1994 Orange County, Florida Chairman election

1994 Orange County, Florida Chairman election

← 1990 September 8, 1994 November 8, 1994 1998 →

Candidate Linda Chapin Fran Pignone Tom Dorman First round 34,119 41.83% 25,291 31.01% 22,148 27.16% Runoff 102,603 60.56% 66,829 39.44% Eliminated

Chairman before election Linda Chapin Nonpartisan Elected Chairman Linda Chapin Nonpartisan

The 1994 Orange County, Florida, Chairman election took place on November 8, 1994, following a primary election on September 8, 1994. Incumbent County Chairman Linda Chapin, who was first elected in 1990, ran for re-election to a second term. Chapin originally announced on November 5, 1993, that she would not seek re-election,^[1] but reconsidered the decision and launched her re-election campaign on April 7, 1994.^[2]

Following a 1992 amendment to the Orange County Charter, elections for Chairman were conducted as nonpartisan races, with all candidates appearing on the primary election ballot, and a runoff election taking place if no candidate received a majority of the vote.^[3]

Two candidates ran against Chapin: County Commissioner Fran Pignone and former County Commissioner Tom Dorman. In the primary election, Chapin placed first, winning 42 percent of the vote. Pignone, a Democrat, placed second with 31 percent. In the general election, Chapin won re-election in a landslide, defeating Pignone with 61 percent of the vote.

Primary election

Candidates

• Linda Chapin, incumbent Chairman (Democratic)^[2]
• Fran Pignone, Orange County Commissioner (Democratic)^[4]
• Tom Dorman, former Orange County Commissioner (Republican)^[5]

Dropped out

• Darcy Bone, former Mayor of Maitland (Republican)^[6]

Results

1994 Orange County, Florida, Chairman primary election^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Linda Chapin (inc.)	34,119	41.83%
	Nonpartisan	Fran Pignone	25,291	31.01%
	Nonpartisan	Tom Dorman	22,148	27.16%
Total votes			81,558	100.00%

General election

Results

1994 Orange County, Florida, Chairman general election^[8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Linda Chapin (inc.)	102,603	60.56%
	Nonpartisan	Fran Pignone	66,829	39.44%
Total votes			169,432	100.00%

References

1. Lebowitz, Lawrence J. (November 5, 1993). "Chapin felt anguish about leaving, pride in accomplishments". Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Florida. p. A-1. Retrieved July 6, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
2. Lebowitz, Lawrence J. (April 8, 1994). "Chapin is back in race". Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Florida. p. A-1. Retrieved July 6, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
3. Benedick, Robin (November 5, 1992). "Don't expect all of the changes to start immediately". Orlando Sentinel. p. B-4. Retrieved August 1, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "Pignone seeks to bump Chapin as county chair". Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Florida. October 17, 1993. p. K-3. Retrieved July 6, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
5. Lebowitz, Lawrence J. (January 27, 1994). "Dorman to run for chairman". Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Florida. p. B-1. Retrieved July 6, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
6. White, J. Russell; Lebowitz, Lawrence J. (March 4, 1994). "Darcy Bone folds campaign for Orange County chairman". Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Florida. p. C-6A. Retrieved July 6, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "FIRST PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS - SEPTEMBER 8, 1994 - BY PRECINCT - COUNTY CHAIRMAN". Orange County Supervisor of Elections. Archived from the original on February 9, 1999. Retrieved July 6, 2025.
8. "GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS - NOVEMBER 8, 1994 - BY PRECINCT - COUNTY CHAIRMAN". Orange County Supervisor of Elections. Archived from the original on February 23, 1999. Retrieved July 6, 2025.