Voters in 23 of Broward County’s 31 cities, towns and villages will decide mayoral races, commission and council seats, and dozens of ballot questions in the Nov. 3 General Election. More than 100 people are running for 42 contested posts. Early voting runs Oct. 19 through Nov. 1.
Some races were settled before ballots were cast. A judge removed one candidate over residency requirements, and a sitting vice mayor in another city is campaigning while facing domestic battery charges.
Coral Springs and Coconut Creek
Coral Springs has a mayoral rematch in the making, with incumbent Scott Brook facing Commissioner Joshua Simmons, who would be the city’s first Black mayor if he wins. A special election will also fill Seat 3, left empty after Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer was killed in an April domestic violence incident. Five candidates are running for that seat.
Coconut Creek has no commission seats on the ballot, but voters will consider five charter amendments. They cover calendar and business day definitions, a ban on serving on certain homeowner association boards while in office, the handling of unspent appropriations, and the timing of charter reviews.
Cooper City and Dania Beach
Cooper City commissioners Jeremy Katzman and Lisa Mallozzi won new terms without opposition because no one qualified to run against them. Voters will still decide three charter changes, including one that would replace a costly special election with a commission appointment when a seat becomes vacant.
In Dania Beach, six candidates are competing for two seats on the commission. The top vote-getter becomes mayor, and the runner-up becomes vice mayor.
Davie
Davie has four open council seats and a contested mayor’s race between incumbent Judy Paul and trucking company owner Jackie Rocha. Two candidates in the District 3 race have drawn law enforcement attention. Toula Amanna is under investigation by the Broward Sheriff’s Office over a Facebook post about picking up guns, which she blamed on hackers. Jordan Nelson was arrested by Davie police on DUI charges and has pleaded not guilty.
