Glen Gilzean pledged to be “transparent, fair and accessible” as he was sworn in as Orange County elections supervisor on Friday.
“The role of election supervisor … requires vigilance, integrity and an steadfast commitment to ensuring that every voice is heard and every vote counts,” Gilzean told a crowd of hundreds of lawmakers, officials and others at the Kaley Street elections office . . “Today, I am deeply honored and humbled to be the first African American to hold this position of Orange County Supervisor of Elections.”
Gilzean, 42, served as district administrator for the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District and oversaw Walt Disney World government services. then governor Ron DeSantis named him successor to former Supervisor Bill Cowles, who resigned a month earlier.
It was still unclear Friday whether Gilzean has completely resigned from the oversight board, for which he had an annual salary of $400,000. The Orange supervisor’s annual salary is $205,000.
Gilzean, a Republican and DeSantis loyalist, also has not said whether he will run for a full four-year term in November. Four Democrats and one independent have filed for office so far, but no Republicans have joined the race.
Gilzean’s office did not respond to an interview request.
But that didn’t stop the splendor on Friday morning, complete with a saxophone solo and the unveiling of his official portrait.
“Since our appointment, our team has successfully managed three elections, demonstrating our office’s capabilities and willingness to tackle challenges and an ever-evolving landscape,” he said.
Gilzean cited his office’s creation of a livestream feed for vote processing and his request for an additional $1 million from the Orange County Commission for voter outreach, training, education and cybersecurity.
“I have brought in new talent with fresh ideas while promoting some of the great staff from within,” he said. “…My goal is also to increase community involvement and tap into a wealth of wisdom that is often taken for granted.”
