MIAMI – South Florida’ residents who didn’t already vote early or by mail, with masks on and social distancing in place, took to the precincts to vote in Tuesday’s August 18 primary election. This year’s primary election had a generous turnout with 25 percent of registered voters compared to 16.5 percent in August 2016.
The 2020 election is an historic moment for the South Florida Haitian community. For the first time since 1993, when Philippe Derose became the first ever Haitian–American elected to public office in the United States of America in modern times, as a Councilman of the Village of El Portal in Miami-Dade County, Florida, a long list of Haitian-American women were on the ballot this year, running for many different parts of the United States Government. This was a chance for Haitian-American voters to choose those people who supposedly have Haitians and Haitian-Americans in their minds and hearts, and as their priority.
Unfortunately, few of the more than 15 Haitian-American female candidates taking part in the primary won their bids. Insufficient financial resources leading to a lack of campaign advertisements, plus what seems that the majority of Haitian-American voters simply do not seem to care about voting may have contributed to the failure of those Haitian-American candidates.
Incredibly, only three won their primary races. They are: Judge Phoebee Francois, Marie Woodson, and State Representative Dotie Joseph. Judge Phoebee Francois made history as the first Haitian-born judge in Broward County (appointed by former Republican Governor Rick Scott), where she has been serving since June, 2018 at the West Satellite Courthouse in Plantation covering the civil and criminal division. She won the primary with a large margin. She earned 71.46% (207,820 votes) against her sole opponent, Jacob E. Segal, who collected 28.54%, or a total of 82,989 votes. Judge François will be up for reelection again in 2026.
Dotie Joseph secured a second term for the State Representative District 108 seat. The Haitian-American incumbent lawyer prevailed once again last month against her predecessor Roy Hadermon, whom she ousted in 2018. Hadermon sought to reclaim the seat, but failed in that effort. Another Haitian-American also tried to win the seat, but failed to earn enough votes. Incumbent Dotie Joseph, who was financially solid with more than $200,000 to run her campaign (compared to Roy Hadermon ($6,350) and Bossous ($13,000)) gathered 57%, or 13,450 of the total votes. Hadermon received 31% (7,243) and Bossous 12% (2,717) of the total votes.
Former Miami-Dade County Administrator Marie Woodson who seeks to represent Florida House District 101 in Broward County, advanced to the November 3rd general election. She secured the Democrat party nomination against Town of Pembroke Park Mayor Ashira Mohammed, and City of West Park Vice Mayor Brian C. Johnson. Woodson will face an unopposed Republican candidate in the 2020 General election.
Linda Julien, who is currently serving as the Economic Development Manager for the City of North Miami, with a focus on procurement and workforce development, will be headed for a runoff election to succeed Miami Gardens Councilman David Williams Jr., who previously occupied the At-Large Seat 5. Julien collected 6,922 votes (30.49%) of the total votes to come out in second position in a crowded race with seven candidates. She will face off against Andre Williams, who barely took the first position, in the November 3rd general election.
Gepsie Morisset-Metellus, co-founder and Executive Director of the Haitian Neighborhood Center Sant La, a neighborhood resource center that serves as a lifeline for the Haitian immigrant population of South Florida, is also heading to run-off election for the Miami-Dade County Seat 3 general election to replace term-limited Commissioner Audrey Edmonson.
With 21.19% (25,823 votes), Metellus was the last candidate to join this primary race and took many by surprise. She managed to come out in second position behind Miami City Council member Keon Hardemon, who just missed the ability to avoid a runoff in the contest. Hardemon received 49% of the vote, just shy of the majority he needed to secure the seat outright.
Coming Up Short
Dr. Flore Lindor Latortue, an educator and true activist, lost her bid against the incumbent for School Board Member District 7. In the race for State Representative District 117, Jessica Laguerre Hylton, failed to win the Democratic primary, losing her electoral bid by just 221 votes. The winner, Kevin Chambliss, collected 7,391 votes as she received 7,170.
Daphne D. Campbell, who served eight years in the Florida Legislature, including two years as a state senator, also failed in her bid for Florida Senate District 35. According to Sun-Sentinel, in the last minute, a robocall went out with a recorded message that former President Barack Obama had endorsed the Haitian-American female candidate. But an Obama spokeswoman told the Miami Herald no such endorsement had been made in the race. Campbell came out in fourth place out of six candidates in the race.
Another candidate to fall short was Narnike “Nikki” Pierre-Grant, who was running for the at-large Broward School Board District 9 seat. The substitute teacher, mother of five, and president of the Heron Heights Elementary PTA, came out on the short side of vote tallies, ending her bid.
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick lost her second electoral battle against 27-year incumbent Alcee Hastings to represent Florida’s 20th Congressional District in the U.S. House. Cherfilus had a better performance in her second bid, though. She received 27,748 votes (30.71% of the total votes). The incumbent collected 48,362 votes (69.29%). Two years ago, the Haitian-American CEO of Trinity Healthcare Services, a home health company with offices in Broward and Palm Beach Counties, failed to win the Broward/Palm Beach Counties’ congressional seat primary election on August 28, 2018.
In the mayoral race for Miami-Dade County, Haitian-American Ludmilla Domond came out at the bottom on a list of seven candidates. She collected 5,216 votes (1.25%).
While the outcomes could have been dramatically different with greater Haitian-American enthusiasm and participation in this primary, it’s important to recognize the growing influence of highly successful Haitian immigrants and their descendants.
The United States is truly the land of opportunity, for those who strive and put in the effort. But we need to be reminded of the importance of community and support for our brothers and sisters. Fifteen Haitian-American women ran for public office this year. Even though few moved on, their efforts and successes continue to pave the way for the next generations.
As a community, we must remember that our support is as vital to their success as anything they could or might have done for us when in office. The American electoral system is a relationship between those who represent us and our communities.
It is a right to vote. It is a privilege. It should remain an honor and something we all hold precious for one day, that right could be taken from us. Let’s join together and get out to vote in November and in the future, realize just how important primary elections are.
Our Haitian-American candidates -men and women- count on us. Let’s make them proud, just as we’re proud of the effort these 15 women made to represent us in government leadership.
Dessalines Ferdinand
LE FLORIDIEN