Eileen Higgins makes history as the first woman elected to lead the city of Miami
In short: The 2025 Miami mayoral election concluded with a historic victory for Eileen Higgins, who became the first woman to hold the office. Her win also marked a significant political shift, as she became the first Democrat elected to lead the city in nearly three decades, following a hard-fought runoff campaign.
The 2025 election cycle was defined by both political transition and legal turbulence. Incumbent mayor Francis Suarez, who had secured re-election in 2021 with 78.6% of the vote against Max Martinez, was ineligible to seek a third term due to local term limits. As the field opened, the Miami City Commission attempted to shift the election schedule from odd-numbered years to even-numbered years in June 2025. Officials argued that this change would improve voter participation and reduce costs, but the move would have effectively extended the terms of current officeholders by one year.
Candidate Emilio Gonzalez challenged the ordinance in court, arguing it was invalid. Both the 11th Judicial Circuit and the Third District Court of Appeal sided with Gonzalez, determining that the commission's plan conflicted with state constitutional requirements and the governing documents of both the city and the county. The city subsequently requested a rehearing involving the entire Third District Court, rather than the standard three-judge panel, to contest the ruling.
When the election proceeded on November 4, 2025, it became the first mayoral contest in the city to require a runoff since 2001. Higgins, a county commissioner, faced off against Gonzalez, a former city manager, in the final round on December 9, 2025. Higgins ultimately secured the victory, ending a Democratic drought that had persisted since 1997. The process saw over 37,600 ballots cast, representing an unofficial turnout of more than 21.6% among the 174,462 registered voters in the city.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: 2025 Miami mayoral election
- Also: Wikidata — 2025 Miami mayoral election · CC0
- Also: www.miami.gov — November 4, 2025 City of Miami General and Special Elections
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