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Sheriff election in Miami-Dade County, Florida, 2024 (August 20 Republican primary)

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2024 Miami-Dade County elections
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Election dates
Filing deadline: April 26, 2024 & June 14, 2024
Primary election: August 20, 2024
General election: November 5, 2024
Election stats
Offices up: Mayor, clerk of the circuit court and comptroller, property appraiser, public defender, sheriff, state attorney, supervisor of elections, tax collector, county commission, community development district, circuit court judges, and county court judges
Total seats up: 60
Election type: Partisan and nonpartisan
Other municipal elections
U.S. municipal elections, 2024

Rosie Cordero-Stutz (R) won the Republican primary election for Miami-Dade County Sheriff on August 20, 2024. Click here for more detailed results.

Eleven candidates ran in the election. Three led in fundraising, endorsements, and media attention: Cordero-Stutz, Mario Knapp (R), and Joe Sanchez (R).

The general election was the first time Miami-Dade County, Florida, elected a sheriff since 1966, when county voters passed a referendum to abolish the position following allegations of corruption.[1] Since then, the director of the police department had been a position appointed by the county mayor.[2]

In 2018, Florida voters passed Amendment 10, which required every county in the state to have an elected sheriff. Miami-Dade County was the only county without a sheriff in 2018, and the amendment required the county to hold an election for the position in 2024.[1]

At the time of the election, Cordero-Stutz was an assistant director in the Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) who had served in the department for 28 years.[3] She ran on her experience and said she would “assume command on day one” if elected.[4] Cordero-Stutz said she was “committed to strengthening partnerships between law enforcement and community organizations” and that interaction would address local issues.[5] She said she would “establish stringent oversight mechanisms [and] transparent processes” to promote accountability.[5] Cordero-Stutz said she would provide officers with “comprehensive training programs and continuous education,” including mental health intervention.[5]

Knapp was a retired MDPD major at the time of the election, having served in the department for 27 years.[6] He also campaigned on his experience.[6] Knapp said he would ensure “the department is adequately structured, staffed, and trained” and would provide officers with resources and support.[7] Knapp said he believes community trust in law enforcement is important and that he would create “genuine connections with residents through open dialogue, education and transparent communication."[7] He said he would “rigorously investigate and root out corruption” to promote trust.[7] Knapp said he opposed homeowners associations (HOA) as an officer and would “root out corruption & fraud in all HOAs across Miami-Dade” if elected.[7]

Sanchez was a Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) trooper who had served in the agency for 37 years at the time of the election.[8] He previously served in the U.S. Army Reserve and as a Miami City Commissioner.[9] Sanchez campaigned on his political background, saying, “I’ve always aimed to be a leader and be the voice of our community.”[10] Sanchez said he would provide officers with training in new technology and that “police must be on the forefront.”[11] He said he would increase community access to mental health services and train officers in mental health intervention.[12] Sanchez said he would promote trust from the community through “regular communication and engagement with the public, as well as by increasing police presence across our county.”[13] He said he supported monetary bail and that he believed it led to community trust and safety.[14]

Also running in the election were Ignacio Alvarez (R), Jose Aragu (R), Ruamen DeLaRua (R), Alex Fornet (R), Jeffrey Giordano (R), Joe Martinez (R), John Rivera (R), and Ernesto Rodriguez (R).

Miami-Dade County also held elections for mayor, clerk of the circuit court and comptroller, property appraiser, public defender, state attorney, supervisor of elections, tax collector, county commission, special districts, circuit court judges, and county court judges. Click here for more on those elections.

This page focuses on Miami-Dade's Republican primary for sheriff. For more in-depth information on Miami-Dade's general election for sheriff, see the following page:

Candidates and election results

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

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

Total votes: 110,596
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

Voting information

What was the voter registration deadline?

  • By mail: Received by July 22, 2024.
  • Online: July 22, 2024.[15]

What was the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?

  • In-person: August 8, 2024.
  • By mail: August 8, 2024.
  • Telephone: August 8, 2024.
  • Online: August 8, 2024.[16]

What was the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?

  • In-person: August 20, 2024
  • By mail: August 20, 2024[16]

Was early voting available to all voters?
Yes.[17]

What were the early voting start and end dates?
Early voting started on August 5, 2024, and ended on August 18, 2024.[18]

Were all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, was a photo or non-photo ID required?
All voters were required to present either a photo ID containing the voter's signature or multiple forms of ID—one with a photo and another with a signature—before voting.[19]

When were polls open on Election Day?
Polls opened at 7:00 a.m. on Election Day and closed at 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.[19]

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.

Rosie Cordero-Stutz

Image of Rosie Cordero-Stutz

WebsiteFacebookTwitter

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography:  Cordero-Stutz received a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Marist College and a master’s degree in public administration from Florida International University. She served in the Miami-Dade Police Department for 28 years. At the time of the election, she served as the assistant director of investigative services in the Miami-Dade Police Department.


Key Messages

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

Cordero-Stutz said she would focus on funding law enforcement and providing officers with resources. She said she believed "adequate funding is essential for maintaining public safety [and] enabling officers to perform their duties with the highest standards."

Cordero-Stutz said she would be "committed to strengthening partnerships between law enforcement and community organizations." She said she believed collaboration would be the best way to address local issues.

Cordero-Stutz said she would "establish stringent oversight mechanisms [and] transparent processes" to address potential corruption. She said transparency within the sheriff’s office would also promote law enforcement accountability.

Cordero-Stutz said she would provide officers with training programs and continuous education. She said she understood the importance of mental health in law enforcement and would prioritize crisis intervention training.

Show sources

Sources: Rosie Cordero-Stutz 2024 campaign website, "Priorities," accessed October 10, 2024; Rosie Cordero-Stutz 2024 campaign website, "Experience," accessed October 10, 2024

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Miami-Dade County Sheriff in 2024.

Mario Knapp

Image of Mario Knapp

WebsiteFacebookTwitter

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography:  Knapp received a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Union Institute and University. He served as a major in the Miami-Dade Police Department before retiring.


Key Messages

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

Knapp said he would support officers and provide them "with the necessary tools and backing to perform their roles." He said, "Ensuring that the department is adequately structured, staffed, and trained is a key component in providing our residents with the safest and most secure environment."

Knapp said he believed community involvement was the best way to promote trust in law enforcement: "I am committed to building genuine connections with residents through open dialogue, education and transparent communication."

Knapp said he would prioritize the department’s investigations into corruption and advocate for transparency.

Knapp said he opposed potential fraud committed by homeowners associations (HOA) during his time as an officer and that he would "defend homeowners from fraud and abuse, fostering a safe and fair housing environment for all residents."

Show sources

Sources: Mario Knapp 2024 campaign website, "Issues," accessed August 16, 2024; Mario Knapp 2024 campaign website, "Meet Mario," accessed August 16, 2024, Union Institute & University, "Finding Success in More Than Just Law Enforcement with a Criminal Justice Management Degree," November 11, 2021

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Miami-Dade County Sheriff in 2024.

Joe Sanchez

Image of Joe Sanchez

WebsiteFacebookYouTube

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

  • City of Miami Commission (1998-2009)

Biography:  Sanchez received a bachelor’s degree from Miami Dade College. He served in the U.S. Army Reserves. As of the 2024 election, he was a trooper in the Florida Highway Patrol.


Key Messages

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

Sanchez said he would provide officers with training in new technology: "This will enhance the ability of police to solve crimes, ensure officer safety, and improve police response times."

Sanchez said he would increase access to mental health services to citizens and provide officers with mental health intervention training. He said he would support officers' wellbeing by providing them with mental health resources.

Sanchez said he believed lowering crime rates relied on collaboration between law enforcement and the community. He said he would increase the number of patrolling officers and create educational community outreach programs for children.

Sanchez said he supported and would defend monetary bail: "This will ensure justice can be served for the victims, prevent offenders from fleeing to avoid prosecution and create a safer Miami-Dade County for everyone."

Show sources

Sources: Joe Sanchez 2024 campaign website, "Community Engagement," accessed August 16, 2024, Joe Sanchez 2024 campaign website, "Crime Prevention," accessed August 16, 2024, Joe Sanchez 2024 campaign website, "Mental Health," accessed August 16, 2024, Joe Sanchez 2024 campaign website, "Supports Monetary Bail," accessed August 16, 2024, Joe Sanchez 2024 campaign website, "Technological Innovation," accessed August 16, 2024; Joe Sanchez 2024 campaign website, "About," accessed August 16, 2024, Herald-Tribune, "St. Petersburg and Miami set to elect mayors," November 1, 2009

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Miami-Dade County Sheriff in 2024.

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. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

No candidate in this race completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.


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.


Republican Party Rosie Cordero-Stutz

View more ads here:


Republican Party Mario Knapp

Ballotpedia did not come across any campaign ads for Mario Knapp while conducting research on this election. If you are aware of any ads that should be included, please email us.


Republican Party Joe Sanchez

July 17, 2024
July 17, 2024
January 10, 2024

View more ads here:


Endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering 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 competitiveness

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

We provide results for polls that are included in polling aggregation from FiveThirtyEight and RealClearPolitics, when available. No polls were available for this election. To notify us of polls published in this election, please email us.

Election spending

Campaign finance

Candidates in this election submitted campaign finance reports to the Miami-Dade County Elections Department. Click here to access those reports.

Satellite spending

See also: Satellite spending

Satellite spending describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[20][21][22]

If available, this section includes links to online resources tracking satellite spending in this election. To notify us of a resource to add, email us.

Election context

Ballot access requirements

The table below details filing requirements for sheriff candidates in Miami-Dade County in the 2024 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Florida, click here.

Filing requirements for Miami-Dade County Sheriff candidates, 2024
Method Partisan affiliation Filing fee Signatures required Filing deadline Source
Filing fee Party-affiliated $15,300.00 N/A 6/14/2024 Source
Non-party-affiliated $10,200.00 N/A 6/14/2024 Source
Petitions N/A N/A 15,294 6/14/2024 Source

2024 battleground elections

See also: Battlegrounds

This was a battleground election. Other 2024 battleground elections included:

See also

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

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 NBC Miami, "Here's why the Miami-Dade sheriff's position went away, and why it's coming back," August 13, 2024
  2. ↑ Florida Politics, "Bill aimed at ending debate over Miami-Dade Sheriff powers advances," April 5, 2023
  3. ↑ Rosie Cordero-Stutz 2024 campaign website, "Meet Rosie," accessed August 16, 2024
  4. ↑ Rosie Cordero-Stutz 2024 campaign website, "Experience," accessed August 16, 2024
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Rosie Cordero-Stutz 2024 campaign website, "Priorities," accessed August 16, 2024
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Mario Knapp 2024 campaign website, "Meet Mario," accessed August 16, 2024
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Mario Knapp 2024 campaign website, "Issues," accessed August 16, 2024
  8. ↑ Joe Sanchez 2024 campaign website, "About," accessed August 16, 2024
  9. ↑ CBS News, "Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Joe Sanchez announces run for Miami-Dade Sheriff," January 9, 2024
  10. ↑ YouTube, "Sanchez for Sheriff," January 10, 2024
  11. ↑ Joe Sanchez 2024 campaign website, "Technological Innovation," accessed August 16, 2024
  12. ↑ Joe Sanchez 2024 campaign website, "Mental Health," accessed August 16, 2024
  13. ↑ Joe Sanchez 2024 campaign website, "Community Engagement," accessed August 16, 2024
  14. ↑ Joe Sanchez 2024 campaign website, "Supports Monetary Bail," accessed August 16, 2024
  15. ↑ Florida Online Voter Registration System, "Home page," accessed June 27, 2024
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Miami-Dade County, "Vote-by-Mail Ballot," accessed August 15, 2024
  17. ↑ Florida Department of State, "Early Voting and Secure Ballot Intake Stations," February 29, 2024
  18. ↑ Miami-Dade County, "Early Voting Schedule," accessed August 15, 2024
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Miami-Dade County, "Voting on Election Day," accessed August 15, 2024
  20. ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed December 12, 2021
  21. ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed December 12, 2021
  22. ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," December 12, 2021
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