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.
Osceola County Commission District 4 Democratic Primary
The Osceola 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 Democratic primary for the District 4 commission seat will go on to face the winner of the Republican primary in November.
County Commission District 4 encompasses part Central Osceola County, including the Downtown Kissimmee area. 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.
Our News Collaborative partners at Osceola News Gazette compiled the candidate responses for Orange County Commission District 4. Below is an excerpt of each candidate’s profile.
You can see the full Osceola News Gazette Voting Guide HERE.
Mary Downey
WEBSITE: http://www.votemarydowney.com
Why do you deserve to be elected by the Commission by those in District 4 in this race? For the last 20 years, I have served alongside public and private partnerships in Osceola County and the State of Florida to provide quality care and housing to those experiencing poverty and homelessness. As the founder and CEO of Hope Partnership I’ve had the honor of working with these families and individuals and have helped them secure affordable housing, healthcare, and support services since 2008. This experience has helped me build a resume that reflects the skills needed for this position. Building relationships, strong business acumen, strategic leadership, and compassionate care are what make me deserving of this office.
What do you feel are Osceola County’s three most pressing problems and give a brief explanation of how you’d advocate they’d be solved:
Roads/Infrastructure: Balancing the needs of the fastest-growing county in Florida with the protection of our natural resources is difficult. We must make careful choices that help alleviate the traffic congestion without increasing damage to our precious wildlife and land. We need to make sure we have infrastructure in place before we continue to develop and slow our rapid growth in a way that helps us both welcome new neighbors without destroying the community we have all worked so hard to build together.
Affordable Housing: We increase the supply of affordable housing by continuing to encourage private investment, while ensuring we explore all opportunities created through federal and state legislation for more opportunities around low-income tax credits and encourage initiatives that provide for the full housing continuum.
Sustainable Job Growth: One of the best things about Osceola County right now is our Osceola Prosper program providing financial support for any high school graduate in Osceola County to attend Valencia College. As a first-generation college graduate, I value the opportunity for our students to get the education they need to succeed. With funding opportunities available, more and more students will be able to explore future careers. I would continue to fight for this as a County Commissioner, as well as continue to strengthen partnerships and collaboration through organizations like the School District of Osceola County and CareerSource of Central Florida.
According to a University of North Florida poll, Floridians say housing affordability is their top issue. What are your solutions for dealing with Florida’s affordability issue? For the last 20 years, I have fought for those who need access to safe and affordable housing in Osceola County and I’m committed to continuing to focus on making sure our community is a safe place for all. Thrive Studios by Hope Partnership, a hotel conversion project into affordable housing, recently opened and I continue to advocate for other nonprofits, affordable housing developers, and private organizations that invest in affordable housing. We increase the supply of affordable housing by continuing to encourage private investment, while ensuring we explore all opportunities created through federal and state legislation, including the most recent changes to Live Local that allow for easier development for affordable housing by religious organizations and faith-based organizations.
Please vote yes or no on the constitutional amendment to slash property taxes and explain your position: No. We simply do not have enough information about how eliminating the property tax will affect our communities. It was passed through the legislature very quickly and without much data on its effects. An issue of this magnitude should have been given more time and attention and should have been done in a way that the public could understand. Even the website where citizens can estimate their own savings does not display correct information. When our public safety personnel tell us that this will stop us from being able to provide necessary services for public safety, we must listen to them.
Jose Gonzalez
WEBSITE: www.facebook.com/people/Jose-Gonzalez-For-Osceola-County-Commissioner-District-4/61590725015234/
Why do you deserve to be elected by those in District 4 in this race? I am not running to be another politician. I am running as a resident, small business owner, husband, father, grandfather, and community advocate who understands the everyday struggles families are facing. For more than 15 years, I have been actively helping people, supporting community efforts, and working with residents from different backgrounds. I am not someone who just appeared during election season. I love Osceola County, and I want to serve with honor, integrity, and dedication. District 4 needs a commissioner who will listen to residents, protect taxpayers, support small businesses, address affordability, improve infrastructure, and make sure growth is responsible. I will bring common sense, hard work, and a people-first approach.
What do you feel are Osceola County’s three most pressing problems and give a brief explanation of how you’d advocate they’d be solved.
Affordability and housing costs: Local families in Osceola are being squeezed by rising rent, home prices, insurance, groceries, utilities, and everyday expenses. Many working families are doing everything right and still struggling to keep up. I will advocate for responsible policies that support attainable housing, workforce housing, and homeownership opportunities. The county must work with cities, builders, nonprofits, state partners, and community organizations to increase housing options while protecting neighborhoods and making sure infrastructure keeps up with growth.
Affordability is not just about housing. It is about helping families stay in Osceola County without being priced out of the community they helped build.
Traffic, roads, and infrastructure: Growth has moved faster than our roads, intersections, public transit, and infrastructure. I will advocate for better planning, faster road improvements, safer intersections, improved traffic signal timing, and stronger coordination with FDOT, MetroPlan Orlando, LYNX, the cities, and regional partners. Development should not be approved without a clear plan for roads, drainage, public safety, schools, and infrastructure. Growth must pay its fair share, and residents should not be left sitting in traffic because the government failed to plan ahead.
Economic opportunity and better jobs: Osceola County must focus on bringing better-paying jobs, supporting small businesses, and expanding economic opportunities for residents. Too many people live here but leave the county every day for better employment. As a small business owner, I understand how hard it is to build, operate, and grow a business. I will advocate for policies that support local businesses, workforce training, entrepreneurship, tourism, technology, trades, and partnerships that connect residents to real career opportunities. Economic development should not only benefit large projects. It should also benefit working families, small businesses, and residents.
According to a University of North Florida poll, Floridians say housing affordability is their top issue. What are your solutions for dealing with Florida’s affordability issue? My focus would be on practical, local action. Osceola County needs more attainable housing options, stronger partnerships with cities and nonprofits, responsible development, and better planning so housing is connected to roads, jobs, schools, public safety, and services.
We also need to protect existing residents from being pushed out. That means supporting homeownership opportunities, workforce housing, rental stability programs where appropriate, and partnerships that help residents stay housed. Affordability cannot be solved by one government alone. It will take the county, cities, state agencies, builders, nonprofits, employers, and community partners working together. My focus will be on solutions that help working families stay in Osceola County and build a future here.
Please vote yes or no on the constitutional amendment to slash property taxes and explain your position: No vote given. I believe this decision belongs to the voters. I am not going to tell residents how to vote on a constitutional amendment. I encourage every voter to do their own research, read the full language, ask questions, and understand both the benefits and the consequences before making a decision. I understand that homeowners need relief. Families are feeling pressure from housing costs, insurance, utilities, groceries, and everyday expenses. At the same time, there is no such thing as “free” government services. When revenue is removed from one place, it usually has to be replaced somewhere else, reduced from services, or shifted in another way.
Property tax revenue helps support essential services such as public safety, fire rescue, roads, parks, public works, emergency response, and basic local government operations. My concern is making sure residents understand the full impact of any major tax change before they vote.
Rafael A. Lebron
WEBSITE: votelebron.com/
Why do you deserve to be elected by the Commission by those in District 4 in this race? My business and education background give me the tools required to represent our citizens as a commissioner, from understanding budgets to building strong relationships and creating consensus amongst teams. With over 20 years of leadership experience and as director of business development at Lebron Law, PLLC, I understand how to deliver results. I will prioritize affordable housing to keep families in District 4, ensure competitive wages for our workers, invest in youth and education to build our future, address traffic and congestion challenges, and support our most vulnerable seniors and veterans. I am excited to work tirelessly, and I’m committed to bringing full transparency and dedicated focus to this role to ensure our future is bright.
What do you feel are Osceola County’s three most pressing problems and give a brief explanation of how you’d advocate they’d be solved:
Smart growth and infrastructure. Our county is growing faster than our infrastructure can handle. I will push for a transportation strategic plan and bring back local concurrency through an interlocal agreement with the school district and both cities. I will prioritize improving existing roadways, invest in transit, and streamline permitting to cut red tape, all while protecting our conservation lands like Split Oak Forest and limiting urban sprawl. Perpetual deed protections must be respected. In my first board meeting, I will move to reconsider and reinstate the land deed protections and demand that CFX and Tavistock pursue an alternative route. I will also propose a charter change requiring a voter referendum before any public conservation land can be repurposed. Let the voters decide.
Economic development and job creation. Wages aren’t keeping pace with our cost of living. I will champion trade and skilled workforce education in our K-12 schools to create a pipeline of good-paying jobs. As part of a small business family in downtown Kissimmee since 2015, I know the struggles our local businesses face firsthand, and I will make sure key stakeholders have a seat at the table on policy decisions.
Public safety and community well-being. I will ensure our first responders have the resources and support they need, and I am proud to be endorsed by the Kissimmee Professional Firefighters Local 4208. I will hold quarterly town halls in my district so residents are truly heard, with a special focus on our most vulnerable seniors, veterans, and youth.
According to a University of North Florida poll, Floridians say housing affordability is their top issue. What are your solutions for dealing with Florida’s affordability issue? We must increase the supply of true workforce and affordable housing through smart growth planning, incentivize responsible development, streamline the permitting process to lower building costs, and encourage home ownership. Just as important, we need to raise affordability from the other direction by investing in trade education and skilled jobs that create upward economic mobility for working families.
Please vote yes or no on the constitutional amendment to slash property taxes and explain your position: Undecided, I am still doing my research.