Buddy Dyer - King for Life: 32805 Commentary

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On Tuesday night while declaring victory in the Orlando mayor’s race, Buddy Dyer said voters gave him a “mandate”.

“I am really grateful that we have a mandate tonight on what we’ve been doing for the last 16 years,” Dyer told a crowd of supporters at his victory party.

But did Dyer really receive a mandate?

Dyer received 71 percent of the vote in the mayor’s race. He received 15,952 votes.
The city of Orlando has 176,387 voters.

That means fewer than 1 out of 10 eligible Orlando voters supported Dyer.

The overwhelming majority of Orlando voters didn’t bother to go to the polls Tuesday.
Dyer is already the longest-serving mayor in Orlando’s history – 16 years. With this victory, he is slated to serve 20 years.

Some will declare that most people didn’t bother showing up at the polls because they like what Dyer is doing – building big-dollar sports venues and other attractions, gentrifying the historically black Parramore community and more. It’s also noteworthy that Orlando has the distinction of having the nation's worst affordable housing crisis.

Others would argue that it’s pointless to bother voting for other candidates because Dyer has a lock on Orlando City Hall.

The Orlando City Commissioners almost always rubber-stamp everything Dyer wants.

A quick look at Dyer’s campaign contribution list show he has the business community locked down.

Some of Dyer’s top contributors include Disney Worldwide Services, $45,000; the DeVos family (Orlando Magic) $40,000; NBC Universal (Universal Orlando Resort) $20,000. See more Dyer campaign contributions by clicking here.

Realistically, Dyer can serve as mayor for life because – among other things – he controls the city’s election system.

Throughout Florida city elections are administered – determining which ballots are legit or which candidates are qualified -- by the Supervisor of Elections who is elected by countywide voters.

The exception is Orlando where the City Clerk’s Office oversees city elections.

The City Clerk is appointed by the mayor.

Democracy dies in the dark.






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