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Miami Mayoral Runoff Enters Final Stretch as Early Vote Favors Democrats

The officially nonpartisan race has been nationalized by high-profile endorsements, turning a local decision into a 2026 bellwether.

Overview

  • More than 21,000 ballots were cast by Sunday afternoon, including roughly 8,700 from registered Democrats and 7,200 from Republicans, with most votes arriving by mail ahead of the Dec. 9 election.
  • Eileen Higgins spent Sunday on early-vote stops in Miami with U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego, adding to a weekend of in-person get-out-the-vote events.
  • President Donald Trump, Gov. Ron DeSantis and Sen. Rick Scott have endorsed Emilio González, while Democrats including Pete Buttigieg and national party leaders are backing Higgins.
  • Higgins foregrounds affordable housing on city land, a dedicated housing trust fund, commission expansion, climate and flood projects, and ending Miami’s 287(g) cooperation with ICE, as González emphasizes permitting reform, a deregulation task force, limited ICE cooperation, tax relief and expanding the police force.
  • Democrats aim to break nearly three decades of GOP control of the office after Higgins led the Nov. 4 field with about 36% to González’s 19.5%, and her victory would make her Miami’s first woman mayor.