As part of our commitment to providing you with what you need to make an informed decision in the 2026 elections, News 6 joined with the News Collaborative of Central Florida to present the Voting Central Florida 2026 Voter’s Guide.
Tuesday, Aug. 18 is the Florida Statewide Primary election, a mix of party primaries and nonpartisan local elections, such as school board races, judicial races, and county commission races in some counties.
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[ELECTION 2026: Make sure you’re eligible to vote|How to vote by mail|Election Myths]
Florida has a closed primary system, which means only members of a political party may vote in party primaries. To be eligible, a voter had to identify with that party by July 20.
However, judicial races and local races, for the most part, are open to all registered voters, regardless of political party.
Everything you need to know in order to vote in the Aug. 18 Statewide Primary, including how to vote by mail, vote early, and vote on Election Day, can be found in our Election 2026 section HERE.
Lake County Commission District 2 Republican Primary
The Lake County Commission has five districts, and these are partisan races, which means you must be a member of a political party to vote in August. All voters will be able to choose from a final slate of candidates in November.
The winner of the Republican primary for the District 2 commission seat will go on to face two write-in candidates, Jose Elias-Torres and Leighton Powers, in November.
County Commission District 2 encompasses the southern central part of the county, including parts of Clermont, Minneola and Montverde. You can see a map of the district HERE.
The News Collaborative of Central Florida created a list of common questions to ask the candidates. Questionnaires were sent to all candidates.
Not all of the candidates responded. Where candidates did not respond, we have filled out the information to the best of our abilities.
News 6 compiled the candidate responses for Lake County Commission District 2, emailing and calling the candidates over several weeks. Responses were edited for spelling and grammar, but otherwise left intact.
Humberto Liriano
WEBSITE: https://www.votebertliriano2026.com/
YOUR NUMBER 1 ISSUE and how you plan to address it: District 2 and Lake County continue to experience rapid population growth, placing pressure on roads, schools, utilities, and public services. I will support responsible growth by ensuring infrastructure keeps pace with development. New development should contribute its fair share toward roads, transportation improvements, public safety, and community services. I will work to preserve our lakes, green spaces, and neighborhoods while promoting smart economic development that benefits residents and small businesses.
YOUR NUMBER 2 ISSUE and how you plan to address it: Recent state legislation, including Florida’s 2023 Live Local Act, has limited the ability of counties and municipalities to control certain zoning, density, and development decisions. As County Commissioner, I will advocate for restoring a stronger local voice in growth decisions while working within state law. I believe local communities understand their infrastructure needs better than Tallahassee. I will work with our legislative delegation to ensure Lake County has the tools needed to manage growth responsibly, protect our natural resources, and ensure that roads, public safety, and public services keep pace with development.
YOUR NUMBER 3 ISSUE and how you plan to address it: Lake County has one of Florida’s fastest-growing senior populations, creating increased demand for healthcare, transportation, and supportive services. As a physician, I understand the importance of accessible healthcare. I will work with hospitals, healthcare providers, community organizations, and transportation partners to improve access to medical care, expand preventive health programs, and ensure seniors can age safely and independently within our community.
FOR INCUMBENTS: Why do you deserve to be re-elected in this race?FOR CHALLENGERS AND OPEN SEATS: Why do you deserve to be elected in this race? I deserve to be elected because I bring a unique combination of healthcare leadership, business experience, and community service that reflects the needs of District 2. As a pediatrician, emergency medicine physician, and small business owner, I have spent my career solving problems, managing budgets, leading teams, and serving families during some of the most important moments of their lives.
Lake County is one of the fastest-growing communities in Florida. We need leadership that can balance responsible growth with protecting our quality of life. I will focus on ensuring that infrastructure keeps pace with development, supporting public safety, preserving our natural resources, and improving access to healthcare and services for our growing senior population.
As a husband, father, physician, and resident of Lake County, I understand the challenges facing working families, seniors, and small businesses. I am running because I believe local government should be responsive, transparent, accountable, and focused on practical solutions that improve the lives of the people who call Lake County home.
According to a University of North Florida poll, Floridians say affordability is their top issue. What are your solutions for dealing with Florida’s affordability issue? Affordability is one of the biggest challenges facing Lake County families. Rising housing costs, property insurance premiums, property taxes, transportation expenses, and healthcare costs are putting pressure on working families, seniors, and young adults trying to build their future.
As County Commissioner, I will focus on solutions that local government can directly influence. First, I support responsible growth that increases housing options while ensuring infrastructure keeps pace with development. Second, I will work to keep county government efficient and fiscally responsible so we minimize the tax burden on residents. Third, I will support economic development efforts that attract high-quality jobs and help local businesses grow, allowing residents to earn wages that keep up with the cost of living.
As a physician, I also understand the financial burden of healthcare. I will work with local hospitals, healthcare providers, and community organizations to improve access to care and preventive services, particularly for seniors and working families.
Affordability is not a single issue—it affects housing, transportation, healthcare, and economic opportunity. My goal is to make Lake County a place where families can afford to live, work, raise children, and retire without being priced out of the community they love."
Will you vote YES or NO on the constitutional amendment to slash property taxes and explain your position. How would you replace lost revenue – fees and/or service reductions? YES. I support the proposed constitutional amendment to reduce property taxes because affordability is one of the biggest challenges facing Florida families, particularly retirees, seniors on fixed incomes, and working families struggling with rising housing costs, insurance premiums, and inflation. Property taxes continue to increase even for residents who have already paid off their homes, and many longtime residents are being priced out of the communities they helped build. The proposed amendment would significantly expand homestead protections and provide meaningful relief to Florida homeowners.
Utility costs are rising for customers in Florida, and the proliferation of data centers is expected to exacerbate that issue. How should Florida’s utility regulators respond? Florida’s utility regulators should ensure that residential customers and small businesses are not unfairly burdened with the costs associated with large-scale energy users, including data centers. While data centers can bring investment, jobs, and technological innovation, growth should not come at the expense of Florida families, retirees, and small businesses already facing rising utility bills.
What do you think is the biggest environmental issue your government should address in Florida? The biggest environmental issue facing Lake County and much of Florida is managing growth while protecting our water resources, lakes, wetlands, and natural habitats. As our population continues to grow, increased development places greater pressure on water quality, stormwater systems, conservation lands, and the ecosystems that make Florida unique.
Sean Parks - Incumbent
WEBSITE: voteforsean.com/
YOUR NUMBER 1 ISSUE and how you plan to address it: Responsible Growth. Lake County is growing fast, but it cannot become “just anywhere.” I’m fighting bad development, protecting rural areas, strengthening planning rules, and making sure growth pays for the roads, water, and services it requires.
YOUR NUMBER 2 ISSUE and how you plan to address it: Roads and Infrastructure: Traffic is one of the biggest frustrations for residents. I’m pushing for long-term road funding, better coordination with cities, impact fees and developer commitments, and faster delivery of priority road projects.
YOUR NUMBER 3 ISSUE and how you plan to address it: Conservation and Water Protection: Protecting Lake County’s lakes, springs, farms, and natural lands is part of protecting our quality of life. I support land conservation, stronger water-resource planning, septic-to-sewer solutions where appropriate, and smarter development that respects our environment.
FOR INCUMBENTS: Why do you deserve to be re-elected in this race? FOR CHALLENGERS AND OPEN SEATS: Why do you deserve to be elected in this race? I believe I have earned the honor of re-election because this is no time for inexperience. Lake County is growing fast, and the decisions we make now will shape our roads, our water, our land, and our quality of life for decades.
I bring a proven record, a strong business reputation, and the work ethic to handle both the everyday issues like potholes, traffic, and public safety and the big-picture challenges, like preserving land, protecting water, and making growth pay for itself.
I show up. I do the homework. I ask the tough questions. And I fight every day to keep Lake County strong, conservative, well-managed, and worth calling home. This isn’t a stepping stone for me or a way to improve my image and make money.
I ask voters to remember that good policy requires a majority vote of the Board. One commissioner alone cannot pass ordinances, approve or deny zoning, approve better planning policies, or change the direction of growth overnight.
There have been times when I have proudly stood alone on difficult votes because I believed it was the right thing for Lake County. But lasting change comes from steady leadership, persistence, and building support over time.
That is the work I have done. Even my harshest critics agree. I have continued to press for better planning, stronger conservation, improved infrastructure, and more responsible growth. And over time, that steady work has helped change the conversation and move Lake County in a better direction.
According to a University of North Florida poll, Floridians say affordability is their top issue. What are your solutions for dealing with Florida’s affordability issue?
As Commissioner, I improve affordability by keeping taxes low, making growth pay for itself, cutting unnecessary red tape, building roads faster, supporting local jobs, and protecting the land and water that keep Lake County’s quality of life strong. I can’t control national inflation, but I can fight every day to make sure local government is efficient, responsible, and not adding to the burden on families.
Will you vote YES or NO on the constitutional amendment to slash property taxes and explain your position. How would you replace lost revenue – fees and/or service reductions? As of today, I would vote no, unless someone can show me this is not simply a shell game before the November election.
I support real tax relief. I have worked to keep Lake County lean, efficient, and fiscally conservative. But I will not support a proposal that sounds good on a postcard while shifting the burden somewhere else through higher fees, reduced services, or cuts to public safety, roads, parks, and basic county services.
This Amendment hurts active duty veterans, and first-time home buyers PLAIN and SIMPLE!
Lake County is not some bloated local government operation. We are serving far more residents than we were in 2010, while keeping county government disciplined. Outside of necessary public safety growth, we have not expanded government at a pace anywhere close to our population growth. And if one compares purchasing power versus county revenues, it’s easy to see Lake County is not blowing money.
So I ask... Show me the replacement plan. If the state wants to cut local revenue, then tell the public exactly what gets cut, what fees go up, or how roads, deputies, firefighters, stormwater, parks, and emergency services will be protected.
I am for lower taxes. I am not for budget gimmicks. Lake County taxpayers deserve honest math, not a shell game.
Utility costs are rising for customers in Florida, and the proliferation of data centers is expected to exacerbate that issue. How should Florida’s utility regulators respond? Florida’s utility regulators should follow one clear principle: The cost-causer pays.
I am not opposed to technology or economic development, but residential customers and small businesses should not subsidize massive private power users. If a data center requires new generation, transmission, substations, water, grid upgrades, or other infrastructure, those costs should be paid by the data center and not shifted onto families through higher monthly utility bills.
That is why I recently supported a pause on data centers while Lake County prepares the right regulations, restrictions, consumer assurances, and water-resource protections. We need to understand the impacts before approving projects that could place major demands on our electric grid, water supply, land-use patterns, and surrounding communities.
There needs to be a requirement to plan for decommissioning of data centers too.
The Public Service Commission should require strong large-load tariffs, upfront engineering studies, long-term contracts, minimum demand charges, financial guarantees, and clear public disclosure. Regulators also need to protect grid reliability, allow interruption or curtailment during emergencies, and make sure these projects do not jump ahead of existing residents and businesses.
Florida can welcome responsible technology investment, but not at the expense of ratepayers or natural resources. Growth should pay for itself whether it is rooftops, roads, water infrastructure, or data centers.
What do you think is the biggest environmental issue your government should address in Florida? The biggest environmental issue Florida must address is protecting our water and green infrastructure while still keeping life affordable for the people who live here.
I grew up swimming in Florida springs, and many of those waters do not have the same water clarity they once did. That should concern every Floridian. Water-resource protection is not some abstract environmental issue. It is not a partisan issue. It affects our drinking water, our lakes, our springs, our wildlife, our property values, our economy, and our quality of life.
We need stronger planning around recharge areas, wetlands, stormwater, septic-to-sewer or DWTS where appropriate, conservation lands, and the Florida Wildlife Corridor. Green infrastructure should be treated like real infrastructure, because it saves money, reduces flooding, protects water quality, preserves wildlife habitat, and helps guide growth before it overwhelms communities.
This is also where home rule matters. Government closest to the people serves best. Counties and cities need the ability to protect their own water, land, springs, and rural character based on local conditions and not one-size-fits-all mandates from Tallahassee.
Florida’s challenge is not choosing between affordability and conservation. It is recognizing that protecting water, land, and wildlife corridors is one of the best ways to keep Florida livable and affordable for future generations.