Four South Dade Races Head to Runoffs After Election Night

Voters in Cutler Bay and Palmetto Bay will return to the polls Dec. 1 to decide four municipal races that remained unresolved following Tuesday's general election, including both mayoral contests.

Unofficial returns from the Miami-Dade County Elections Department show that no candidate won a majority in either mayoral race. Two council seats also advanced to runoffs, while Rene Gomez in Cutler Bay and Pam Gorman in Palmetto Bay won outright.

The results leave key leadership decisions in both communities unsettled after an election that featured crowded fields and closely contested races.

In Cutler Bay, Councilmember Suzy Lord led the mayoral field with 5,155 votes, or 34.56%. Fellow Councilmember Robert “B.J.” Duncan finished second with 4,870 votes, or 32.65%, a margin of just 285 votes. Ricardo De Melo Gomes placed third with 4,262 votes (28.57%), while Clint Rodriguez received 630 votes (4.22%).

Lord and Duncan will meet in the Dec. 1 runoff to succeed Mayor Tim Meerbott, who is term-limited. The contest will offer voters a choice between two candidates who have already served on the Town Council.

Cutler Bay's Seat 1 race also remains undecided. Mary Ann Mixon led with 6,101 votes, or 43.64%, followed by Ricky Fernandez with 5,057 votes, or 36.18%. James Richie Hawkins received 2,821 votes, or 20.18%. Mixon and Fernandez advance to the runoff.

Seat 3, however, was settled Tuesday. Rene Gomez defeated incumbent Richard Ramirez, winning 7,268 votes (53.03%) to Ramirez's 6,437 (46.97%). It was the only one of Cutler Bay's three municipal contests in which a candidate secured a majority.

In Palmetto Bay, Karen Baez-Wallis led the mayoral race with 4,899 votes, or 45.72%, but fell short of the majority needed to win outright. Tamara Mourino finished second with 3,366 votes, or 31.41%, while David M. Singer received 2,450 votes, or 22.87%. Baez-Wallis and Mourino will meet in December.

The village's Seat 3 race also heads to a second round. Lasaly Changkachith placed first with 3,439 votes (34.70%), followed by Alan “Al John” Farquharson with 2,833 (28.59%). Carl Crawford received 2,007 votes (20.25%), and A.J. “Al” Lara received 1,631 (16.46%). Changkachith and Farquharson will face each other Dec. 1.

Palmetto Bay voters did decide Seat 1, where Pam Gorman defeated Tana Llinas, 5,234 votes (52.56%) to 4,724 (47.44%). Gorman was the village's only outright winner in its three municipal contests Tuesday.

The December runoff will narrow four crowded races to head-to-head decisions. In each municipality, voters will choose a mayor and a councilmember who will help shape decisions on development, infrastructure, public services and other local priorities.

All participating precincts had reported as of the county's Wednesday afternoon update, but results remained preliminary and unofficial pending the canvassing and certification process.

The runoff election is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 1.