Former Miami Beach Commissioner Michael Góngora is headed to a Nov. 17 runoff election for the city's Group 3 Commission seat.

But the question remains: Who will be his opponent?

A razor-thin lead by Gabrielle Redfern over Alex Fernandez has triggered an automatic recount, which is scheduled for Friday.

Fernandez and Redfern remained neck-and-neck Tuesday as ballots were counted, and the night ended with Redfern holding a lead of just 31 votes.

On Wednesday, about 160 absentee ballots received on Tuesday were authenticated by the county, and the results became even tighter, with only 17 votes separating the candidates: Redfern: 2,147; Fernandez: 2,130.

``We're looking at a recount at this point,'' said Christina White, a spokeswoman for the Miami-Dade County Elections Department.

The department will recount all ballots cast in the Group 3 race, including those cast at the polls and via absentee ballots.

White said there are still a small number of outstanding provisional ballots that have yet to be counted, but not enough to push Fernandez or Redfern more than .5-percentage points above the other -- the requisite spread needed to avoid a mandatory recount, according to state law.

White said the county has scheduled a 9 a.m. Friday recount at the Department of Elections.

``We are on for 9,'' said City Clerk Robert Parcher, who along with County Judge Shelley Kravitz will represent Miami Beach's Canvassing Board during the recount.

Redfern, a 47-year-old property manager and transportation activist who was largely outspent and often overlooked as her opponents traded jabs, said she was happy to shock her doubters by forcing a recount.

``It's not quite as big as Gore vs. Bush, but it's the best thing we can put together for Miami Beach,'' she said, adding that she expects to remain ahead of Fernandez after Friday's recount.

Fernandez, a 23-year-old former aide to Mayor Matti Herrera Bower, said Wednesday he is hopeful that the results will be promising for his campaign but isn't expecting to leapfrog Redfern.

``I don't think the results are necessarily going to change in the recount,'' Fernandez said. ``Seventeen votes isnot that much, but Idon't think it willchange.''

Had Góngora received more than 50 percent of the vote Tuesday, he would have been the outright winner.

With about 7,300 ballots cast in the race, Góngora received about 42 percent of the vote, meaning he will square off either with Fernandez or Redfern, depending on Friday's results.

Góngora said Tuesday night that he isn't concerned about who his opponent will be.

``It really doesn't change my game plan at all, whoever came in second place,'' he said.

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