Early Voting Underway in Miami Beach Mayoral Race

Early voting has begun in Miami Beach ahead of the Nov. 4 election, setting up a head-to-head between incumbent Mayor Steven Meiner and outgoing City Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez. Meiner credits an enforcement-first approach and state partnerships for a 19% drop in major crimes this year, lower homeless counts, record reserves and incoming business investments. Rosen Gonzalez, a college professor and second-term commissioner, agrees scenes of spring-break chaos were curbed but warns rising aggravated assaults and harm to small businesses require broader responses, including opening a Miami Center for Mental Health and Recovery and bolstering policing. The two clash over records and governance—Rosen Gonzalez accuses Meiner of silencing dissent at City Hall, which he denies—and analysts caution familiar names on the ballot may depress turnout. Across Miami-Dade County, Miami’s mayoral race between Joe Carollo and Eileen Higgins centers on affordable housing, faster permitting and restoring trust in City Hall, underscoring that public safety, housing and economic recovery are dominating local contests.