Mayoral election in Miami, Florida (2025)
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| 2025 Miami elections |
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| Election dates |
| Filing deadline: September 20, 2025 |
| General election: November 4, 2025 Runoff election: December 9, 2025 |
| Election stats |
| Offices up: Mayor |
| Total seats up: 1 (click here for other city elections) |
| Other municipal elections |
| U.S. municipal elections, 2025 |
Emilio Gonzalez and Eileen Higgins are candidates in the runoff election for mayor of Miami, Florida, on Dec. 9, 2025. This is the first runoff election for mayor since 2001.[1]
The two advanced from a 13-candidate field in the nonpartisan election on Nov. 4, 2025. In that election, Higgins received 36% of the vote, and Gonzales received 20% of the vote. Among the candidates running were former mayors Joe Carollo and Xavier Suarez, and former city commissioners Alex Díaz de la Portilla and Ken Russell. The editorial board of The Miami Herald wrote that Miami voters "rejected some of the city’s longtime political players in the race for mayor... it’s clear voters want change."[2] To read more about the November 4 election, click here.
Gonzalez is a member of the Florida Treasury Investment Council and a former city manager.[3] He is campaigning on reducing taxes and says, "We can eliminate property taxes for homestead property owners while protecting vital services like public safety and infrastructure."[4] He is also campaigning on reducing city work regulations, saying he would "build a workforce to overhaul permitting and licensing—sparking opportunity and empowering residents and entrepreneurs, not just the well-connected."[5] Gonzalez is affiliated with the Republican Party.[6]
Higgins was a commissioner for District 5 on the Miami-Dade County Board of Commissioners.[7] She is campaigning on affordability, and her website says she would support "cutting through red tape and ending corruption so that our city’s government can get to work creating a prosperous and affordable future for all residents."[8] Higgins also campaigned on improving the city's resilience to environmental disasters. Her website says she will "protect Biscayne Bay, invest in flood mitigations, and secure a resilient future for our city."[8] Higgins is affiliated with the Democratic Party.[6]
Florida Politics' Jesse Scheckner wrote, "The Miami-Dade Mayor’s race is technically nonpartisan, though party politics can still play into races."[9] President Donald Trump (R) and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) endorsed Gonzalez, and U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson (D) and Democratic-aligned Miami-Dade County mayor Daniella Levine Cava endorsed Higgins.[10][9][11]
Both parties are focusing on turning out their supporters in the runoff. Miami-Dade County GOP chair Kevin Cooper said the local party was focused on mobilizing voters. Specifically, he pointed to Gonzalez's endorsements and said, "I think you’re going to see people of statewide and even national importance getting out the vote for Emilio." [12] The Democratic National Committee is using its national volunteer base to support Higgins with get-out-the-vote efforts, and Chair Ken Martin said, "Between now and Election Day, the DNC is all-in to elect Eileen Higgins."[13]
In 2024, Donald Trump (R) became the first Republican presidential candidate to win Miami-Dade County in 36 years, though Kamala Harris (D) won the city of Miami 50% to 49%.[14] A Democrat was last elected mayor in 1993.[1] To read more about Ballotpedia's mayoral coverage, click here.
On the same ballot as the election, Miami voters approved a lifetime term limit of two terms for the mayor.[2]
Elections
Click on the tabs below to show more information about those topics.
Candidates and results
General runoff election
General runoff election for Mayor of Miami
Emilio Gonzalez and Eileen Higgins are running in the general runoff election for Mayor of Miami on December 9, 2025.
Candidate | ||
 | Emilio Gonzalez (Nonpartisan) | |
 | Eileen Higgins (Nonpartisan) | |
| ||||
 = 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. | ||||
General election
General election for Mayor of Miami
The following candidates ran in the general election for Mayor of Miami on November 4, 2025.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Eileen Higgins (Nonpartisan) | 36.0 | 13,325 |
| ✔ | | Emilio Gonzalez (Nonpartisan) | 19.5 | 7,214 |
 | Ken Russell (Nonpartisan) | 17.6 | 6,514 | |
 | Joe Carollo (Nonpartisan) | 11.5 | 4,253 | |
 | Alex Díaz de la Portilla (Nonpartisan) | 5.1 | 1,905 | |
 | Xavier Suarez (Nonpartisan) | 4.9 | 1,830 | |
 | Michael Hepburn (Nonpartisan) | 1.9 | 687 | |
 | Laura Anderson (Nonpartisan) | 1.1 | 411 | |
| Christian Cevallos (Nonpartisan) | 0.8 | 287 | ||
| Kenneth DeSantis (Nonpartisan) | 0.6 | 219 | ||
| Elijah Bowdre (Nonpartisan) | 0.5 | 180 | ||
 | Alyssa Crocker (Nonpartisan) | 0.4 | 147 | |
| June Savage (Nonpartisan) | 0.2 | 84 | ||
| Total votes: 37,056 | |||
| = 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
- Ijamyn Gray (Nonpartisan)
- Max Martinez (Nonpartisan)
Additional elections on the ballot
- See also: Florida elections, 2025
June 3, 2025
November 4, 2025
- City elections in Miami, Florida (2025)
- City elections in Hialeah, Florida (2025)
- Mayoral election in Hialeah, Florida (2025)
- Mayoral election in Miami, Florida (2025)
- Miami, Florida, Referendum 1, Establishing a Charter Review Commission Amendment (November 2025)
- Miami, Florida, Referendum 2, Authorization of Non-Waterfront Property Sales or Leases Amendment (November 2025)
- Miami, Florida, Referendum 3, Redistricting Rules and Establishing a Citizens' Redistricting Committee Amendment (November 2025)
- Miami, Florida, Referendum 4, Two-Term Lifetime Limit for Mayor and Commissioners Amendment (November 2025)
December 9, 2025
Voting information
The following information comes from the website for the City of Miami:
- Voting hours: December 9, 2025, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Early voting dates: December 5 to December 7, 2025, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on December 5, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on December 6 and 7
- Last day to request a mail ballot: November 7, 2025, 5 p.m.
- Deadline to return a mail ballot: Decemer 9, 2025, 7 p.m.
- Deadline to cure a mail ballot: December 11, 2025, 5 p.m.
Candidate comparison
Candidate profiles
This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "Laura Anderson joined the Socialist Workers Party in the early 1990s after being involved in the fights to push back attacks on immigrant workers under Proposition 187 in Los Angeles, in protests against the LAPD beating of Rodney King and in joining an International Youth brigade to Cuba to learn from the living socialist revolution there. She realized that joining the Socialist Workers Party was the most effective way to advance workers struggles worldwide. She has joined actions demanding Moscow Out of Ukraine and calls for the US Out of Europe. She defends Israel’s right to exist as a refuge for the Jews and for the defeat of Hamas, whose October 7, 2023 pogrom signaled their intention to carry out another Holocaust. She has joined actions in the Miami organized to fight anti-Semitism including the murder of two youth outside the Jewish Museum in Washington, DC. Anderson is a union freight rail conductor in SMART TD Local 1138 in Miami and has walked picket lines with the members of the International Longshoremen’s Association, with autoworkers, postal workers and food concession workers in Miami as they have fought with their unions to win better wages and working conditions."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Mayor of Miami in 2025.
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "I am Alyssa Crocker, a Black biracial mother with two special-needs boys—one with autism and the other with a rare genetic disorder—and a legislative advocate running for Mayor of Miami. My roots run deep in this city: my first apartment was in Little Haiti, and my family has strong ties to Liberty City. I also have family in Miami Shores and Miami Gardens, giving me a lifelong connection to Greater Miami-Dade. Raising two children with disabilities has given me firsthand experience with the challenges families face—from accessing affordable healthcare and education support to navigating systems that too often overlook their needs. That perspective drives my belief that leadership must be transparent, fiscally responsible, and relentless in putting people first. My journey into public service began after the death of my father, Dr. Derek Crocker, due to medical negligence at North Shore Medical Center. That tragedy gave me a mission: to fight for accountability in institutions and transparency in government. Since then, I have worked on bipartisan reforms in Tallahassee, building coalitions across political lines to deliver results. Miami deserves leadership that is honest, fiscally responsible, unafraid of tough decisions, and relentless in working for every family and every neighborhood."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Mayor of Miami in 2025.
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Biography: Gonzalez earned a bachelor's degree in international studies from the University of South Florida in 1977, a master's in Latin American Studies from Tulane University in 1986, a master's in National Security & Strategic Studies from the Naval Academy in 1994, and a Ph.D in international relations from the University of Miami in 1997. His work experience included serving in the military, as head of Citizenship and Immigration Services, as city manager of Miami, and as an investment councilmember for the Florida Department of Financial Services.
Show sources
Sources: Floridian Press, "Gonzalez Pitches Eliminating Property Taxes for Homestead Residents in 'Second Pillar' of Miami Mayoral Campaign," August 18, 2025; Emilio Gonzalez 2025 campaign website, "Emilio T. Gonzalez’s Plan to Fix What’s Broken in Miami," accessed August 20, 2025; Emilio Gonzalez 2025 campaign website, "CAMPAIGN STATEMENT: With the Election Secured, Emilio Gonzalez Announces First Pillar of His Campaign: Real Reform and Accountability for Miami," August 11, 2025 ; LinkedIn, "Emilio Gonzalez," accessed August 22, 2025
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Mayor of Miami in 2025.
Incumbent: No
Political Office:
- Miami Board of Commissioners, District 5 (Assumed office: 2018)
Biography: Higgins earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of New Mexico in 1987 and a master's in business administration from Cornell University in 1989. She previously worked as an engineer and as a foreign service officer for the Department of State.
Show sources
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Mayor of Miami in 2025.
Incumbent: No
Political Office:
- Miami Board of Commissioners, District 2 (2015-2022)
Biography: Russell earned a bachelor's degree in international marketing from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1995, a minor in Japanese from Kwansei Gakuin University in 1994, and a nonprofit management certificate from Cornell University in 2024. His work experience included owning small businesses.
Show sources
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Mayor of Miami in 2025.
Incumbent: No
Political Office:
- Miami Board of Commissioners, District 7, (2011-2020)
- Mayor of Miami (1985-1993, 1997-1998)
Biography: Suarez earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Villanova University in 1971, a master's in public policy from Harvard University in 1975, and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. His work experience included being an attorney and an author.
Show sources
Sources: Miami Herald, "Some think I’m too old to be the mayor of Miami. Here’s why they’re wrong | Opinion," July 29, 2025; Political Cortadito, "Former Miami Mayor Xavier Suarez to file for crowded city mayoral race," July 22, 2025; Florida International University, "Xavier L. Suarez," accessed August 22, 2025; X, "Xavier L. Suarez on X," accesed August 22, 2025
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Mayor of Miami in 2025.
Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses
Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
Survey responses from candidates in this race
Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.
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.
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Laura Anderson (Nonpartisan)
This world situation is driving attacks on our Constitutional protections. As workers, we must defend the right to freedom of speech, of worship, of assembly and due process. We must oppose the arrests and deportations of fellow workers, a life and death question for our unions and for uniting the working class. We call for Amnesty for all undocumented workers.
The Miami Herald just reported, “More than half of Miamians can barely make ends meet.” An increasing number of workers, including full-time workers, cannot afford a place to live. Unions need to organize the unorganized, so we can fight for jobs for all at union scale wages, for a sliding scale of wages and hours. Safety is compromised in every industry with more workers injured and killed on the job. We need union run safety committees to ensure that no worker has to die on the job.
Alyssa Crocker (Nonpartisan)
Miami must prepare for the future with resilient infrastructure. As mayor, I will push the commission to prioritize long-term, fiscally responsible investments—modernizing stormwater systems, restoring wetlands, and addressing flooding while protecting taxpayers.
Accountability and transparency are at the core of my leadership. I will use the power of the mayor’s office to demand honest governance, responsible use of taxpayer dollars, and equal representation—from Liberty City to Little Haiti to Coconut Grove.
Laura Anderson (Nonpartisan)
Alyssa Crocker (Nonpartisan)
Laura Anderson (Nonpartisan)
Laura Anderson (Nonpartisan)
Alyssa Crocker (Nonpartisan)
Laura Anderson (Nonpartisan)
Alyssa Crocker (Nonpartisan)
Laura Anderson (Nonpartisan)
Alyssa Crocker (Nonpartisan)
Laura Anderson (Nonpartisan)
Laura Anderson (Nonpartisan)
Laura Anderson (Nonpartisan)
Explains the difference between Affirmative Action that was fought for in working-class struggle compared to the diversity and Inclusion used today by the "enlightened meritocracy" to justify their privileges and wealth.
Tells the story of forging of the Black Nationality in struggle in the U.S. and its connection with the world revolution.
Alyssa Crocker (Nonpartisan)
Alyssa Crocker (Nonpartisan)
Laura Anderson (Nonpartisan)
Alyssa Crocker (Nonpartisan)
Alyssa Crocker (Nonpartisan)
Alyssa Crocker (Nonpartisan)
Alyssa Crocker (Nonpartisan)
Alyssa Crocker (Nonpartisan)
Alyssa Crocker (Nonpartisan)
Alyssa Crocker (Nonpartisan)
Alyssa Crocker (Nonpartisan)
Alyssa Crocker (Nonpartisan)
Laura Anderson (Nonpartisan)
Alyssa Crocker (Nonpartisan)
Laura Anderson (Nonpartisan)
Laura Anderson (Nonpartisan)
Campaign advertisements
This section includes a selection of up to three campaign advertisements per candidate released in this race, as well as links to candidates' YouTube, Vimeo, and/or Facebook video pages. If you are aware of other links that should be included, please email us.
Emilio Gonzalez
Ballotpedia did not come across any campaign ads for Emilio Gonzalez while conducting research on this election. If you are aware of any ads that should be included, please email us.
Eileen Higgins
Ballotpedia did not come across any campaign ads for Eileen Higgins while conducting research on this election. If you are aware of any ads that should be included, please email us.
Ken Russell
Ballotpedia did not come across any campaign ads for Ken Russell while conducting research on this election. If you are aware of any ads that should be included, please email us.
Xavier Suarez
Ballotpedia did not come across any campaign ads for Xavier Suarez while conducting research on this election. If you are aware of any ads that should be included, please email us.
Endorsements
Ballotpedia researchers did not identify any candidate websites that provide endorsement information. If you are aware of a website that should be included, please email us.
Election spending
Campaign finance information could be found at the City of Miami's campaign finance website.
Mayoral partisanship
Miami has a Republican mayor. As of November 2025, 66 mayors in the largest 100 cities by population are affiliated with the Democratic Party, 23 are affiliated with the Republican Party, one is affiliated with the Libertarian Party, three are independents, five identify as nonpartisan or unaffiliated, and two mayors' affiliations are unknown. Click here for a list of the 100 largest cities' mayors and their partisan affiliations.
Mayoral elections are officially nonpartisan in most of the nation's largest cities. However, many officeholders are affiliated with political parties. Ballotpedia uses one or more of the following sources to identify each officeholder's partisan affiliation: (1) direct communication from the officeholder, (2) current or previous candidacy for partisan office, or (3) identification of partisan affiliation by multiple media outlets.
Help inform our readers
Take our candidate survey
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About the city
- See also: Miami, Florida
Miami is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida. As of 2020, its population was 442,241.
City government
- See also: Mayor-council government
The city of Miami uses a "mayor-city commissioner plan." In this form of municipal government, an elected board of commissioners serves as the city's primary legislative body while a mayor serves as the city's chief executive. The mayor appoints an administrative executive called a city manager to oversee day-to-day municipal operations and implement city policies.[15]
Demographics
The following table displays demographic data provided by the United States Census Bureau.
| Demographic Data for Miami, Florida | ||
|---|---|---|
| Miami | Florida | |
| Population | 442,241 | 21,538,187 |
| Land area (sq mi) | 35 | 53,653 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White | 65.4% | 71.6% |
| Black/African American | 16% | 15.9% |
| Asian | 1.3% | 2.8% |
| Native American | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Pacific Islander | 0% | 0.1% |
| Other (single race) | N/A | 3.3% |
| Multiple | 12.6% | 6% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 72.5% | 25.8% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate | 78.3% | 88.5% |
| College graduation rate | 31.5% | 30.5% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income | $44,268 | $57,703 |
| Persons below poverty level | 21.5% | 13.3% |
| Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2020). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2015-2020). | ||
| **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
2025 battleground elections
- See also: Battlegrounds
This was a battleground election. Other 2025 battleground elections included:
- Mayoral election in Helena, Montana (September 9, 2025 primary election)
- Virginia Attorney General election, 2025
- Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction election, 2025
See also
| Miami, Florida | Florida | Municipal government | Other local coverage |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 WLRN, "Higgins, Gonzalez headed to Miami's first mayoral runoff election since 2001," November 4, 2025
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Miami Herald, "The nation saw a blue wave. In Miami mayor’s election, it was a ‘change’ wave | Opinion," November 5, 2025
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Emilio Gonzalez," accessed August 20, 2025
- ↑ Floridian Press, "Gonzalez Pitches Eliminating Property Taxes for Homestead Residents in 'Second Pillar' of Miami Mayoral Campaign," August 18, 2025
- ↑ Emilio Gonzalez 2025 campaign website, "Emilio T. Gonzalez’s Plan to Fix What’s Broken in Miami," accessed August 20, 2025
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Florida Politics, "Poll: Eileen Higgins leads race for Miami Mayor, but not enough to avoid a runoff," August 7, 2025
- ↑ Caplin News, "Meet the 2025 City of Miami mayoral candidates," June 23, 2025
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Eileen Higgins 2025 campaign website, "Homepage," accessed August 20, 2025
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Florida Politics, "Frederica Wilson endorses Eileen Higgins for Miami Mayor: ‘Miami’s future depends’ on her," November 13, 2025
- ↑ Miami Herald, "Trump gives ‘complete and total endorsement’ to candidate for Miami mayor," November 17, 2025
- ↑ Miami-Herald, "Deep dive on the Miami mayor race: What voter data says about who will win," November 6, 2025
- ↑ Politico, "DNC ‘all in’ for Democrat in Miami mayor race against Trump-backed Republican," November 20, 2025
- ↑ Miami Herald, "The Democratic National Committee is getting involved in the Miami mayor’s race," November 20, 2025
- ↑ Miami Herald, "Democrat pulls ahead in race for Miami mayor as ballots are counted," November 4, 2025
- ↑ Miami City Charter, Sec. 4a, accessed October 22, 2014
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