County commissioners brief Apopka on redistricting changes tied to expansion to eight seats

Orange County commissioners Michael Scott and Christy Moore appeared at the City Council meeting on Oct. 15 to explain how recent county charter amendments and an adopted redistricting map will affect Apopka and other municipalities.

Scott said voters approved a 2024 charter change to increase the Orange County Commission from six to eight seats, which takes effect for the 2026 elections. Commissioners reviewed roughly two dozen maps before the Charter Review Commission settled on two finalist maps, and the county commission adopted map 7B.

"We voted for map 7B, and map 7B creates a new District 7. It creates a new District 8," Scott told the council. He said the new lines will be followed by precinct renumbering and notices from the Supervisor of Elections and that the August/November 2026 election cycle will include contests for the new seats and a county mayor under the revised structure.

Moore, who also participated in the redistricting process, described the tradeoffs made while balancing population and community interests. Moore said Pine Hills and other neighborhood groups actively advocated for a particular map and that retaining community cohesion — for places such as Lockhart and parts of Pine Hills — was a recurring priority.

Both commissioners urged residents to engage with candidates during the next election cycle and to use the coming months to understand how the new lines may change representation. Scott said he had met with mayors across Orange County to explain the transition and to invite collaboration.

No formal council action was required; the session was a briefing and a request to Apopka residents to follow upcoming notifications from the Supervisor of Elections about precinct changes and election timing.