Miami-Dade County to decide on commission vacancy for downtown Miami and Miami Beach
By Joshua Ceballos
November 17, 2025 at 5:32 PM EST
To appoint or not to appoint, that is the question Miami-Dade County Commissioners face in filling the vacant seat left by their former colleague who is now running for City of Miami Mayor.
Eileen Higgins, former County Commissioner for District 5 — which includes much of downtown Miami and Miami Beach — is headed to a runoff election in December against ex-Miami City Manager Emilio Gonzalez. She resigned from her county seat to run for mayor, leaving a vacuum on the 13-member county dais.
On Tuesday, Nov. 20, Higgins’ former colleagues will decide what happens to her old seat. A resolution on the board’s agenda seeks to appoint a replacement. Under this route, elected officials would decide who leads the district with some of Miami-Dade’s major tourism drivers, an area with more than 202,000 residents.
READ MORE: Affordability, transit, corruption: Miami mayoral candidates talk biggest challenges at forum
Would-be successors to the seat, meanwhile, want the county to call a special election.
Joe Sanchez, a former Florida Highway Patrol officer and Miami City Commissioner, filed earlier this month for the District 5 seat, and has publicly urged the county to put the issue to let voters elect their representative.
“Today we’re here with one simple message: District 5 deserves to vote,” Sanchez said in a statement on Monday. “This is not about politics — it’s about the people. And it’s about respecting the voices of the residents who live here, work here, and raise their families here, like I have.”
Sanchez previously ran unsuccessfully for Miami-Dade County Sheriff in 2024, taking second place against Rosie Cordero-Stutz.
“Our district deserves transparency. Our district deserves a choice,” he said.
The resolution to appoint a District 5 commissioner notes that the unelected appointee would serve until the next countywide election, likely in August or November next year.
Special elections cost several thousands of dollars in taxpayer funds, as the county must pay for mailers, vote-by-mail ballots, and polling site setup and staffing.
The county commission meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 9:30 a.m. at the county commission chambers in downtown Miami.
Eileen Higgins, former County Commissioner for District 5 — which includes much of downtown Miami and Miami Beach — is headed to a runoff election in December against ex-Miami City Manager Emilio Gonzalez. She resigned from her county seat to run for mayor, leaving a vacuum on the 13-member county dais.
On Tuesday, Nov. 20, Higgins’ former colleagues will decide what happens to her old seat. A resolution on the board’s agenda seeks to appoint a replacement. Under this route, elected officials would decide who leads the district with some of Miami-Dade’s major tourism drivers, an area with more than 202,000 residents.
READ MORE: Affordability, transit, corruption: Miami mayoral candidates talk biggest challenges at forum
Would-be successors to the seat, meanwhile, want the county to call a special election.
Joe Sanchez, a former Florida Highway Patrol officer and Miami City Commissioner, filed earlier this month for the District 5 seat, and has publicly urged the county to put the issue to let voters elect their representative.
“Today we’re here with one simple message: District 5 deserves to vote,” Sanchez said in a statement on Monday. “This is not about politics — it’s about the people. And it’s about respecting the voices of the residents who live here, work here, and raise their families here, like I have.”
Sanchez previously ran unsuccessfully for Miami-Dade County Sheriff in 2024, taking second place against Rosie Cordero-Stutz.
“Our district deserves transparency. Our district deserves a choice,” he said.
The resolution to appoint a District 5 commissioner notes that the unelected appointee would serve until the next countywide election, likely in August or November next year.
Special elections cost several thousands of dollars in taxpayer funds, as the county must pay for mailers, vote-by-mail ballots, and polling site setup and staffing.
The county commission meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 9:30 a.m. at the county commission chambers in downtown Miami.