The 2004 Orlando mayoral election took place on March 9, 2004. Incumbent Mayor Buddy Dyer, who was first elected in a 2003 special election, ran for re-election to a full term. He faced four opponents, including businessman Ken Mulvaney and retired police captain Sam Ings. Dyer narrowly avoided a runoff election and won a full term, receiving 51 percent of the vote to Mulvaney's 31 percent and Ings's 13 percent.
Mulvaney contested the election results, alleging that Dyer illegally paid a consultant $10,000 to collect absentee ballots from predominantly Black precincts. On March 10, 2005, Dyer was indicted by a grand jury for violating state election law, which prompted Governor Jeb Bush to suspend him from office and schedule a special election. On April 20, 2005, the charges were dropped against Dyer, he was returned to office, and the special election was cancelled.
General election Candidates Buddy Dyer, incumbent Mayor Ken Mulvaney, businessman Sam Ings, retired Orlando Police Department captain Sharon Leichering, former city employee, 2003 candidate for Mayor Alex Lamour, perennial candidate
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error BuddyDyer KenMulvaney AlexLamour SamIngs SharonLeichering UndecidedMason-Dixon Polling & StrategyMarch 1–3, 2004625 (RV)± 4.0%47%23%3%2%2%23%
Results
Notes
References