Your guide to the runoff elections in Miami and Miami Beach
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Miami District 1 Commission candidates Alex Díaz de la Portilla (left) and Miguel Angel Gabela. Photo credit (left to right): David Santiago/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images/ Courtesy of the campaign
Early voting begins Friday in the runoff elections for Miami Beach mayor and Miami city commission.
What's happening: Three races — for Miami Beach mayor and Miami's District 1 and 2 commission seats — will be decided Tuesday after none of the candidates received enough votes to win the Nov. 7 elections.
The candidates
Miami Beach City Commissioner Steven Meiner faces former Commissioner Michael Góngora in the mayoral race.
- Meiner, who was first elected in 2019, is a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission attorney running as a "law and order" candidate primarily focused on reducing crime in the city.
- Góngora, a condo board attorney, served three separate stints as commissioner, most recently in 2021. His campaign also focuses on public safety and eliminating the city's "anything goes" reputation.
Suspended District 1 Miami Commissioner Alex Díaz de la Portilla, who was arrested on corruption charges in September, is running for re-election against businessman Miguel Angel Gabela.
- Díaz de la Portilla, accused of selling his vote for political contributions, has pleaded not guilty to the charges and told the Miami Herald ahead of the election that he would "win big."
- He has used campaign mailers to attack his political opponents and the prosecutor in the case as a "leftist" and compare himself to former President Donald Trump, who is also facing criminal prosecution.
- Gabela, an auto parts salesman who beat the city in court to run for office, has campaigned on improving streets, sidewalks and storm drains.
Miami District 2 Commissioner Sabina Covo, who was elected in a February special election, will look to retain her seat against community activist Damián Pardo.
- Covo, a public relations executive and former journalist, is campaigning on public safety, environmental resilience and housing affordability.
- Pardo, a bank director who founded the LGBTQ+ advocacy group SAVE, is campaigning on resident-focused leadership, fighting flooding and increasing affordable housing.
How to vote
Residents in Miami and Miami Beach can vote early Friday through Sunday or wait until Election Day on Tuesday.
- Bring your ID with you to vote.
- If you vote on Election Day, go to your assigned polling place.
✅ For Miami, early voting is from 7am–7pm on Friday and 8am–4pm on Saturday and Sunday. The locations are:
- Allapattah Branch Library, 1799 NW 35th St.
- Lemon City Branch Library, 430 NE 61st St.
- Miami City Hall, 3500 Pan American Dr.
- Stephen P. Clark Government Center, 111 NW 1st St.
✅ For Miami Beach, voting is from 8am–4pm all three days and located at:
- Miami Beach City Hall, 1700 Convention Center Dr.
- North Shore Branch Library, 7501 Collins Ave.