John Barrow (Florida)

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

John Barrow

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

August 20, 2024

Education

High school

MAST Academy

Bachelor's

Oberlin College, 2005

Medical

Lynn University, 2013

Personal

Birthplace

Miami, Fla.

Religion

Episcopalian

Profession

Law enforcement

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Campaign Instagram

Personal LinkedIn

John Barrow (Democratic Party) ran for election for Miami-Dade County Sheriff in Florida. He lost in the Democratic primary on August 20, 2024.

Barrow completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

John Barrow was born in Miami, Florida. He graduated from MAST Academy. He earned a bachelor's degree from Oberlin College in 2005, an M.D. from Lynn University in 2013, and a D.O. from Florida International University in 2021. His career experience includes working in law enforcement and as a professional musician.

Elections

2024

See also: Municipal elections in Miami-Dade County, Florida (2024)

General election

General election for Miami-Dade County Sheriff

Rosie Cordero-Stutz defeated James Reyes in the general election for Miami-Dade County Sheriff on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Rosie Cordero-Stutz (R)	55.6	583,505
		James Reyes (D)	44.4	465,369

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,048,874
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Alberto De Alba (No Party Affiliation)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Miami-Dade County Sheriff

James Reyes defeated Rickey Mitchell, Susan Khoury, and John Barrow in the Democratic primary for Miami-Dade County Sheriff on August 20, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		James Reyes	46.0	51,306
	Submit photo	Rickey Mitchell	21.0	23,377
		Susan Khoury	17.4	19,437
		John Barrow	15.6	17,409

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 111,529
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Freddy Ramirez (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Miami-Dade County Sheriff

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for Miami-Dade County Sheriff on August 20, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Rosie Cordero-Stutz	24.5	27,074
		Joe Sanchez	22.3	24,688
		Mario Knapp	14.1	15,572
	Submit photo	Ernesto Rodriguez	9.5	10,551
		Joe Martinez	9.5	10,466
	Submit photo	Jose Aragu	9.1	10,077
	Submit photo	Ignacio Alvarez	6.0	6,669
	Submit photo	John Rivera	1.5	1,605
	Submit photo	Ruamen DeLaRua	1.2	1,362
	Submit photo	Jeffrey Giordano	1.2	1,291
		Alex Fornet	1.1	1,241

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 110,596
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Rolando Riera Jr. (R)
• Jaspen Bishop (R)
• Orlando Lopez (R)

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Barrow in this election.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

John Barrow completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Barrow's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

A Miami native and son of immigrants from Barbados, I grew up in Carol City—a close knit neighborhood that unfortunately had to deal with crime and violence. After college, I returned home and joined the Miami-Dade Police Department. I have risen through every civil service rank, and was appointed Major in 2020, a testament to my ability to overcome all obstacles and get the job done. After nearly 18 years of service in the Department, I know every corner of this County. I am the most experienced candidate in this race, with the most police law enforcement command experience of any of my primary opponents and years of executive community policing service in every community in this County. This background makes me the best to lead the Sheriff’s Office on Day 1, and to put in place policies that will make Miami-Dade safer and stronger as a community.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Ensure the safety of all, including lowering gun violence in our neighborhoods and fighting political corruption.
• Challenge the status quo in Miami-Dade County to bring new, modern policing strategies to our communities. These strategies include treating mental health, homelessness, and addiction as public health concerns and not crimes. Creating a non-police response unit to handle calls relating to these vulnerable communities. Increasing training for our personnel in communication skills, community policing, de-escalation, implicit bias training, cultural awareness, among others. Ensuring we have more officers on the streets to keep our communities safe.
• Building a community-rooted Sheriff's Office with civilian oversight. Creating a Sheriff's Advisory Council made up of residents from throughout the county to have a voice and vote on police policies, policing strategies, and ensure transparency and accountability. Holding town halls throughout the community to listen to the residents first. Ensuring community policing is the cornerstone of the agency to create the public safety we need.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am running for office because I am committed to fighting for a more equitable and inclusive society. My campaign is driven by a desire to ensure that all members of our community, especially those from marginalized backgrounds, have a voice in shaping the policies that affect their lives. I am dedicated to addressing systemic issues such as racial injustice, economic inequality, and LGBTQ+ rights.
What differentiates me from my opponents is my unique background and hands-on experience in community service and advocacy. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community and a person of color, I bring a personal understanding of the challenges faced by these groups.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

Law enforcement is the only agency that can take someone's civil rights away. This is an awesome responsibility and must be must be used wisely and knowledgably and in accordance to the United States Constitution and the constitution of the state of Florida. Thus, training, education, and clear direction from upper management to every level of the agency must be paramount.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

An elected official must first be honest and trustworthy. They must be a person who listens to their constituents and is willing to work for the betterment of their community.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I have the depth of knowledge, experience, and proven results making our community safer. Half of my life has been spent in public service and public safety.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

A Sheriff must be well versed in public safety, with experience in operations, investigations, communication, administration, and community partnerships.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I want the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office to be on the leading edge of best police practice, working together with the community and stakeholders to deliver a safe community. We will be the best agency in the United States of America.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

Absolutely. A Sheriff must have pervious law enforcement experience.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

SAVE Action PAC, North Miami Councilman Scott Galvin, Melba Pearson, Bans Off Miami

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

The public's tax dollars must be used wisely. I believe in transparency and publishing online they way we are spending those dollars.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

See also

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Miami-Dade County Sheriff

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