Supervisor of Elections Karen Castor Dentel Signals Fresh Start for Responsible Leadership with Day One Executive Actions

Published on Tue, 01/07/2025 - 08:29

Supervisor of Elections Karen Castor Dentel Signals Fresh Start for Responsible Leadership with Day One Executive Actions

Orange County, Florida – Orange County’s elected Supervisor of Elections, Karen Castor Dentel, officially took office at 12:01 AM on Tuesday, January 7, and held a brief Oath of Office ceremony with elections office staff, promising a “fresh start for responsible leadership.”

Castor Dentel, who was elected by a wide margin in the November 5 general election, immediately took executive action to address some of the legal and budgetary challenges that had plagued the elections office for several months during the tenure of the previous interim supervisor.

“My message to the elections office staff, our partners in county government, and the public as a whole is clear: It is time for a fresh start,” Castor Dentel said.

On her first day in office, Castor Dentel instructed her legal counsel to file a Notice of Voluntary Dismissal with Prejudice, ending the litigation involving the previous supervisor, Comptroller Phil Diamond, and Orange County Government. This filing permanently closes the case, ensuring taxpayer funds are protected. The Notice of Voluntary Dismissal with Prejudice was filed at 12:18 PM.

Castor Dentel also kept her promise to address the office’s severe budget shortfall, which was brought to light by media reports and the Comptroller’s December investigation into the previous administration. Castor Dentel instructed her counsel to work with Orange County, the Valencia College Foundation and Central Florida Foundation to recover taxpayer funds. As determined by the Comptroller, those funds were improperly gifted to both organizations by the previous supervisor.

“I am hopeful that we can work with our partners at the County, Valencia College Foundation and Central Florida Foundation to secure the return of these funds,” Castor Dentel said.

Earlier in the day, Castor Dentel welcomed Comptroller Diamond and his staff to the elections office to conduct a cash count and begin auditing the office’s inventory, including computers, cell phones, and election equipment. The inventory audit is expected to take several days.

At the Orange County Board of County Commissioners meeting this morning, commissioners approved providing the elections office with its December and January disbursements, a total of $1,694,415.55. The disbursement allowed the Supervisor of Elections office to meet its payroll, which was due at 12:00 PM today.

Comptroller Phil Diamond said, “We are proud to have a partner in Supervisor Karen Castor Dentel. My December investigation highlighted the significant budget challenges facing her administration, and we are ready to support her efforts. I am confident in her ability to overcome these obstacles and lead the elections office effectively.”

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Karen Castor Dentel, Orange County Supervisor of Elections
Street Address: 119 West Kaley Street, Orlando, FL 32806
Mailing Address: P.O. BOX 562001, Orlando, FL 32856-2001
Office: 407-836-2070 • Fax: 407-254-6596

Florida has a very broad public records law. As a result, any written communication created or received by the Orange County Supervisor of Elections Office will be made available to the public and media, upon request, unless otherwise exempt. Under Florida law, F.S. 668.6076, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this office. Instead, contact our office by phone or in writing.