Jesse Scheckner
Stephanie Bruder and Molly Diallo just won four more years on the Bay Harbor Islands Council, outpacing a third candidate who hoped to pick one of them off Tuesday.
With the town’s lone precinct reporting at 7:15 p.m., Bruder had 45% of the vote and Diallo had 40%.
Political newcomer Dave Sanchez received the remaining 15%. Just 18% of the town’s 3,385 registered voters (998) cast ballots.
The election was at-large and nonpartisan, with voters choosing between all three candidates and the two candidates with the most votes winning seats. In the coming days, the Council will select from its members a new Mayor and Vice Mayor.
Heading into Election Day, Bruder, Diallo and Sanchez agreed that traffic congestion was the No. 1 issue for their two-island town, which borders Bal Harbour, Indian Creek Village and Surfside.
They also concurred that more local programming is needed for the town’s nearly 6,000 residents.
Bruder, a 60-year-old Democrat, has lived in Bal Harbor Islands since 1997 and manages several businesses with her husband. She has served at Town Hall for more than a decade, including as Mayor and Vice Mayor.
She vowed, if re-elected, to support lobbying efforts to secure state grants for local infrastructure projects, particularly for bridge improvements and a municipal complex, and to add more youth, family and senior programming.
“Bay Harbor Islands is the perfect blend of small-town charm and coastal beauty,” she said in a statement. “I love its sense of community, walkable streets, and peaceful, yet vibrant atmosphere.”
Bruder carried endorsements from the Fraternal Order of Police and the South Florida Police Benevolent Association. She also had the largest war chest in the contest: $47,000, of which $30,000 came from her bank account.
Her donors included numerous local businesses and frequent state-level givers such as Sunshine Gasoline Distributors and Akerman.
Diallo, a 50-year-old Democrat and award-winning education pro, has lived in Bay Harbor Islands since she moved to South Florida in 2004 and served on the Town Council since 2021, when she won unopposed.
She ran on a platform that prioritized public safety, expanding community services and recreation, enhancing the town’s infrastructure and strengthening communication between Town Hall and residents.
“My family and I have always been proud to call Bay Harbor Islands home,” she said in a statement. “It has been a tremendous honor to serve on the Town Council for the past four years, and I’ve deeply enjoyed connecting with residents in this role.”
Diallo raised $14,110 through March 14, $1,100 of which was her money. Her donors included The Dade County Police Benevolent Association, Sunshine Gasoline Distributors and Akerman.
Sanchez, a 20-year-old Bay Harbor Islands native, is a full-time student majoring in cybersecurity. State records show he registered as a Republican in 2022 and remained one for the next two years. He is now registered with no party affiliation.
His platform included preserving the town’s existing character while leveraging revenue from new development, including construction of a new Town Hall, to improve local infrastructure.
He said he also wanted to expand youth activities, improve civic engagement, enhance accessibility to online services, shore up the town’s resiliency and make it easier for residents to attain public records.
“I have lived for all my life in this town, and I won’t ever want to move away,” he said in a statement. “It’s an incredible location adding to the uniqueness of the town. I aim to keep and preserve such character which long-term residents have come to adore.”
Sanchez reported raising $2,172. But his contributions ledger shows $3,000 in donations from 1050 LLC, a company whose principal is Francis Neuhut, a past Town Council candidate.
Neuhut filed complaints with the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust against Bruder, Mayor Joshua Fuller and Town Attorney Frank Simone. All were tossed for lack of legal sufficiency.
