Miramar, FL (LE FLORIDIEN) – The City of Miramar is set to experience a shift in governance following the election results from Tuesday night, March 11, which introduced two new members to the City Commission. Three-term Commissioner Yvette Colbourne, born in Panama to Jamaican parents, secured a fourth consecutive term, while Bahamian-born Avril Cherasard and Jamaican-born Carson ‘Eddy’ Edwards won Seats 3 and 4, respectively.
With all 19 precincts reporting, Colbourne decisively won the race for Seat 2, securing 86% of the vote against challenger Luis Pedraza. Despite raising substantial campaign funds and running an active campaign, Pedraza faced an uphill battle after an error on his paperwork resulted in him being listed as a write-in candidate.
Colbourne, 63, has served on the five-member City Commission since 2013. She campaigned on her track record of maintaining stable city taxes, supporting a minimum wage for city employees, establishing an affordable housing trust fund, and opposing Miami-Dade County’s proposal to construct a trash incinerator near Miramar. According to the Broward County elections financial report, she raised over $162,000 for her campaign and spent approximately $47,000 to retain her seat.
In the race for Seat 3, Avril Cherasard emerged victorious with 53.5% of the vote, defeating radio personality Keith “Papa Keith” Walcott (28%) and finance director Nari Tomlinson (18%). Cherasard, 44, a real estate broker and independent candidate, focused her campaign on affordable housing, addressing the city’s budget concerns, and advocating for fiscal discipline, mainly by reducing expenditures on events and government employee benefits. She raised nearly $43,000 and spent $34,000 as of March 6.
Carson ‘Eddy’ Edwards won Seat 4 with 41.6% of the vote, defeating Kerri-Ann Nesbeth (33%), a first-generation Jamaican-American, Haitian-American Kertch Conze (18%), and Jamaican-born Pamela Reid (7%). Edwards, a 69-year-old event organizer and marketing professional, centred his campaign on financial responsibility, emphasizing that Miramar allocates excessive funds to nonessential events. He raised $51,000 in campaign contributions.
Miramar, Broward County’s fourth-largest city by population, follows election rules that allow the top vote-getter in each race to win outright, eliminating the need for runoffs. The city’s elections are nonpartisan, meaning candidates’ political affiliations are not indicated on the ballot.
Throughout the campaign, key issues for voters included concerns over Miami-Dade County’s proposed trash incinerator, housing affordability, and budgetary constraints. Several candidates underscored the need to curtail excessive spending on city events as a primary area requiring reform.
As Colbourne moves into her fourth term, Cherasard is set to begin her first four-year term, replacing Winston Barnes, the longest-serving commission member with 22 years in office and now retiring from politics. Meanwhile, Edwards will complete the remaining two years of former Commissioner Alexandra Davis’s term, after she won a seat on the Broward County Commission last November.
With this election, Miramar’s City Commission experiences both continuity and transformation. Colbourne continues her leadership role, while Cherasard and Edwards bring fresh perspectives and priorities to the governing body. The restructured commission will now shape the city’s financial policies and long-term planning as it navigates the pressing challenges of one of South Florida’s fastest-growing communities.
