Orange County commissioners freeze funding for Supervisor of Elections amid scholarship scrutiny

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Published  December 3, 2024 6:54pm EST
FOX 35 Orlando
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Orange County freezes funding for elections office

Orange County commissioners have announced they will withhold additional funding for the Orange County Supervisor of Elections office after Supervisor Glen Gilzean created a scholarship program using leftover election funds.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Orange County commissioners have announced they will withhold additional funding for the Orange County Supervisor of Elections office after Supervisor Glen Gilzean created a $2 million scholarship program using leftover election funds – a decision that has been under heavy scrutiny since the election.

The decision comes as county officials demand financial transparency from the Supervisor of Elections office. Commissioners said they will not allocate further funds until Gilzean provides requested financial records.

County Comptroller Phil Diamond has been reviewing the elections office’s expenditures over the past two months and accused Gilzean of failing to produce bank statements from Oct. 1 to last week. Diamond said his office even sent staff to retrieve the documents directly from the elections office last week.

In response, Gilzean posted a statement on social media, sharing an email he claimed to have sent to the county with the bank statements attached. "Care to correct the record, Mr. Mayor?" Gilzean wrote.

"This is extraordinary. I don't think in any of our careers we've seen this," said Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings at Tuesday's meeting. "In my 44 years, I have not seen this to this extent and so because of that, it's uncomfortable."

The funding freeze and allegations of non-compliance have heightened tensions between county officials and the elections office, with further developments expected as the review continues.

Gilzean has defended the move, saying he had the legal right to spend the money as he wanted. Gilzean was appointed to the role by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

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