Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago won reelection Tuesday, Nov. 3, capturing nearly 57% of the vote in a three-way race against challengers Laureano Cancio and Jackson "Rip" Holmes.

The victory gives Lago a fourth and final term leading the City Beautiful. Voters also filled two City Commission seats and decided four charter amendment referendums in the city's first-ever November municipal election.

The races come after voters earlier this year approved moving city elections from April in odd-numbered years to November of even years to align with state and federal races, as the Miami Herald reported. That shift shortened the current commission's terms by several months.

Mayor: Lago secures final term

Lago, 49, was first elected mayor in 2021 and won a third term in April 2025 with more than 55% of the vote, according to Herald coverage. He has pointed to growing the city's reserves from about $19 million to more than $64 million and improving the pension fund from 52% funded to nearly 80% funded.

"It's been a long road," Lago said of his nearly 14 years in office as mayor and commissioner, according to the Herald profile.

Lago said his priorities for the new term include restoring the Gondola Building on the Biltmore golf course, the Alhambra Water Tower and City Hall. He also wants to push a downtown streetscape beautification program and open seven new parks.

Cancio, 75, a 25-year Gables resident who came to South Florida through Operation Pedro Pan, lost a 2025 race for the Group II commission seat. He had said rising commercial rents are hurting Miracle Mile businesses and expressed openness to exploring rent control, though Florida's Live Local Act blocks cities from passing such measures, the Herald reported.

Holmes, 75, a lifelong Gables resident who owns property on Miracle Mile, had run for office multiple times. He received just under 7% of the vote in a 2023 commission race. His top priority was attracting a department store to anchor Miracle Mile retail.

Both challengers had accused Lago of favoring developers over residents. Lago called those accusations politically motivated.

Group IV: Castro vs. Menendez

Commissioner Melissa Castro is seeking a second term against attorney Nestor Menendez.

Castro, first elected in April 2023, has positioned herself as a check on Lago's majority. She has cited achievements including a fiscal impact report requirement for commission items and 25%-off resident parking downtown. She is registered with no party affiliation.

Castro is under investigation by the Florida Commission on Ethics (FCE), which found probable cause in January to examine whether her permit-expediting business created a conflict of interest. The investigation is ongoing, and no final determination has been reached, the Herald reported. Castro has denied wrongdoing and said she believes she will be cleared.

Menendez, who the Herald described as supported by Lago, said he ran because he disagreed with many of Castro's decisions. He has raised more than $124,000 in campaign donations, the most of any Gables candidate this cycle, according to the Herald. He has said he is not seeking endorsements.

As we reported Tuesday, the Group IV race has drawn significant campaign spending.

Group V: Sanabria vs. Whiting

With Commissioner Ariel Fernandez not seeking reelection, Gonzalo Sanabria, 78, and Dominique "Nikki" Whiting, 33, are competing for the open Group V seat.

Sanabria, a 26-year Gables resident, owns real estate brokerage Real Estate Works Inc. and sits on the city's Planning and Zoning Board. He has served on the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority and previously ran for commission seats in 2009 and 2011, the Herald reported. No sitting commissioner has endorsed him.

Whiting, a fundraiser at Florida International University, previously held positions in Gov. Ron DeSantis' executive office and the Florida Department of Health. She has endorsements from Lago, Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson and Miami-Dade County Commissioners Raquel Regalado and Natalie Milian Orbis, according to the Herald. Both candidates are registered Republicans.

Four referendums

Voters will also decide four charter amendments. Referendum 1 would raise the threshold for public works projects requiring formal solicitation from $25,000 to $300,000. Referendum 2 would require candidates for mayor or commissioner to have lived in the city for at least one continuous year before qualifying.

Referendum 3 would extend the mayor's term from two years to four, starting with the 2028 election. It would not affect Lago's current term. Referendum 4, proposed by Lago, would require 60% voter approval before the city could sell or lease parks, recreational facilities or open spaces for 10 years or longer.

Unofficial results for the commission races and referendums were expected to begin posting after 7 p.m. on the Miami-Dade County elections website.