There are live elections today in four of Miami-Dade’s biggest cities: Miami, Hialeah, Miami Beach and Homestead. Some offer a little more drama than others.
In Miami, there are two seats up for grabs. Commissioner Manolo Reyes is also on the ballot but he is pretty much in like Flint. No muss, no fuss.
But Districts 1 and 2, where incumbents Alex Diaz de la Portilla and Sabina Covo, respectively, are fighting tooth and nail to keep their seats, the story is quite different. Both races have been contentious and seen attacks going back and forth. Both will end will end up in runoffs Nov. 21 and we can keep writing about the two left standing for two more weeks.
Read related: Miami District 2 race pits short term incumbent vs seven other wannabes
Diaz de la Portilla is facing auto parts dealer Miguel Gabela, who came in second to him in 2019, county administrator Mercedes Labrada Rodriguez, promoter Marvin “Mr. Miami” Tapia and former cop turned P.I. Frank Pichel, who recently pulled a gun on an ADLP election worker. A recent poll puts ADLP finishing with Gabela for a true rematch of 2019. Rodriguez is climbing from third, however.
Covo is facing banker and human rights activist Damian Pardo, Downtown Neighbors Alliance President James Torres, lawyer Eddy Leal, Christi Tasker, Michael Castro, Gabriela Chirinos, and Alicia Kossick. Pardo and Torres are battling it out for a runoff spot, according to a poll there.
Already, 8,514 people have voted in Miami vís-a-vís a mail-in or absentee ballot. Another 2,119 voted during early voting in the city. But the Miami-Dade Elections Department could not provide those numbers sorted by district.
In Miami Beach, there were a great more number of early voters, with 3,739 casting ballots at early voting polls. Another 4,996 sent in their mail-in ballots.
The race for mayor in Miami Beach has its own drama. It’s really between former commissioner Michael Góngora and former Commissioner and State Rep. Michael Grieco, who have been attacking each other for months. Commissioner Steven Meiner and former MTV Executive Bill Roedy, who has spent tons of money on TV and mail ads, will force the two Mikes into a runoff. Voters will also elect three new commissioners
And while it seems counterintuitive, the election in Hialeah seems to be without any real controversy. Incumbent councilwomen Vivian Cásals-Muñoz and Monica Perez have nothing to worry about. They will be re-elected easy peasy. The election department says 5,098 voters returned ABS in Miami Beach. Another 958 cast ballots during early voting.
In Homestead, there are four city council seats on the ballot. Incumbent council members Sean L. Fletcher and Larry Roth are running for re-election while the other two seats are open. Only 1,309 voters have sent ABs back and 500 showed up for early voting.
Polls are open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Go vote! Elections today in Miami, Miami Beach, Hialeah and Homestead added by Ladra on
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We hope Damian Pardo finishes first in the Miami D2 race.
Alex DLP and Covo are both terrible commissioners. And Manuel Reyes was recently found to have been deceiving voters. He has cancer BUT he wants to win again and keep his $110,000 pay and benefit package SO he tried to keep his problem a secret from voters. So Reyes lied to voters… The dude has even missed the last few commission meetings… BUT we bet he still took money every two weeks?
I wonder how accurate these polls are, because voters on the street are saying something very differnet. I guess the ultimate poll will be tonight!
Anybody know why SAVE, the founding of which appears to be one of Pardo’s foundational claims to “human rights activist” status, has endorsed Covo? Not being snarky here. I don’t know the answer, but it is interesting.
Also of note, Covo has been endorsed by the Miami Dade Democratic Party, as has Marvin Tapia in the District 1 race.