Miami Lakers will return to the polls on Nov. 26 to choose a mayor, because none of the three candidates won more than 50% of the votes on Nov. 5.
An open council seat was decided by voters.
Unofficial results showed Councilman Josh Dieguez was leading with 46.67% or 7,320 votes on Election night, followed by former Vice Mayor Tony Fernandez, who won 6,593 votes, or 42%, per the Miami-Dade County Supervisor of Elections website.
Yuniett Gonzalez placed third and won 1,795 votes or 11.43%. She will not be on the runoff ballot.
There were just 729 votes between Dieguez, 35, an attorney, and Fernandez, 38, owner of an internet services business.
Both candidates said they were feeling confident about their chances in the runoff election and resumed their campaigns.
Neither one was looking forward to having an election during Thanksgiving week and are promoting vote by mail as a choice for those who may be out of town for the holiday.
Voters have until Nov. 14 to request a vote by mail ballot. For more information go to: https://buff.ly/48JHiVp.
Those ballots must be returned to the county elections department in Doral, not at local precincts.
Angelo Cuadra Garcia, 63, won Council Seat 1 in his second attempt to join the dais.
A supervisor for a road and bridge construction company, he won 8,015 votes and 54.26% of the ballots to defeat Mario O. Pinera, Jr., chief operating officer of MOP Auto Parts, who won 6,756, or 45.74%.
Cuadra Garcia said, “I’m super, super excited. I’m motivated. I will come in with a positive attitude.”
He will join incumbent council members Ray Garcia, 52, a businessman, and attorney Bryan Morera, 34, who has his own firm.
In the Aug. 20 Primary Election, two council seats were decided when no one opposed candidates Juan Carlos (J.C.) Fernandez, 53, a Realtor and part franchise owner of Keller Williams Realty, who won Seat 3, and lawyer Steven Herzberg, 35, a partner at Vazquez & Associates, who won Seat 5.
Dieguez, an attorney with Dieguez & Associates was in the middle of his second term when he decided to run for mayor.
Once the mayoral contest is decided, Dieguez’s replacement will be appointed to fulfill the remaining two years of his term.
A swearing-in ceremony will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 10 at Town Hall, 6601 Main St.
The new council will have their first regular meeting there on Jan. 21, 2025.