Broward keeps sheriff; Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood mayors reelected on election night
Several incumbents in Broward faced challengers this election, including Sheriff Gregory Tony, who retained his position leading the largest Sheriff’s Office in Florida.
Two of the county’s largest cities reelected their mayors. Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis won in a crowded race of four candidates and Hollywood Mayor Josh Levy won a third term. In both cities, opposing candidates said more needed to be done to address severe flooding and over-development.
BROWARD COUNTY SHERIFF
Tony, who was appointed to the role in 2019 by Gov. Ron DeSantis and elected by voters in 2020, was involved in several controversies during his time in office, including an FDLE report that found he lied on his police applications and increased spending. Despite the scandals, Tony was favored to win against his opponent Charles Whatley, a Marine Corps veteran and retired deputy who has criticized Tony’s character.
Meanwhile, on Election Day, Tony’s car was burglarized.
Tony received 66.5% percent of the votes. Whatley received 33.4%
BROWARD COUNTY COMMISSIONER
Nan Rich, a Democrat, was re-elected with 53% of the vote for her third and final term on the Broward County Commission in the District 1 seat. Civil engineer Herbert Vargas, her Republican opponent, received nearly 47%.
FORT LAUDERDALE
There was a crowded race for mayor in Fort Lauderdale. Trantalis, the incumbent who was elected in 2018, ran against three opponents: Kenneth D. Cooper, Jim Lewis and Barbra Anne Stern. Chris Nelson, a conservative activist and DJ, withdrew from the race last month, but his name remained on the ballot.
Trantalis won the race with 38% of the vote. Stern, who garnered 32% of the vote, emerged as the only formidable competitor.
Three city commissioner seats were also up for grabs.
In District 1, ex-city auditor John Charles Herbst won with 56% of the vote, beating businessman Norby Belz. Vice Mayor and incumbent Steven Glassman won the District 2 seat with 53%, beating former Fort Lauderdale commissioner Charlotte Rodstrom and bankruptcy attorney Chad Van Horn.
In District 4, incumbent Warren Sturman lost to Ben Sorensen, a former commissioner who won his seat back with nearly 40% of the vote. Sorensen, who vacated his seat in 2022 to run for Congress, also beat retired chef and community activist Ted Inserra and software engineer Kevin Cochrane.
HOLLYWOOD
Hollywood Mayor Josh Levy, who ran unopposed last election cycle, fended off Eduardo Flores, Peter Hanna and Catherine “Cat” Uden to win a third term.
In District 2, former commissioner Peter Hernandez won with 44% of the vote, beating retired South Broward High School basketball coach Richard Walker. District 2 candidate Jill Tracey, a South Florida radio legend, died Friday. Votes for Tracey will not be counted, said Hollywood city clerk Patricia Cerny.
Incumbent Idelma Quintana bested two opponents, Jamil Richards and Claudia Villatoro, to win the District 6 seat with 42% of the votes. Quintana, a former public school teacher in Chicago, joined the commission in 2022 after her predecessor Linda Sherwood resigned two years before her term ended.
PEMBROKE PINES
Pembroke Pines, the second most populated city in Broward County, had its District 4 commissioner seat on the ballot.
With 48% of the vote, incumbent Michael Hernandez won, beating Ali Bhojani, Elizabeth Burns and Andy Reitz.
BROWARD COUNTY REFERENDUMS
Voters green lit the two county referendums on the ballot.
Voters approved expanding the authority of the Office of Inspector General to include the Broward School District.
Voters also approved the referendum to remove membership categories for members of the Broward Housing Council, which advises the County Commission on housing issues.
This story was originally published November 5, 2024 at 9:27 PM.