ORLANDO, Fla. — Candidates Shan Rose and Travaris McCurdy will move on to a runoff election on June 18 after the District 5 Orlando City Commission race Tuesday.

Rose took the lead, but earned 24.8% of the votes, failing to clear the 50% needed to win outright. McCurdy earned 23.3% of the vote. 

Voters in Orlando’s District 5 cast their ballots Tuesday to elect a new city commissioner as seven candidates ran to fill the vacant seat left by suspended commissioner Regina Hill.

The winner will serve until her criminal case is resolved or until the end of the term next year.

What You Need To Know

  • Seven candidates filed to fill former Commissioner Regina Hill’s seat

  • Voters say affordable housing is a top issue in the district they'd like to see improvement on
  • The next election will take place June 18
  • 🔻Scroll down to see the questions that News 13 sent the candidates🔻

Voters say they view this special election as a fresh start, and want someone to embrace the community’s history, while ushering them into the future.

“I want to make sure we preserve the legacy of this community,” Crystal Priester, a District 5 resident, said. 

Priester comes from a family that many know of in District 5.

Her grandfather, Father Nelson Pinder, known as the Street Priest, began his Orlando ministry in 1959. He organized protests and sit-ins during the civil rights movement in Orlando.

He created a community — one his granddaughter still fights for.

“Affordable housing is extremely important. As we all know, the prices have skyrocketed. So, making sure to come to some type of middle ground so residents and other people that may want to come into this community are able to afford the housing because it’s critical at this time,” Priester said. 

Priester also wants the new commissioner to keep a close eye on the $500 million mixed use sports complex being built across from the Kia Center.

“We want to make sure that local businesses and nonprofits are included in the decision-making process,” Priester said. 

Zac Alfson recently moved to the area in 2020, but says there is no place like District 5.

“I think more than anywhere I’ve ever lived there’s a great sense of community,” Alfson said. 

While he’s still new to the area, he has already seen the needs of the community.

“Affordable housing. Attainable housing is at the top of the list,” Alfson said.

Alfson says he’s looking for a commissioner who can preserve the district’s history while looking toward the future.

“I have wonderful neighbors. I love everything that’s happening around us and we need good leadership to make sure that continues on the right path,” Alfson said. 

Having pride for their community, they hope others will vote for a candidate who will fight for the district on those important topics.

“I hope that when others who haven’t voted hear that, they’ll want to get out and make sure that their voice is heard. The only way that we can make a difference is to make sure that we’re doing our civic duty and voting is a part of that. So, I feel like they really don’t have a place to complain if you haven’t done your part,” Priester said.

Just more than 1,000 voters — out of more than 21,000 eligible voters — participated in early voting.

Candidates' answers

The candidates' answered questions that Spectrum News 13 sent them:

 

Travaris McCurdy:

 

Cameron Hope:

 

Shaniqua “Shan” Rose:

 

Lawanna Gelzer:

 

Ericka Dunlap:

Ericka Dunlap did not submit answers to the questionaire

 

Tiakeysha Ellison:

 

Miles Mulrain Jr.: