1976 Orlando mayoral election

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1976 Orlando mayoral election
Flag of Florida.svg
  1972 September 12, 1976 1980  
  3x4.svg 3x4.svg
Candidate Carl T. Langford Shelton Adams
Party Nonpartisan Nonpartisan
Popular vote10,3659,909
Percentage51.12%48.88%

Mayor before election

Carl T. Langford
Nonpartisan

Elected mayor

Carl T. Langford
Nonpartisan

The 1976 Orlando mayoral election took place on September 7, 1976. Incumbent Mayor Carl T. Langford ran for re-election to a third full term. [1] Though City Commissioner George Stuart Jr. considered running for mayor, he ultimately opted against it, [2] leaving advertising executive Shelton Adams as Langford's only opponent. [3]

Contents

Langford was the frontrunner in the race, and was endorsed for re-election by the Sentinel Star , which praised his "broad administrative experience" and for developing a "long range program" that helped the city economically develop. [4]

Adams ran an aggressive campaign, attracting endorsements from the local police and firefighter unions. [5] [6]

Langford won re-election by a narrow margin, receiving 51 percent of the vote to Adams's 49 percent. [7] Langford led on election night, but the race was too close to call until the absentee ballots could be counted, [8] at which point Adams conceded and pledged to run again in 1980. [9]

General election

Candidates

Declined

Results

1976 Orlando mayoral election results [7]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Nonpartisan Carl T. Langford (inc.) 10,365 51.12%
Nonpartisan Shelton Adams9,90948.88%
Total votes20,274 100.00%

References

  1. 1 2 "Langford Qualifies For Mayor". Orlando Evening Star . July 7, 1976. p. 1-B. Retrieved August 1, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  2. 1 2 Lippert, Greg (July 20, 1976). "Stuart Plans To Seek 2nd Term On Council". Orlando Evening Star . p. 1-B. Retrieved August 1, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  3. 1 2 Lippert, Greg (July 20, 1976). "Langford Has Opponent". Orlando Evening Star . p. 1-A. Retrieved August 1, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Orlando Needs Administrative Experience Of Carl Langford". Orlando Evening Star . August 22, 1976. p. 8-B. Retrieved August 1, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  5. Lippert, Greg (August 24, 1976). "Firemen Back Adams; Accuse Langford". Sentinel Star . p. 1-B. Retrieved August 1, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Police Group Backs Adams, Draws Fire". Orlando Evening Star . August 27, 1976. p. 2-B. Retrieved August 1, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  7. 1 2 "Election Results 1970-1978" (PDF). Orlando City Clerk. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 12, 2015. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
  8. "Langford Holds Razor-Thin Lead". Orlando Evening Star . September 8, 1976. p. 1-A. Retrieved August 1, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  9. Spivey, Pete (September 9, 1976). "Absentee Vote Adds To Langford's Edge". Sentinel Star . p. 1-B. Retrieved August 1, 2025 via Newspapers.com.