This week the Apopka City Council will consider a special election to fill City Council Seat 4, from which Commissioner Nick Nesta resigned on Dec. 4 to run for mayor in the 2026 general election.  

Because Nesta did not complete his term as Seat 4 commissioner, a special election must be held within 60 days to comply with state election laws to fill the vacancy, according to the resolution. Nesta was first elected to Seat 4 in 2022 and was re-elected to the same seat in 2024.  

If the City Council were to pass the resolution calling for the special election, it will be held in conjunction with the municipal general election on March 10. If necessary, a runoff election will be held on April 14.  

The qualifying period for the special election is slated for noon Jan. 5, and end at noon Jan. 7. Qualifying by petition is not an option for the special election, according to the resolution. Qualifying by petition means if an individual wants to get his or her name on a ballot, the individual must collect a required number of registered voters’ signatures instead of paying a monetary fee.  

Nesta, a realtor, is running for mayor against attorney Matthew Aungst, Orange County District 2 Commissioner Christine Moore and incumbent Bryan Nelson.  

In addition to the mayoral race and the pending Seat 4 special election, Seats 1 and 2 are also up for re-election. Commissioner Alexander Smith is the Seat 1 incumbent, and Vice Mayor Diane Velazquez holds Seat 2. Both incumbents’ terms will expire in 2026, and both have filed to run for re-election.