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Mayoral election in Miami-Dade County, Florida (2020)

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2020 Miami-Dade County elections
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Election dates
Filing deadline: June 12, 2020
Primary election: August 18, 2020
General election: November 3, 2020
Election stats
Offices up: County mayor, county commissioner districts 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13, county property appraiser, county judges, clerk of the circuit court, special districts, and South Dade Soil and Water Conservation District
Total seats up: 82
Election type: Partisan and nonpartisan
Other municipal elections
U.S. municipal elections, 2020

Daniella Levine Cava defeated Esteban Bovo Jr. in the nonpartisan general election for Mayor of Miami-Dade County on November 3, 2020. Incumbent Mayor Carlos Gimenez reached his consecutive term limit and could not run for re-election.

In the August nonpartisan primary, Bovo and Levine Cava advanced with 29.5% and 28.6% of the vote, respectively. Though the race is nonpartisan, the candidates received partisan support. Four local Republican organizations endorsed Bovo, who held office in the Florida House of Representatives as a Republican from 2008 to 2012.[1] Seven local and state Democratic organizations, including the Florida Democratic Party, endorsed Levine Cava.[2]

The office was last held by a Democratic-aligned candidate in 2004, which was also the last time a Democratic-aligned candidate and a Republican-aligned candidate faced off in a general election. In 2016, Gimenez, a Republican, won re-election 48% to 32% and in 2012 won re-election in the primary with 54% of the vote.[3][4]

According to the Miami-Dade County website, the mayor “is Miami-Dade's highest-ranking elected official and chief administrator, who oversees a metropolitan government with 28,417 employees, an annual budget of approximately $8.9 billion, and serving 2.7 million residents.” The seat of the county is in Miami.[5]

Election procedure changes in 2020

See also: Changes to election dates, procedures, and administration in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.

Florida modified its voter registration procedures for the November 3, 2020, general election as follows:

  • Voter registration: The voter registration deadline was extended to October 6, 2020.[6]

For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.

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Candidates and election results

General election

General election for Mayor of Miami-Dade County

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Daniella Levine Cava
Daniella Levine Cava (Nonpartisan)
 
54.0
 
576,970
Image of Esteban Bovo Jr.
Esteban Bovo Jr. (Nonpartisan)
 
46.0
 
492,053

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 1,069,023
Candidate Connection = 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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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Mayor of Miami-Dade County

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Esteban Bovo Jr.
Esteban Bovo Jr. (Nonpartisan)
 
29.3
 
122,135
✔
Image of Daniella Levine Cava
Daniella Levine Cava (Nonpartisan)
 
28.8
 
120,089
Image of Alexander Penelas
Alexander Penelas (Nonpartisan)
 
24.5
 
102,338
Image of Xavier Suarez
Xavier Suarez (Nonpartisan)
 
10.5
 
43,831
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Monique Barley (Nonpartisan)
 
5.5
 
22,823
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Ludmilla Domond (Nonpartisan)
 
1.3
 
5,230
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Carlos De Armas (Nonpartisan) (Write-in)
 
0.0
 
0
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.2
 
715

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 417,161
Candidate Connection = 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

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles created in one of two ways. Either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey or Ballotpedia staff created a profile after identifying the candidate as noteworthy.[7] Ballotpedia staff compiled profiles based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements.

Esteban Bovo Jr.

Image of Esteban Bovo Jr.

Facebook

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

Biography:  Bovo received an associate’s degree from Miami-Dade Community College in 1983 and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Florida International University in 1987. Leading up to the 2020 election, Bovo ran an international consulting business.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

In response to the coronavirus, Bovo said he would help the economy by lowering taxes, reducing business regulations, and investing in infrastructure projects. He said he would invest in projects to address water management, sea-level rise, and schools and sports facilities.

Bovo said he would not reduce police department budgets. He said he would support the expansion of body camera policies and improve access to new technology for law enforcement.

Bovo said he would implement transportation initiatives. He said he would reduce tolls, connect transportation centers, and ensure transportation infrastructure funding is spent well.

Show sources

Sources: Steve Bovo's 2020 campaign website, "Bovo's Vision," accessed October 21, 2020; YouTube, "Leadership to take Miami-Dade Forward," September 26, 2020; YouTube, "Our Youth," October 2, 2020; Miami-Dade County, "About Commissioner Esteban L. Bovo, Jr.," accessed October 21, 2020; Vote Smart, "Esteban Bovo, Jr.'s Biography," accessed October 21, 2020; The Miami Times, "Candidates Bovo and Levine Cava square off," October 7, 2020

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Mayor of Miami-Dade County in 2020.

Daniella Levine Cava

Image of Daniella Levine Cava

Twitter

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

  • Miami-Dade County Commission (Assumed office: 2014)

Biography:  Levine Cava received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Yale University and a master’s degree in social work and a law degree from Columbia University. Leading up to her political career she did non-profit work. She was the founder and chief executive officer of Catalyst Miami from 1995 to 2013.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

In response to the coronavirus, Levine Cava said she would invest in small businesses, expand access to low-cost housing, support paid leave for workers, and provide support to the unemployed.

Levine Cava said that during her political career she took 30 direct actions to support environmental protection. She said she would address climate change and invest in sustainability.

Levine Cava said she would invest in infrastructure projects, like water systems and transit projects, in order to create jobs.

Show sources

Sources: Daniella Levine Cava's 2020 campaign website, "Priorities," accessed October 21, 2020; YouTube, "Miami-Dade's Water Warrior," January 14, 2020; LinkedIn, "Daniella Levine Cava," accessed October 21, 2020

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Mayor of Miami-Dade County in 2020.

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
Miami-Dade County Mayoral election, 2020: General election polls
Poll Date Bovo Levine Cava Other Margin of error Sample size Sponsor
Bendixen & Amandi International October 1-4, 2020 35% 45% 20% ±4.0 600 Miami Herald
Bendixen & Amandi International September 1-4, 2020 32% 39% 29% ±4.4 500 Miami Herald


Campaign finance

Noteworthy endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please click here.

Click the links below to see endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites, if available.

Timeline

2020

Campaign advertisements

This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.

Independent Esteban Bovo Jr.

Supporting Bovo

"Esteban Bovo Liderazgo para Llevar a Miami-Dade Hacia Adelante" - Bovo campaign ad, released October 27, 2020
"Steve Bovo Leadership to Take Miami-Dade Forward" - Bovo campaign ad, released October 27, 2020
"Basta Ya" - Bovo campaign ad, released October 14, 2020
"Come Together" - Bovo campaign ad, released October 14, 2020
"We're with Bovo" - Bovo campaign ad, released October 9, 2020
"Our Youth" - Bovo campaign ad, released October 2, 2020
"Liderazgo para Llevar a Miami-Dade Hacia Adelante" - Bovo campaign ad, released October 2, 2020
"Leadership to take Miami-Dade Forward" - Bovo campaign ad, released September 26, 2020
"Lt. Governor Nuñez Endorses Steve Bovo" - Bovo campaign ad, released July 9, 2020
"Leadership by Example" - Bovo campaign ad, released April 27, 2020


Opposing Levine Cava

"Steve Bovo Stands for Public Safety" - Bovo campaign ad, released October 21, 2020

Independent Daniella Levine Cava

Supporting Levine Cava

"Vision" - Levine Cava campaign ad, released September 14, 2020
"Nuestro Futuro" - Levine Cava campaign ad, released July 6, 2020
"Our Future" - Levine Cava campaign ad, released July 6, 2020
"Meet Daniella Levine Cava" - Levine Cava campaign ad, released June 24, 2020
"The People's Forum" - Levine Cava campaign ad, released May 27, 2020
"Mother's Day Message from Eliza" - Levine Cava campaign ad, released May 9, 2020
"Together" - Levine Cava campaign ad, released April 14, 2020
"Momento Historico" - Levine Cava campaign ad, released March 11, 2020
"Glass Ceilings" - Levine Cava campaign ad, released February 27, 2020
"Miami-Dade's Water Warrior" - Levine Cava campaign ad, released January 14, 2020
"Declaring A Climate Emergency in Miami-Dade" - Levine Cava campaign ad, released December 6, 2019
"Affordability Crisis" - Levine Cava campaign ad, released October 15, 2019
"Happy Mother's Day" - Levine Cava campaign ad, released May 12, 2019
"Let's Make History" - Levine Cava campaign ad, released April 4, 2019


Opposing Bovo

"Reform" - Levine Cava campaign ad, released July 17, 2020

Campaign themes

See also: Campaign themes

Independent Esteban Bovo Jr.

Bovo Jr.’s campaign website stated the following:

“
  • Improve Residents' Quality of Life
  • Identify solutions for our existing services and infrastructure before problems arise.
  • Ensure Miami-Dade County excels at its fundamental responsibilities of proper water management and protecting our water resources.
  • Invest in new infrastructure to make our community resilient to sea-level rise.
  • Protect the health and well-being of our aging populations.
All elected officials are responsible with improving the quality of life for our residents. How to achieve that objective is debated every day, in every office at County Hall. I believe you must first take care of the fundamental responsibilities of county government before grappling the bigger issues. We continuously place increased stresses on our existing services and infrastructure as Miami-Dade County continues to grow. Under my leadership, we will strive to identify solutions before problems arise.
Proper water management and protection of our water resources are vital to the health and long-term success of our community. As Mayor, I will work alongside all stakeholders in making fiscally responsible decisions to make our County more resilient. Under my leadership as Chair of the Board, Miami-Dade County entered into a joint participation agreement with FPL for the development of a resilient County. As Mayor, Miami-Dade County will continue its partnership with FPL in restoring the Turkey Point Cooling Canal System to a healthy environmental state and developing additional resilient practices. In a coordinated effort, we will work with state and local municipalities on the Miami-Dade County Canal Clean Up. As Mayor, I will continue to support seaweed remediation at our County parks and tourism centers, and to develop mangroves and ecologically sensitive seawalls to protect our shorelines. I will also fight for funding on all State or Federal mandates that will fulfill our goal of providing safe and clean water resources for all Miami-Dade residents.
As residents leave septic tanks behind and link to the County’s sewer system, I have sought ways to reduce the price tag of this potentially costly endeavor. We are currently working on bringing the main County sewer lines closer to residents; while also educating property owners on how to take advantage of State subsidies and incentives from the PACE Program to dramatically lower costs. As County Mayor, I will continue working on bringing tangible solutions for our residents that will help our County achieve its resilient infrastructure goals.
I also pledge to protect the health and well-being of our aging populations through properly managed programs for medical care and assistance to those on fixed incomes. I will work alongside our State officials to keep funding for programs our seniors desperately rely on, such as Meals on Wheels as well as other meal programs. Protecting our senior’s hard-earned savings by keeping property taxes low and expanding housing options are critical.
  • Stimulate Small Business
  • Repeal burdensome regulations that negatively impact small businesses.
  • Create rotating satellite permitting services to expedite the permitting process for small businesses throughout the County.
  • Invest in affordable and workforce housing to attract and retain young and talented workers.
  • Support signature events and attractions that will give us a strong and robust economy for businesses and jobs.
Small business entrepreneurs are the backbone of any strong economy. Many times, the best way for a governing body to help stimulate business is to get out of the way. As Mayor of Miami-Dade County, I will remove red tape by repealing burdensome regulations that negatively impact small businesses. In addition to repealing regulations at the County level, I would explore granting temporary approvals to streamline the permitting process by removing layers of bureaucracy.
I have spoken with many business owners during my time on the County Commission and the bottleneck often lies with the local government permitting process. As County Mayor, I will implement a pilot program that will create rotating satellite permitting offices staffed by County employees from the requisite departments. The satellite permitting offices would set up at County owned facilities or parks to assist the business community throughout the County with expediting their permitting issues.
We must retain and attract a talented workforce to have a strong economy and grow our small businesses. The high cost of living in Miami-Dade County pushes our workforce further away from job centers. As Mayor, I will collaborate with the private sector to create programs to best equip the next generation of our County’s workforce. Providing investments and incentives to develop affordable and workforce housing along our transit corridors is also key to maintaining a balanced workforce. Encourage affordable and workforce housing developers to build by providing easier access to incentives and rebate programs. I will also work with the State Legislature to preserve the purpose of the Sadowski (Housing) Trust Fund, which will create additional opportunities to develop affordable and workforce housing. Investing in housing options for our local colleges and universities will also help attract and retain young talented workers to our County. We are blessed in this community to have research universities that attract students from all over the world to study in our backyard. I will continue to pursue affordable housing in the transit corridor adjacent to the North Campus of Miami Dade College. Florida International University also deserves an opportunity to expand its footprint by developing housing onto the Youth Fair Grounds. Through proper investment in our infrastructure, creating the right regulatory environments, and supporting small businesses and startups we can promote a county that everyone wants to work in.
Supporting signature events and attractions that enhance our tourism industry will give us a strong and robust economy. Attracting and keeping existing events in Miami-Dade County is a top priority of mine. These economic engines are job creators and produce tremendous economic opportunities for many of our local small businesses. In the past, I have fought to keep the Miami Open Tennis Tournament, bring Formula 1 Racing to Miami-Dade, and to develop American Dream Miami Mall in Northwest Miami-Dade. I will continue to support events and attractions like these to help grow our economy.
  • Promote Safe Communities
  • Focus our efforts on building bridges between residents and those who are sworn to protect and serve.
  • Support municipalities to develop or expand their police body cameras practices.
  • Research, assess, and implement new crime-fighting technologies to assist law enforcement.
  • Invite Federal, State, County, and School Board officials to the table to provide the best and safest education for our students.
The most effective way to increase public safety and reduce crime is bringing together the professionalism and resources of law enforcement, with the institutional knowledge of the communities they are policing. In this current climate, it is imperative that we focus our efforts on building bridges between residents and those who are sworn to protect and serve. I will continue working with community organizations that help and assist neighborhoods impacted by gun violence.
As County Mayor, I will continue to support and expand collaborative initiatives between the Miami-Dade Police Department and local municipal police departments. With the success of “Operation Blue and Brown,” which increased patrolling and community policing strategies in Liberty City, I see an opportunity to expand this program to other areas of the County that are interested in partnering with the County Police Department. This program was not just successful in coordinating law enforcement agencies, but also allowed the community to participate and have a voice in how they are policed.
In all of my decisions, I focus on increasing government transparency and improving the public’s trust of the government. As a Miami-Dade County Commissioner, I supported bringing police body cameras to the Miami-Dade Police Department, and this technology is now prevalent across the entire County’s Police Department. Equipping officers with body cameras not only enhances the overall trust and safety of the public, but also equally protects law enforcement from unrest and falsehoods. As Mayor of Miami-Dade County, I will seek to expand the use of police body cameras throughout the County by supporting municipalities to adopt or expand their practice. In addition to expanding police body cameras technologies, my County administration will seek-out, assess, and implement new crime-fighting technologies while adhering to my guiding principle of remaining fiscally responsible with public funds. I would explore technologies like ShotSpotter, which assists law enforcement in detecting gunshots in real-time. In a County as large and populous as ours, new and emerging law enforcement tools will allow our officers to do more.
Our officers must also be mentally equipped to serve our growing population. Our first responders are faced with difficult situations on a day-to-day basis, which can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder. Under my administration, I will strive to provide our first responders expanded mental health options.
As we look to equip our officers with the latest technologies, we must also pursue new and innovative rehabilitation methods for those in the system while also finding efficiencies within our detention facilities. To truly make our communities safe, we cannot simply focus on arresting and prosecuting criminals. A number of the individuals in our county detention system will eventually be released back into our community upon evaluation of their record. We must provide modern rehabilitation training for anyone who truly wants to make a positive change in their life. I demonstrated my dedication to finding rehabilitative solutions when I established the Opioid Addiction Task Force to adopt best practices and national standards in partnership with the Miami-Dade Police and Fire Rescue to curtail the opioid epidemic our residents, as well as first responders, are facing.
I will work in concert with the State Legislature to make sure the funds allocated to school safety go towards protecting our students through preventively hardening all schools. I would also like to increase communication between all law enforcement agencies to prevent school shootings. I will work with the Miami-Dade School Board and local law enforcement to provide a practical resource for reporting suspicious activities. I will make sure the School Board is invited to all discussions on legislative priorities, such as school choice and District Cost Differentials. State, County, and School Board officials should be at the table to provide the best and safest education for our students.
  • Implement Effective Transportation Initiatives
  • Ensure public dollars generated for transportation infrastructure improvements are utilized towards their intended purpose.
  • Fight against unnecessary toll increases while working to reduce or eliminate tolls.
  • Promote development along the SMART Plan transit corridors and away from the Urban Development Boundary (UDB).
  • Work to properly link the County’s major transportation centers while seeking investment through Public Private Partnerships.
As an elected official, I have dedicated considerable amounts of time and energy towards planning and implementing projects aimed at alleviating many of the transportation woes in Miami-Dade County. During my time on the County Commission, I have fought to allocate approximately $8 billion over the next 40 years for transportation infrastructure, creating a long-term foundation for future mobility within our county. I believe we have made strides in creating a dynamic transportation system that is well suited to move us forward. However, we are not where we should be.
Many of the large transportation projects have a hefty price tag and decade long timelines. I will always fight for transparency and fiscal responsibility when addressing transportation projects in Miami-Dade County. Public dollars generated for infrastructure improvements must go towards their intended use. As County Commissioner, I redirected nearly $1 billion of misused funds towards transit solutions. Additionally, I created a Transportation Infrastructure Improvement District that will generate $1.8 billion over the next 30 years for transportation projects.
As your County Mayor, I will fight against unnecessary toll increases while working to reduce or eliminate tolls wherever possible. The tolls collected should be reinvested back into the system from which they were charged. The money should not go towards bloated administrative costs or siphoned away to endeavors that have no impact in creating a superior transportation system. I cannot continue to watch our residents pay hundreds of dollars each year to simply move across our County in the course of their daily lives. Tolled lanes should be an option, not a necessity.
The population of Miami-Dade County will continue to grow for the foreseeable future. Managing where the growth develops will play a vital role in managing the mobility of our residents. Directing our growth towards established transportation corridors will result in cost savings for the taxpayer as well as help alleviate future transportation and transit issues. As Miami-Dade County Mayor, I will continue to promote development along the SMART Plan transit corridors and away from the Urban Development Boundary (UDB). I have already launched 11 SMART Plan demonstration projects that will help enhance current and future transit service throughout Miami-Dade County. I worked to prioritize the North and South corridors of the SMART Plan for development and construction of new transit options for our residents. As a County Commissioner, I sponsored legislation to remove 20th century bureaucratic roadblocks by revising county regulations to promote new and innovative transit solutions, such as Uber, Lyft, and Freebee. These transit options help address the first/last mile issue for our transit system users. I will also bring the conversation of connecting unincorporated areas of Miami-Dade County through services such as Freebee.
Our Metrobus system is one of the largest bus networks in the United States, with 2/3’s of our transit riders using a bus, yet over time the system has become inefficient. Bus routes traveling cross county are weaving and meandering through neighborhoods rather than staying on the major thoroughfares. Our bus system is unreliable and fails to attract new riders. There is little coordination between municipal trolleys and the County’s bus routes. Couple these facts with the reality that our system has lost riders over time and our County has created a bloated inefficient network, I launched a Bus Network Redesign with the Transit Alliance that plans to streamline our bus routes to create the best and most cost-effective system for our community.
I will work tirelessly to properly link the County’s major transportation centers while also seeking investment through Public Private Partnerships to develop our transportation corridors. I will continue working towards bringing Tri-Rail into Downtown Miami and holding Brightline accountable on the Aventura and PortMiami stations. Both Tri-Rail and Brightline need to work in tandem to provide our residents effective and efficient commuting options. I will continue to work with private partners to develop our East/West Corridor, eventually linking to the Beach Corridor. Redesigning the County’s transit system to link areas throughout Miami-Dade that are not directly connected by the SMART Plan is the ultimate goal.[10]
 ”
—Esteban Bovo Jr.’s campaign website (2020)[11]


Independent Daniella Levine Cava

Cava's campaign website stated the following:

“
  • SECURE Miami-Dade
We need bold action to stop this virus. That means investing in our healthcare infrastructure, expanding access to care, and supporting healthcare workers. And if we support our most vulnerable residents and embrace science, we can build back stronger in the wake of COVID-19.
SAFETY NET INVESTMENTS
We need to invest in services for residents who are struggling to stay in their homes and put food on the table. That means rent relief, food assistance, and stronger social programs.
EXPAND MASS TESTING
We can’t control this virus if we don’t know who has it. Daniella has called for expanded testing since this crisis began, and it needs to be a staple of our response until a vaccine is widely available.
ADDRESS THE AFFORDABILITY CRISIS
Before COVID-19 hit, Daniella proposed requiring all county contractors to provide at least 14 days of paid leave to their employees. We need earned leave now more than ever—it’s hard to stop COVID-19 if we make people choose between staying home when they’re sick and putting food on the table. It’s time to act.
UNEMPLOYMENT RESPONSE
Florida’s unemployment system is a national disgrace. Daniella will fight for expanded benefits and demand reform from Tallahassee.
REBUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE
Miami-Dade has faced a transit and infrastructure crisis for far too long. Now, we have no choice but to rebuild With the help of stimulus funding from Tallahassee and Washington, Daniella will address long-term challenges and create jobs to get people back on their feet.
ECONOMIC RECOVERY
Daniella will help our economy rebuild on the principles of justice and equality. We have a chance to jumpstart our economy by supporting small businesses and making investments in underserved communities.
  • RECOVER Miami-Dade
As Mayor, my priority will be to get us through these unprecedented times with strong collaboration and a united front to ensure Miami-Dade recovers. Our economy has been uniquely affected and the small businesses that make up the backbone of our community’s economic engine are struggling. This is our moment to double-down on coming back better and stronger by making our small business community a core pillar of our County’s economic development plan. As Mayor, my RECOVER Miami-Dade Plan will focus on building a new economy for startups and entrepreneurs, one that fosters innovation and economic growth from the ground up by investing in you.
REOPEN​
Daniella understands that our economic recovery begins with a sustainable, data-driven responsible reopening plan that avoids disruption and the failed stop-and-go efforts by the current administration. This is achieved by working with our business leaders and diverse industry sectors and sharing real-time data from both public health and economic forecasters. This ensures we stay ahead of the virus and plan accordingly with subject matter expertise guiding our decision-making processes.
EXPAND
Our community’s next economic expansion will come from the ground up, and Daniella has a detailed set of plans to channel investment to our small business community by redirecting economic development dollars to prioritize assistance for small businesses, developing a permanent financing vehicle for contract-based loans, and building equipment banks to share resources among small businesses. Daniella will take her successful Small Business Academy and Business Accelerator in District 8 countywide to lift up opportunities for businesses throughout Miami-Dade County.
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP
Daniella’s economic recovery plan will bring our community together to support local startups and entrepreneurs. Through strong collaboration with our many local economic development organizations like Chambers of Commerce, Beacon Council, CareerSource, and the nonprofit community, we can maximize our resources to hire and deploy staff to help small businesses apply for SBA loans and other publicly and privately available loan and grant opportunities. Additionally, she will ensure that local institutions that receive public funding include local small businesses in their purchasing pools.
OPPORTUNITY
In her effort to create an economic recovery for all, Daniella will make sure that Miami-Dade County leads by example by dedicating 5% of county procurement contracts to businesses under 5 years old, with special considerations for Minority-, Women-, and Veteran-Owned Business Enterprises, strengthening our local preference measures, and build a local marketplace for small businesses in Miami-Dade County. Finally, Daniella will build an Office for Equity and Inclusion to ensure that previously underserved communities are no longer left behind.
VERTICAL INTEGRATION OF COUNTY RESOURCES
Daniella will put the full resources of Miami-Dade County behind our small business community by forming a consortium of academic institutions that can assign students and faculty to work with small businesses and entrepreneurs to provide them with marketing, accounting, sales, and technical assistance. She will continue to expand our SCORE and Small Business Development Center at Florida International University to incentivize a robust mentoring program as part of the procurement process, and will champion business ecosystems to streamline and help our business community pool resources, lower costs, and increase productivity.
ENTREPRENEUERSHIP AND JOBS
Daniella knows that Miami-Dade County has the potential to be a global hub of new business, and will invest in the entrepreneurial spirit of our community by making Miami-Dade County’s revolving small business loan program, RISE, permanent. For the next generation of job creators, Daniella will work with MDCPS and local universities to continue integrating entrepreneurship into K-16 education to expand immersive, hands-on, programs for young entrepreneurs. Her initiative to move high school graduates into trade programs will also be expanded in order to make sure that every resident in our community has a shot at the American Dream.
REINVEST
Providing resources to our small businesses is not a handout, it’s an investment. Daniella will grow Miami-Dade County’s Economic Advocacy Trust grant program for Black-owned small business enterprises to subsidize the tax payments of qualified entities and will create a pooled lending consortium amongst banks and credit unions with an underlying government guarantee that will help write down the cost of risk and expand access to capital for our business community.
  • EMPOWER Miami-Dade
Miami-Dade County has ignored Black residents for far too long. We need to do better, and Daniella has a plan to empower marginalized communities that has earned her the support of Black leaders across Miami-Dade.
EXPAND ENTREPRENEURSHIP & BLACK-OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES​
Daniella will empower entrepreneurs across our community by opening small business accelerators using available federal funds and matching private dollars. The program will be modeled after the successful initiative launched in District 8 under Daniella’s leadership. Over 60% of those benefitting from the program are Black and women-owned businesses.
MAJOR INVESTMENTS IN UNDERSERVED NEIGHBORHOODS​
As the founder of Catalyst Miami, Daniella believes we need to invest in neighborhoods to give every resident a path to prosperity. Daniella will reprioritize neighborhood investments so we stop leaving Miami-Dade’s Black community behind. She will build successful initiatives such as providing each kindergartener with a children’s savings account that could be used for college savings and post-secondary job training.
POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY & REFORMS​
Daniella released a 5-pillar plan for police reform, including a ban on chokeholds and a fully funded Independent Community Panel to hold police accountable. She’d also demand transparency and conduct a community audit of Miami-Dade Police policies and practices.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS​
As a community leader and founder of Catalyst Miami, Daniella has seen the value of partnering with community organizations and area nonprofits to address our many challenges. As Mayor, she will seek robust opportunities for collaboration with area organizations to deliver solutions to communities that are so often left behind.
WAGE GROWTH AND RENEWED SUMMER JOBS PROGRAMS​
Our Black communities feel the brunt of our affordability crisis, and Daniella knows that we need to grow wages to tackle this crisis. As Mayor, she’ll work to expand summer job programs for young people and support small businesses as we recover from COVID-19.
ESTABLISH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF EQUITY & INCLUSION​
Miami-Dade needs to consider equity and inclusion in every policy. The new Office of Equity & Inclusion will coordinate the County’s various economic development activities and ensure equity in County decision-making. This office would also prepare the Social Equity Impact statements for all ordinances presented to the Board of County Commissioners to provide an in-depth analysis on how policies will improve or exacerbate racial, gender, and economic disparities.
REINVEST IN HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAMS​
Daniella knows the best tool to close the wealth gap in Black communities is to reinvest in homeownership programs that help first-time homebuyers pursue the American Dream. As Mayor, Daniella will streamline Miami-Dade County’s many homeownership programs to improve the success rate for minority homebuyers. In addition, she’ll support expanded Community Land Trusts initiatives to make more housing available and reform the Surtax program to support more homeowners.
  • TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN COUNTY GOVERNMENT
The murder of George Floyd reminded everyone how much work remains in the fight for just policing. Daniella will engage community leaders, listen to residents, and fight for transparency and accountability in county government. She’ll also work tirelessly to stomp out corruption, fight wasteful spending, and protect YOUR tax dollars from being wasted.
  • AN AGENDA FOR WORKING FAMILIES
Working families shouldn’t go broke when someone gets sick, especially during a worldwide pandemic. Daniella will continue her fight for paid leave to make sure our workers are protected. And as Florida’s unemployment system continues to fail us, Daniella will bring relief to unemployed residents and residents facing food insecurity and eviction.
  • INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE
From an outdated water system to unreliable transit, decades of broken promises have left Miami-Dade with crumbling infrastructure. Daniella has a plan to help us rebuild together. She’ll partner with leaders across all levels of government to modernize our infrastructure and create jobs for our community.
  • EXPAND AFFORDABLE HOUSING
The COVID-19 crisis will only exacerbate our county’s affordability crisis. Now more than ever, Miami-Dade needs rapid expansion of affordable housing; Daniella is committed to making that happen.
  • ENVIRONMENTAL CHAMPION
Daniella is our “water warrior” because she’s taken over 30 direct actions to protect our environment. Daniella will make Miami-Dade a national leader in the fight against climate change.[10]
 ”
—Daniella Levine Cava’s campaign website (2020)[12]


County election history

2016

See also: Municipal elections in Miami-Dade County, Florida (2016)
Miami-Dade County Mayor, General Election, 2016
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.png Carlos Gimenez Incumbent 55.83% 475,547
Raquel Regalado 44.17% 376,249
Total Votes 851,796
Source: Miami-Dade County Elections, "November 8, 2016 General Election," accessed November 8, 2016
Miami-Dade County Mayor, Primary Election, 2016
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.png Carlos Gimenez Incumbent 47.61% 121,891
Green check mark transparent.png Raquel Regalado 32.01% 81,952
Frederick Bryant 8.87% 22,710
Alfred Santamaria 8.70% 22,277
Farid Khavari 1.16% 2,967
B.J. Chiszar 1.04% 2,669
Miguel Eizmendiz 0.60% 1,546
Total Votes 256,012
Source: Miami-Dade County Elections, "August 30, 2016 Primary Election," accessed September 8, 2016

About the county

See also: Miami-Dade County, Florida

The county government of Miami-Dade County is located in Miami, Florida. The county was first established in 1836. It covers a total of 1,897.72 square miles in southern Florida.[13]As of 2020, its population was 2,701,767.

County government

See also: Government of Miami-Dade County, Florida

Miami-Dade County is overseen by a 13-member county commission. Each supervisor is elected by district to a four-year term. Residents also elect a county mayor, circuit court clerk, and county property appraiser.

Demographics

The following table displays demographic data provided by the United States Census Bureau.

Demographic Data for Miami-Dade County, Florida
Miami-Dade County Florida
Population 2,701,767 21,538,187
Land area (sq mi) 1,899 53,653
Race and ethnicity**
White 65.9% 71.6%
Black/African American 16.9% 15.9%
Asian 1.6% 2.8%
Native American 0.2% 0.3%
Pacific Islander 0% 0.1%
Other (single race) 4.7% 3.3%
Multiple 10.7% 6%
Hispanic/Latino 68.1% 25.8%
Education
High school graduation rate 81.8% 88.5%
College graduation rate 30.7% 30.5%
Income
Median household income $53,975 $57,703
Persons below poverty level 16% 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.


See also

Miami-Dade County, Florida Florida Municipal government Other local coverage
Map of Florida highlighting Miami-Dade County.svg
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External links

Miami-Dade County website

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Esteban Bovo's 2020 campaign website, "Endorsements," accessed October 21, 2020
  2. ↑ Daniella Levine Cava's 2020 campaign website, "Endorsements," accessed October 21, 2020
  3. ↑ Miami-Dade County, "Election Results Archive," accessed October 21, 2020
  4. ↑ The Miami Times, "Candidates Bovo and Levine Cava square off," October 7, 2020
  5. ↑ Miami-Dade County, "About the Mayor," accessed October 21, 2020
  6. ↑ This change was not due to COVID-19. This deadline was extended after the state's voter registration website crashed.
  7. ↑ Candidate Connection surveys completed before September 26, 2019, were not used to generate candidate profiles. In battleground primaries, Ballotpedia based its selection of noteworthy candidates on polling, fundraising, and noteworthy endorsements. In battleground general elections, all major party candidates and any other candidates with the potential to impact the outcome of the race were included.
  8. ↑ Twitter, "Daniella Levine Cava on October 16, 2020," accessed October 21, 2020
  9. ↑ Miami Herald, "Survey of Likely November Voters in Miami-Dade County," October 9, 2020
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  11. ↑ Esteban Bovo Jr.’s 2020 campaign website, “Bovo on the Issues,” accessed October 22, 2020
  12. ↑ Daniella Levine Cava’s 2020 campaign website, “Priorities,” accessed October 22, 2020
  13. ↑ Miami-Dade County, "About Miami-Dade County: History," accessed August 31, 2016
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