A new Miami Beach mayor and three new city commissioners are set to be sworn into office on Tuesday morning in a ceremony in the temporary commission chambers at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
“I am eager to hit the ground running,” said Mayor-elect Steven Meiner in a statement released by the city. “The residents have high expectations for public safety and quality of life, and I won’t let them down.”
READ MORE: Runoff elections in Miami Beach, city of Miami. Who were the winners?
Meiner beat Michael Gongora in a runoff election held last Tuesday, winning by 765 votes. Meiner’s vote tally was 5,403 (53.81%), while Gongora's was 4,638 (46.19%).
Meiner will be joined by incoming new commissioners-elect: Tanya K. Bhatt in Group IV, David Suarez of Group V and Joseph Magazine from Group VI. Each of the candidates were elected by a citywide ballot.
In the Group IV commissioner race, Bhatt came out ahead of Andres Asion, with 7,295 votes giving her a roughly 13-percentage-point win. In the Group V race, Suarez defeated Mitch Novick, 52.5% to 47.5%. In the Group VI race, Magazine was victorious against Marcella Novella in one of day's closest elections. He ended with 6,491 votes — just 67 more votes than his opponent.
Outgoing Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber will be honored, along with outgoing city commissioners Ricky Arriola and David Richardson, before the 11 a.m. swearing-in ceremony.
“It's been my great privilege to serve the only hometown I've ever known,” said Gelber in a statement. “I'm proud of our accomplishments over the last 6 years, and have great confidence that Mayor Meiner and his Commission will continue to make Miami Beach a more livable and special place for residents and visitors alike.”
