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Doral

Doral mayor, two council races, head to run-off

 

The next mayor of Doral, as well as two council races, will be decided in a Nov. 27th runoff.

Doral Results

Mayor

Frank Bolaños: 30 percent

Luigi Boria: 41 percent

Pete Cabrera: 29 percent

Seat One

Elena Ortega-Tauler: 38 percent

Carlos Ruiz : 13 percent

Sandra Ruiz: 49 percent

Seat Two

Bettina Rodriguez- Aguilera: 51 percent

Clemente Vera: 49 percent

Seat Three

Christi Fraga: 45 percent

Bibiana Salmon: 22 percent

Robert Van Name: 33 percent

Source: Miami-Dade County Elections Department website. Percentages have been rounded to the nearest number


By Paradise Afshar

A run-off election will determine who will be the next mayor of Doral.

Two council races are also heading to the Nov. 27 runoff.

Following Tuesday’s election, Bettina Rodriguez- Aguilera is the city’s only newly elected official after she defeated Clemente Vera for Seat Two in the city’s sole two-way race.

“I am very happy,” said Rodriguez-Aguilera. “Today I took possession of my office, got my badge and I already put in for three discussion items that I said I would do if I was elected councilwoman.”

Rodriguez-Aguilera won by 109 votes out of 9,463 cast. She won the seat held by Councilman Luigi Boria, who resigned to run for mayor.

In the mayoral race, Boria and Frank Bolaños, a former chairman of the Miami-Dade County School Board, will go head-to-head in the runoff that will determine who will become the city’s second mayor.

Boria won 41 percent of Tuesday’s vote in the three-way race. Bolaños came in second with 30 percent of the vote, while Councilman Pete Cabrera garnered 29 percent. The difference between Bolaños and Cabrera was 73 votes. Only the top two vote getters qualify for the runoff.

Cabrera could not be reached for comment.

In the runoff for Cabrera’s Seat One: Sandra Ruiz, a former councilwoman, and Elena Ortega-Tauler, a Doral attorney. Ruiz captured 49 percent of the vote while Tauler-Ortega garnered 38 percent.

“I appreciate the community’s support in my work and my candidacy and I look forward to getting that support once again,” Ruiz said

Ortega-Tauler could not be reached for comment.

Carlos Ruiz, a small business owner, came in third.

In Seat Three, Christi Fraga and former Councilman Robert Van Name will be in the Nov. 27th runoff for the seat vacated by Vice Mayor Michael DiPietro, who reached his term limits. Bibiana Salmon came in last.

“I am optimistic. I think now that we have two people in the race the odds are much more in my favor,” said Van Name, who trailed Fraga by more than 1,200 votes.

He said he expects to gain some votes from Salmon because “we have the same friends within the community who said they were torn between Bibiana and me.’’

His opponent is also optimistic.

“Our spirits are high,” said Fraga. “I am running around meeting voters now and making them understand we need them to go out one more time and vote.”

After waiting more than four hours to vote on Nov. 6th, voter Gabriel Martinez, 43, said he plans on getting to the polls early for the runoff election.

“I may go at noon,” he said.

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