointee will serve until Orange County Voters elect a replacement. The election to replace Cowles will be during the Presidential General Election in November.

So far the following candidates have declared their intent to run for the position:

-Karen Castor Dentel (DEM)

-Joseph Davis (REP)

-Cynthia Harris (NPA)

-Dan Helm (DEM)

-Wesley Hodge (DEM)

-Ricardo Negron-Almodovar (DEM)

-Michael Scott (DEM)

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