Another Primary Election Day is in the books in the Sunshine State.
Throughout South Florida, voters showed up to exercise their democratic right to vote and to weigh in on the future of local government.
Voters in Miami-Dade and Broward counties voted in much-watched sheriff races to decide who will lead their counties' law enforcement. In Monroe County, Keys residents will see new blood in the Supervisor of Elections office for the first time in a decade.
And in Miami-Dade, County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava won reelection by a landslide with nearly 60% of the vote 鈥� more than enough to stave off a runoff in November.
WLRN鈥檚 reporters were out on the field across four counties covering primary day, from the polls to the parties. Here are some of the key results.
Palm Beach County
Two prominent Democrats, Bobby Powell Jr. and Richard A. Ryles went head to head in hopes of filling the District 7 seat on the Palm Beach County commission.
In a landslide primary victory, former Senator Powell Jr. defeated Ryles, an attorney and former West Palm Beach commissioner. The win sets Powell Jr. up to challenge Republican Leonard L. Serratore in November to become the next Palm Beach County commissioner to represent the predominantly Black district 鈥� which includes Boynton, Delray and Riviera beaches.
鈥淗ome ownership is the gateway to decreasing the wealth gap and this is our opportunity to really make a dent in that during my term in the county commission if I make it through the general election,鈥� Powell said on election night.
The November winner replaces county commissioner and state Senator-elect Mack Bernard.
Palm Beach County voters were also asked on their ballots whether to extend a tax exemption program for large local businesses.
For the third time, residents voted to give cash and property tax exemptions to eligible new and expanding businesses. Results show the referendum passed with more than 60% of the vote.
According to state law, the county is required to ask voters every 10 years whether to extend the performance-based program to companies that dish out capital investments in the millions. The qualifying businesses are required to build a physical facility and must pay average full-time salaries of at least $72,000 dollars.
To see a full list of election night winners, visit the .
Broward County
Despite it being a primary, the often-contentious sheriff鈥檚 race in Broward County was all but decided last night. Incumbent Gregory Tony, whose tenure as Broward鈥檚 top cop has been mired in scandal, faced off against three challengers in the Democratic primary 鈥� and came out on top.
When early voting and mail in ballot totals were first reported, Tony jumped to a commanding 鈥� but not definitive 鈥� lead. Then as precincts started filling, his lead widened and jumped up to almost 50% of the vote totals. Challenger Steve Geller commanded 33% of votes.
There will be a challenger in November in independent candidate Charles Whatley, but Tony is largely expected to win comfortably.
Elsewhere on the ballot, the Broward School Board had five of its nine seats up for grabs, including two incumbents appointed by Governor Ron Desantis in 2022.
The school board elections were largely seen as a referendum on the political appointees of Governor DeSantis 鈥� and the results were clear and resounding.
In District 1, incumbent Dan Foganholi ran a distant third behind both challengers to his seat 鈥� with Maura McCarthy Bulman clinching the win.
In District 2 Rebecca Thompson nearly doubled the vote tally of incumbent Torey Alston.
Meanwhile, in the other notable race for District 9鈥檚 at-large bid, incumbent Debbie Hixon cruised past a challenge from Tom Vasquez to retain her seat.
The Broward School Board meets today. But the board members-elect still need to have their wins ratified ahead of a swearing-in ceremony.
For a rundown of all the race results in Broward, hit up the .
Miami-Dade County
Miami-Dade mayor Daniella Levine Cava has won another four years in office after winning nearly 58% of votes.
The incumbent mayor celebrated victory on Tuesday night at the Ball & Chain nightclub in Little Havana. She stood between two pineapples with sparklers as salsa played, and she flashed a huge smile to the audience.
鈥淎t a time when so many want to divide us, they put up walls between us based on political differences, silencing voices of reason and progress, in Miami-Dade we have shown that we can lead differently,鈥� Levine Cava said to a crowd of attendees.
She told 港澳天下彩that winning nearly 60% of the vote in a seven-person race makes it clear that voters want more. 鈥淚 won decisively, so I can lead decisively. That is the plan,鈥� she said.
Affordable housing, transit and infrastructure are at the top of her list for her second term, which runs until 2028.
In another closely watched race, Miami-Dade County鈥檚 first sheriff鈥檚 race since the 1960s is now down to two final candidates.
On the Republican side of the primary, long-time law enforcement officer Rosie Cordero-Stutz took the win. Her opponent in November will be James Reyes 鈥� the current head of Miami-Dade County Corrections who was endorsed by Levine Cava.
Cordero-Stutz took nearly 25% of the vote in a race against ten other Republican candidates.
At a Sergio鈥檚 restaurant in Doral, Cordero-Stutz and her supporters celebrated her victory with tempered excitement. 鈥淭he fight is not over. This is not the finish line,鈥� Cordero-Stutz said.
Cordero-Stutz was endorsed by 27 sheriffs in Florida, as well as former President Donald Trump. She thanked Trump during her speech.
Reyes won the Democratic primary for sheriff with more than 45% of the vote. He celebrated with supporters at the Ball & Chain nightclub in Little Havana.
鈥淢aintaining public safety is not only my responsibility as your sheriff, it is all of our responsibilities. And I am committed as your sheriff to work alongside every one of you to ensure our public safety,鈥� he said, although the race isn鈥檛 over.
Miami-Dade residents will choose between the nominees on Nov. 5.
For a full list of results in Miami-Dade County, visit .
Monroe County
The Florida Keys will soon have a new Supervisor of Elections for the first time in more than a decade.
On Tuesday, Monroe County Republicans chose their candidate for the November general election. Republican Sherri Hodies was the clear primary winner with more than 60% of the vote, according to unofficial results. She will go on to face Ron Saunders, a Democrat who ran unopposed in the primary.
The position is currently held by Democrat Joyce Griffin who is stepping down at the end of her term. She cited new state laws restricting vote by mail as the reason for her decision to leave.
To see all the Keys election results, head to the .
