Exactly 30 years had elapsed and the Carollo family was back at City Hall.

In November 1979, barely 24, Joe Carollo assumed the post of Miami commissioner for the first time. His brother Frank, then 9, spiced the ceremony with childish pranks.

A few days ago, the one who assumed the post of commissioner was Frank, after a first-round victory over six competitors for the District 3 seat.

Much has changed in Miami in three decades. However, nothing has changed in the political strategy of the Carollos. The soul of the campaign is still Graciela Carollo, the 82-year-old matriarch.

``She is the secret weapon,'' said the new commissioner on Friday during a family visit to a Little Havana senior center to thank local voters at the comedor for their support.

As the Carollos entered, the retirees stood up and applauded effusively. They gathered around the family to congratulate them, showing special affection for the mother, who is a frequent visitor to the center, where she talks up her children.

``Thank you for helping my son,'' she told them.

In politics, there are infinite creative formulas to reach the voters. But in Miami, there is no campaign -- expensive though it may be -- capable of competing with that of an enthusiastic mother who shares the frustrations of daily life with the voters. Particularly when most of the voters are Cuban-American retirees like herself.

``When there's a mother like her, the children have got to be good,'' said María Salwan, 75, who voted for Frank. ``She is always available to talk to us, not like other people who are always busy.''

The Carollos' mother has experience to spare and has been able to win over the residents of the city's Hispanic neighborhoods because Joe -- who was a commissioner for eight years and mayor for eight more -- competed in six elections. He won four, lost two.

In Frank's case, this was his second political try. Two years ago, he lost a bid to enter the state Legislature as a representative from District 107.

That means Graciela Carollo has walked the streets of Miami during eight political campaigns. Lists of voter information in hand, she never tires of dialing the phone ``like a machine.''

``My name is Graciela,'' she says as an introduction. ``I am calling you as a mother, so you'll vote for my son.''

``I've built a relationship with many people,'' the mother explained. ``These people are lonely and need someone to listen to them. I listen to them constantly, not only during political seasons. One has to sow in order to harvest.''

A teacher in her native Cuba, Graciela Carollo opposed the idea of her son Joe entering politics. But he was adamant. Of course, at the age of 22, he needed his mother's help.

``I was very innocent,'' said Joe, 54, who lost the Miami mayor's race in 2001 and now works as a business and campaign consultant.

One of Graciela's favorite anecdotes, one she frequently tells voters, occurred in 1960 when the former mayor was sent to Miami at age 5, during the Pedro Pan exodus. When he and his parents reunited some months later, the boy had a surprise for them.

``In an envelope, he gave us $12,'' the mother recalled.

``When we asked him where he got the money, he told us proudly: `Here, they give us $2 a week if we behave. When the lady who looks after us told me that you had no money, I stopped spending my allowance.' ''

The family settled in Chicago and moved in late 1969 to Miami, where Frank was born one year later. They lived in a modest home near Coral Way and Southwest 32nd Avenue. That's still Graciela's home. She refuses to move in with her children. Her husband, Sabas, whose ancestors arrived in Cuba from Italy, died 18 years ago.

The new commissioner, who is an accountant, was raised in a political environment, participated in his older brother's campaigns and followed in his steps.

Because Graciela devoted so many years to Joe's campaigns, she couldn't deny Frank her support for his political ambitions, even though she is a self-described ``hunchback with osteoporosis.''

``The greatest thing a mother could have is her children, and a mother will do everything for her children,'' she said during a short speech followed by applause at the senior center.

``Don't forget that you can continue to talk with me. I'll be the same as always,'' she assured the public.

There will be other contests, no doubt, and she has no intention of quitting.