Karen Baez-Wallis and Suzy Lord topped their respective mayoral fields in Palmetto Bay and Cutler Bay on Nov. 3, but neither won outright.

Both races are headed to Dec. 1 runoffs, Florida Politics reported.

Palmetto Bay

Baez-Wallis, a registered nurse with more than 30 years of experience including executive roles in trauma and emergency services, led the three-candidate field with 45.7% of the vote, according to Florida Politics. She will face Tamara Mourino, who took 31.4%, in the runoff to succeed outgoing Mayor Karyn Cunningham, who is term-limited.

Former Village Council Member David Singer finished third with 22.9%.

Baez-Wallis ran on a platform of public safety, government transparency and stopping overdevelopment. Mourino, a longtime resident and small-business owner, campaigned on preserving Palmetto Bay's bedroom-community character and protecting green space.

All three offices on the Palmetto Bay ballot were open because their occupants are term-limited. Two of those contests are also going to Dec. 1 runoffs.

Cutler Bay

Four candidates ran to succeed term-limited Mayor Tim Meerbott. Lord, who held Seat 2 on the Town Council, led with 34.5% of the vote. Council Member Robert "B.J." Duncan, who has held Seat 1 since 2018, took 32.6%. The two will meet in the Dec. 1 runoff.

Licensed builder Ricardo De Melo Gomes finished with 28.6%, and entrepreneur Clint Rodriguez took 4.2%.

Lord had to resign her council seat to run for mayor. Duncan was term-limited from seeking his seat again.

In a pre-election questionnaire published by the Miami Herald in September, Lord described herself as a 47-year Cutler Bay resident and said her priorities included protecting green space and wetlands, bringing jobs to town, and ensuring the community's safety and economic stability.

Cutler Bay voters also shook up the council. In the Seat 3 race, challenger Rene Gomez defeated incumbent Richard Ramirez, 53% to 47%. Ramirez had taken the seat unopposed in 2022.

The race for Council Seat 1, vacated by Duncan, is heading to a Dec. 1 runoff between Mary Ann Mixon and Ricky Fernandez, who took 43.6% and 36.2% of the vote. James Richie Hawkins finished third.

Runoff elections for both towns are set for Dec. 1.