Ormond Beach's Closest Race Heads to a Runoff: Inside the Briley-Bobak Zone 4 Contest

Harold Briley is a lifelong Ormond Beach resident and real estate agent with Realty Pros Assured, seeking his second term after first being elected in 2022. Before joining the commission, he spent nearly 30 years on city advisory boards, including 21 years on the Planning Board.

Amber Bobak has lived in Ormond Beach since she was 12 and works as a front desk office administrator for Cains Electric. She currently serves on the city's Planning Board and its Appeals and Adjustments Board, having been appointed to the Planning Board by Mayor Jason Leslie earlier this year. This is her first run for elected office. Bobak has said traffic, development pressure and environmental preservation are the issues she hears about most, along with a broader sense that residents on different sides of local debates don't feel heard.

Briley entered the runoff with a fundraising edge, having reported roughly $6,375 in campaign donations as of early August, compared with Bobak's approximately $1,062. Du Moulin, who is out of the race, had raised about $850.

Briley also won a business-community straw poll conducted by local Chamber of Commerce members ahead of the primary, taking 48 votes to Bobak's 15 and du Moulin's 6. The Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce also published a primary voter guide with endorsements.

With du Moulin out of the race, the Nov. 3 runoff becomes a direct comparison between an incumbent with three decades of city board experience and a first-time candidate positioning herself as a fresh, listening-focused voice on growth issues. Du Moulin's roughly 19% of the primary vote is now up for grabs, and how those voters break could decide the race given the primary's razor-thin margin.

Briley has said he remains optimistic heading into November, pointing to the broader results of the August primary, including mayor-elect Tolland's win, as evidence the city is "moving in the right direction." Bobak has said she was surprised by how close the primary results were and is continuing to campaign on transparency and resident-led decision-making.

Expect both campaigns to ramp up outreach in the coming weeks, particularly around the future of River Bend Golf Course and ongoing development along the North U.S. 1 corridor, two issues that have animated Zone 4 voters throughout the campaign season. Additional Chamber of Commerce or civic group forums are also likely before Election Day.

Ormond Beach Buzz will continue following the Zone 4 runoff, along with the Zone 2 and Zone 3 races, as Nov. 3 approaches.