Miami-Dade election night roundup: winners and likely runoffs in crowded municipal races

Seven mayoral races and an eight-way City Commission race were among the municipal races in Miami-Dade County on Tuesday.

Below are the results for local elections.

Aventura

Political newcomer and writer Amit Bloom was the winner in the race to become Aventura’s commissioner for Seat 6, beating marketing professional Alberto Zaltzberg. Bloom, 53, is a freelance writer and graphic designer and was the creative and editorial director for Aventura Magazine for over 22 years. She received endorsements from the city commission, Aventura Mayor Enid Weisman and Mayor-elect Howard Weinberg.

Bal Harbour

Attorney David Wolf was the winner over South Florida native Neca Logan for the Bal Harbour District 5 council seat.

Biscayne Park

Veronica Amsler, Jonathan Groth and Veronica L. Olivera were the winners in a six-person field who will fill the three open Biscayne Park commission seats. They beat out two incumbents Judi Hamelburg and Vice-Mayor Dan Samaria and another candidate, Mario E. Carozzi. Once sworn in, commissioners will decide who will replace outgoing Mayor Virginia O’Halpin.

Cutler Bay

Tim Meerbott won a second term as the mayor of Cutler Bay, gaining a significant margin over political newcomer Tom McCormick.

In an interview with the Herald, Meerbott described his vision for a Cutler Bay that’s more than a bedroom community. That plan includes the Southland Mall redevelopment project, which Meerbott said will generate approximately $500 million in revenue during construction.

Doral

The four-way race to succeed Doral Mayor Juan Carlos Bermudez is headed for a runoff, with Miami-Dade School Board Member Christi Fraga in the lead, followed by City Council member Claudia Mariaca. Pete Cabrera, the longest-serving member of the City Council, was third, with pastor Haim Otero trailing far behind.

The city requires mayoral and council candidates to win more than 50% of the vote in order to avoid a runoff.

Two Doral City Council races will also go to a runoff, with Susie Castillo, director of corporate relations at FIU, followed by Rafael A. Pineyro, former Miami-Dade County Parks and Recreation manager, leading in the four-way race for Seat 1. Carlos Pereira and Francisco “Frank” Gamez were in third and fourth place, respectively.

Former assistant state attorney at the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office Ivette Gonzalez Petkovich received over 40% of the vote in the Seat 2 race, followed by Maureen Porras in second and Juan Manuel Sucre in third place.

In the Council Seat 4 race, Digna Cabral, vice mayor and clinical research project manager at University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine beat opponent Juan Carlos Esquivel, president at Port Logistics Solutions Corp., with over 58% of the vote.

Hialeah

Vivian Casáls-Muñoz won the Hialeah City Council Seat 4 race against opponent Angelica Pacheco.

Casáls-Muñoz will fill the vacant seat left by ex-Councilman Oscar De La Rosa, who resigned in January to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest after his stepfather, Esteban Bovo Jr., was elected mayor, the Herald previously reported.

Since February, Casáls-Muñoz has been acting councilwoman for the seat. She previously told el Nuevo Herald that she returned to the council “at the request of the mayor.” Casáls-Muñoz began her political career on the Hialeah City Council when she was appointed to fill the seat vacated by Eduardo González in 2006, she told the Herald in a recent interview. Casáls-Muñoz is the current director of public relations for Hialeah Park Casino.

Pacheco, a nurse and small business owner, ran for City Council last year but lost during the runoff.

Key Biscayne

Joe Rasco, the former director of Miami-Dade County’s Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, won in the Key Biscayne mayoral race over opponent and longtime lobbyist Fausto Gomez, preliminary election night results showed.

Rasco received over 62% of the vote. He was previously elected as mayor in 1998. Prior to that, he served on the first-ever Village Council. He will succeed outgoing Mayor Mike Davey.

In the five-way race for Village Council, incumbent Ed London, Oscar Sardiñas and Fernando Vazquez won the three vacant seats. They beat out candidates Nicolas Lopez-Jenkins and Andy Herrera.

Medley

Incumbents Edgar Ayala and Lizelh Ayala, father and daughter, won the two open seats in the five-way race for Medley Town Council. Yenny Lorenzo was in third place, followed by Ariel Francisco Carballo Consuegra in foruth and Stephanie Otero in fifth.

The Ayalas often oppose Mayor Roberto Martell, the Herald has previously reported. They faced three political newcomers in this election.

The open seats are at-large, meaning the council members will represent all of the approximately 1,000 residents in the Northwest Miami-Dade industrial town.

Miami Lakes

Ray Garcia beat out Ian Anthony Medina and William G. Perez for the Miami Lakes town council Seat 2 as Vice Mayor Jeffrey Rodriguez steps down. The two incumbents, Seat 4 Councilman Josh Dieguez and Seat 6 Councilman Carlos O. Alvarez were reelected over respective challengers Miguel Comesana III and Angelo Cuadra Garcia, who were political newcomers. Once sworn in, the council will elect the next Vice Mayor.

North Bay Village

Goran Cuk won the commission race after Robert Hamilton McKnight withdrew last month. Also, voters decided to approve a bond referendum to finance stormwater and related roadway improvements to mitigate the effects of sea level rise and flooding.

North Miami Beach

Group 2 Commissioner Paule Villard and her challenger and former North Miami Beach Commissioner Jay Chernoff will head to a runoff election. Incumbent Fortuna Smuckler won reelection over her challenger Hans Mardy for the Group 4 seat. Former North Miami Beach Commissioner Phyllis Smith won the race to fill the Group 3 seat, which will be vacated by Barbara Kramer. She beat out political newcomers Wrendly Mesidor and Mark St. Vil.

Opa-locka

The race for mayor is headed to a runoff between Justo R. Rodriguez and John Taylor. The winner will succeed Veronica J. Williams, who is not running for reelection. Tax preparer Natasha L. Ervin and incumbent Sherelean Bass won the eight-candidate commission race to fill two commission seats. The race also included incumbent Audrey Dominguez.

Palmetto Bay

Palmetto Bay Mayor Karyn Cunningham secured another term in the three-way mayoral race with over 54% of the vote. Former Mayor Eugene Flynn, who lost to Cunningham in 2018, was in second place. Artist and air conditioning company owner Alan “AlJohn” Farquharson was in third place.

Incumbent Patrick Fiore won the Council Seat 1 race against opponent Pam Gorman, and incumbent Marsha Matson won the Council Seat 3 race against Russell Jones.

South Miami

In the South Miami mayoral race, where the dominant theme is how to revive the city’s downtown and reimagine the Shops at Sunset Place, former state legislator Javier Fernandez defeated former three-time mayor Horace Feliu by a commanding margin.

The candidates were vying to succeed Mayor Sally Philips.

Steve Calle maintained a slight margin over incumbent Luis Gil in the City Commission Group 1 race, and South Miami Planning Board chairperson Lisa Bonich won the Commission Group 4 race against opponent and Planning Board member Michelle Readon.

Sunny Isles Beach

The Sunny Isles Beach mayoral race is headed to a runoff, with former Mayor Larisa Svechin holding a narrow lead over incumbent Dana Goldman.

The city code requires more than 50% of the vote in order to win in the general election.

Realtor Anita Funtek was far behind in third place.

Goldman won a contentious runoff last year against then-interim Mayor Svechin following the resignation of Mayor George Scholl.

Vice Mayor Jeniffer Viscarra won the Commission Seat 4 race against opponent Stephanie Henry.