Meet Karen Castor Dentel
Orange County Supervisor of Elections Karen Castor Dentel, a third-generation Floridian, was elected on November 5, 2024. A dedicated public servant, she has served the Orange County community for more than 25 years as a public-school teacher, state legislator, and school board member. Inspired by her parents’ deep commitment to their community, Karen has built a career centered on education, civic engagement, and service to others. Her mother served as Florida’s Commissioner of Education, and her father served as a County Court Judge.
As Orange County Supervisor of Elections, Karen is focused on bringing democracy to life by creating an elections office that is transparent, innovative, and community driven. In her first year in office, she successfully carried out 9 elections, implemented new county commission districts, and increased the Office’s visibility ahead of the 2026 election cycle. Under her leadership, the Office has expanded early voting locations from 22 to 27, increased frontline staffing to better serve voters, launched the Office’s first Outreach Ambassador Program, and consistently visits local schools to register, preregister, and educate the next generation of voters.
Karen is committed to making Orange County’s elections among the most accessible in the nation. Under her leadership, every polling place is assessed for ADA accessibility, and the Office works with local civic and disability advocacy groups to continuously improve the voter experience. She has expanded language access by providing ballots in eight languages and has led a full rebrand of the Office to ensure its communications and identity are modern and representative of the diverse community it serves. Karen is leading an effort to establish the Orange County Supervisor of Elections Office’s first-ever satellite office. Located in West Orange County, the new office is a deliberate investment in expanding access and bringing election services closer to one of the county’s fastest-growing communities.
Beyond her elected service, Karen has been active in community organizations throughout her career, including the League of Women Voters, the Junior League of Greater Orlando, and the Orange County Classroom Teachers Association. She earned degrees from Vanderbilt University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the University of Florida. A proud mother of two, Karen is driven by the belief that democracy is strongest when everyone has the opportunity to participate. She is dedicated to expanding accessibility, removing barriers to voting, and ensuring every eligible voter can confidently cast a ballot and have their voice heard.
