Cutler Bay Council Member Robert "B.J." Duncan is running for mayor, bringing eight years of council experience into a four-candidate race to replace term-limited Mayor Tim Meerbott.

Duncan, who has held Council Seat 1 since 2018, appeared on the Michael Miller Show on Sept. 14 to discuss his campaign and priorities. He is term-limited from seeking his council seat again.

The race also includes Ricardo De Melo Gomes, a licensed builder who has lived in Cutler Bay for more than two decades; Council Member Suzy Lord, who holds Seat 2 and was named a 2024 Miami-Dade County "Woman of Impact"; and Clint Rodriguez, a tech and entertainment entrepreneur running a bilingual campaign. All four candidates qualified during the filing period that ran from July 23 to Aug. 6, according to the town clerk's election page.

Duncan's rise from committee chair to candidate

Before joining the council, Duncan chaired the town's Education Advisory Committee, according to Florida Politics. He directs operations for Florida International University's College of Communication, Architecture and the arts.

His campaign fundraising page lists overdevelopment, parks and green spaces, traffic congestion, affordability and bringing more jobs and retail to South Dade as his top priorities.

Duncan's campaign states he was first elected to the council at age 32, which it describes as the youngest elected official in Cutler Bay's history. He will be 40 on Election Day, according to the same page. The town incorporated in 2005, according to his campaign materials.

The other three candidates in the race

Lord must resign her council seat to run for mayor. De Melo Gomes, who studied architecture in Europe, has positioned himself as a builder with deep community roots. Rodriguez is campaigning under the slogan "Same Town. New Chapter."

Incumbent Mayor Meerbott cannot run again because of term limits.

If no candidate wins a majority on Nov. 3, a runoff is scheduled for Dec. 1.

Key dates ahead of the Nov. 3 election

The general election is Nov. 3. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The voter registration deadline is Oct. 5, and the last day to request a vote-by-mail ballot is Oct. 22. Residents can check their registration and find polling locations on the town clerk's election page.