Karen Castor Dentel was elected Orange County Supervisor of Elections on November 5, 2024. A lifelong Floridian and dedicated public servant, she has spent over 25 years serving Orange County as a public-school teacher, state legislator, and school board member.
Born into a family deeply committed to public service, Karen followed in the footsteps of her parents—her mother, a former Commissioner of Education, and her father, a County Court Judge. Her siblings also serve as a County Court Judge and U.S. Representative.
As your Orange County Supervisor of Elections, Karen is focused on increasing accessibility, enhancing communication, and expanding early voting opportunities.
In her first year in office, she is working to open the Supervisor of Elections’ first satellite office in West Orange County, add more frontline staff to better serve voters, expand communication and voter outreach through the creation of the office’s first Outreach Ambassador Program, visit every Orange County high school to preregister and register young voters, and increase the number of early voting locations from 22 to 29.
In addition to her elected roles, Karen has volunteered with organizations like Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, the Junior League, and the League of Women Voters. She holds degrees from Vanderbilt University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the University of Florida.
Karen’s two children attended Orange County public schools, reflecting her lifelong dedication to public education and her community.
