MIAMI — Voters in Miami returned to the polls Tuesday to choose their next mayor, after a crowded field of 13 candidates failed to produce a winner with majority support in the Nov. 4 election.
After all ballots were cast, it was Eileen Higgins who came out on top, defeating Emilio Gonzalez after receiving approximately 59 percent of the votes.
Higgins celebrated with family and friends at the Miami Women’s Club, which was appropriate as she made history on Tuesday.
Higgins now becomes the first woman to serve as the city’s mayor.
“It’s very exciting to be the first woman to serve the city of Miami,” Higgins said. “It’s hard to think of it that way because we always know Miami was founded by a woman, but I hope this sends a message to any girls or teenagers out there that of course you can be a mayor, of course you can be an engineer. You can be anything you want.”
For González, he accepted defeat with positivity. He and his supporters were toasting to new beginnings and breaking plates, an old Greek custom, after news of the loss came in.
“We’re celebrating democracy, we’re celebrating our city,” said González. “Every day for me was a different adventure. I was talking to different people, visiting different neighborhoods and organizations, and I just had a blast. I really did. I enjoyed every minute of it, and by the way, if you’re not going to enjoy it, you shouldn’t do this.”
In the first round of voting, Higgins emerged as the top vote-getter with roughly 36 percent of ballots cast, but she fell short of the more than 50 percent threshold required to win outright.
Following her was González, with approximately 19 percent of the vote.
If either candidate had not secured more than half the votes in the runoff, the city might have required another follow-up to determine a winner.
Now we know that won’t be necessary.
The Dec. 9 runoff marked the first time since 2001 that Miami has required a second round to select its mayor.
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