Documented discrepancy in Sanford mayoral candidate's 2025 financial disclosure
I found a documented discrepancy in candidate Charles Davis's financial disclosures that I think is worth a professional look before the August 18 primary.
THE FINDING:
Davis's Statement of Financial Interests (Form 1) filed with the Florida Commission on Ethics changed significantly between 2024 and 2025:
• 2023 and 2024: Both filings correctly list Charles Davis & Associates (his insurance agency) as his Primary Source of Income, and the 2024 filing explicitly discloses his ownership - "Agent/Owner," more than 5% interest, "ALL" ownership - under Interests in Specified Businesses (insurance is one of the statutorily specified business types).
• 2025: Every single section of the form is marked N/A - no primary income, no specified business interest, no real property, nothing. This is also the same filing year he first appears as a member of the Seminole County Port Authority board, alongside his existing role as Sanford CRA Chairman.
WHY IT DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE AN INNOCENT CHANGE:
I checked three independent sources to see whether he simply sold or stepped back from the business in 2025:
Florida DFS licensee search (License #D032173) shows his insurance license fully active, with several NEW carrier appointments issued specifically in 2025 and 2026 (Security First 9/2025, GEICO Marine 11/2025, Frontline Insurance 7/2026, among others) - consistent with actively growing the business, not exiting it.
Sunbiz shows Charles Davis & Associates, Inc. as an active Florida corporation with Davis still listed as President.
His own 2026 campaign website describes him, in the present tense, as someone who "owns a Nationwide Insurance Office in Sanford."
SEPARATELY, ALSO WORTH ASKING ABOUT:
Davis chaired the Central Florida Zoo board during a period when (per WFTV, Dec. 2021) the board launched an internal task force after concerns were raised about a board member's connection to the insurance agency awarded the zoo's insurance contract. That reporting didn't name the board member, so I can't confirm it was him.
All of the above is drawn from primary sources (Florida COE EFDMS filings, DFS licensee search, Sunbiz, his own campaign site).