Voters in Surfside and Pembroke Pines will elect their new mayor this Tuesday.
In Surfside, residents will decide whether to re-elect their current mayor, Schlomo Danzinger, or give his predecessor, Charles Burkett, his job back.
The election comes nearly three years after the deadly Champlain Tower collapse.
The current Surfside administration has faced some backlash, some even saying the town is more divided than ever.
An ethics complaint was filed with the division of elections accusing the mayor, Danziger, of misusing his elected office to affect the outcome of the election.
“I’m not aware of any controversy; I just walked into the office here; I haven’t heard anything yet,” Mayor Danzinger told NBC6. “We had the state of the town we instituted last year already in line with some of the things we wanted to do, which is bring transparency….for what we’ve been doing”
Last week, residents blasted the vice mayor in a public hearing accusing him of weaponizing the police department to silence his opponents.
Danzinger has not responded to NBC6’s request for comment on these allegations.
Danzinger is running against Burkett, who was Surfside’s mayor when the Champlain Towers South collapsed.
Burkett is now accusing Danzinger of dividing the community.
“My opponent is a friend of the development community,” said Burkett. “He bends over backwards; he has changed the zoning seven times to accommodate voters… he’s flown halfway around the world to meet with billionaires who are building in Surfside.”
According to the city of Surfside’s official website, polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.
Surfside residents can cast their votes at the Town Hall Commission Chambers, located at 9293 Harding Avenue.
Pembroke Pines is also having its mayoral race today.
For the first time in 20 years, the city will have a new mayor.
Running for the seat are Vice Mayor Iris Siple, Commissioner Angelo Castillo, and Elizabeth Burns.
The race comes after the city’s current mayor, Frank Ortis, announced his retirement.
Presidential Preference Primary Election
Florida will hold presidential primaries on Tuesday as President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump continue to lock up support around the country after becoming their parties’ presumptive nominees.
All precincts in Miami-Dade and Broward opened at 7 a.m. and voters have until 7 p.m. to cast their ballot.
According to Miami-Dade Elections Department, over 55,000 voters have already cast their ballot in this election via mail-in ballot or early voting.
If voting in person you should remember:
- Voters are encouraged to review their customized sample ballot before heading to the polls.
- Every voter must go to their assigned voting location on Election Day. Voters are encouraged to check their polling place on their voter information card, by going to the Elections Department’s website, or by calling 311.
- If a voter is in line at 7 p.m., they will be allowed to vote even if the polling place has closed.
- Voters must bring a valid and current identification that contains a photo and their signature.
- If a voter does not have ID available, they will be asked to vote a provisional ballot.
- While the current voter information card is not required to vote, it can expedite the check-in process; therefore, bringing it is always encouraged.
- Florida law does not allow a voter to turn in their vote-by-mail ballot at their assigned precinct on Election Day.
- For Broward residents, information and links to check your voting status and find convenient early voting locations, are available online and by phone: browardvotes.gov, 954-357-8683.
