ORLANDO, Fla. – Interim Orlando City Commissioner Shaniqua Rose was officially sworn into the vacant District 5 seat on Monday morning.
The Oath of Office ceremony took place at Orlando City Hall with the City Council in attendance, and Rose’s son standing at her side as she was sworn in.
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“To the residents and businesses of District 5, thank you for entrusting me with the incredible honor of serving you as your interim commissioner,” said Rose at the ceremony. “This is a moment of immense pride and responsibility for me, and it would not have been possible without the unwavering support of everyone in this room.”
This induction followed a tense election race between Rose, the executive director of the community redevelopment agency in Eatonville, and Travaris McCurdy, a former Florida representative.
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Rose and McCurdy were the top vote-getters in the first special election in May from a seven-candidate pool, with none receiving over 50% of the vote.
Rose beat McCurdy in the follow-up election on June 18, 54.49% to 45.51%, according to the Orange County Supervisor of Elections website. Voter turnout in the race was immensely low, with only 8% of the 21,300-person electorate casting a ballot.
Today, we officially welcomed District 5 Interim City Commissioner Shan Rose. Her first City Council meeting will be this afternoon. Join us in welcoming her to the council! You can watch live at https://t.co/xjM9yaaYbJ beginning at 2 p.m. pic.twitter.com/mrFvoeH6Pi
— City of Orlando (@citybeautiful) June 24, 2024
Up until the election results were announced, the race grew unexpectedly heated over the past month. Questions surrounding both of the candidates’ records emerged, and their campaigns took a decisively negative turn.
Accusations about arrests by Orlando police of McCurdy surfaced, along with the discovery that he lied about graduating from FAMU. Questions regarding why Rose was fired from the city of Orlando were posed and accusations surfaced that Rose threatened to reveal damaging information about her opponent if he refused to drop out of the race the day before results were released, according to a statement made online.
During the Oath of Office ceremony, Rose commented on the closeness and nature of the race.
“Winning this race, especially in such a close contest, underscores the importance of the work ahead. it is clear that our community is ready for change, ready for progress and ready to see District 5 reach its full potential,” said Rose. “I will work diligently to ensure that our district receives the attention and resources it deserves.”
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The city called for the special election for District 5 in April to fill the seat of suspended Commissioner Regina Hill. Hill was suspended by Gov. Ron DeSantis days after her arrest on March 28 on charges of elderly exploitation, according to an investigation by Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Investigators for the FDLE additionally accused Hill of securing a mortgage of a home and using more than $100,000 of the victim’s finances for several purchases, without the victim’s knowledge, utilizing the power of an attorney she obtained for the victim. Hill denied all accusations.
Rose will represent District 5 in the Orlando City Council through the end of Hill’s original term, which concludes in 2025, or if Hill is found not guilty and is able to return to her seat.
District 5 represents residents in Parramore, Rock Lake, Clear Lake, the Mercy Drive area, the Ivey Lane area, Lake Mann Estates, Malibu Groves, Timberleaf, Kirkman North and Metrowest, as well as a substantial portion of downtown Orlando. A map of the district is available on the city of Orlando’s website.
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