Broward County residents made their voices heard Tuesday, March 10, in municipal elections that will shape local governance and development for the next several years.
In Lauderhill, voters approved all three measures under the city’s $65 million RISE Lauderhill initiative, which focuses on public safety, parks and facility improvements, and transportation and roadway upgrades.
The public safety bond, valued at $9.5 million, passed with 72% approval. The plan covers expansion and upgrades to police and fire facilities, construction of a training center, and installation of additional license plate reader technology to help law enforcement identify vehicles linked to crimes. The measure also includes improvements to fire stations, hardening of public safety buildings, and upgrades to the city’s network infrastructure system.
Parks improvements, totaling $34 million, were approved with 71% of voters in favor. The plan includes upgrades across Lauderhill’s 26 parks, with new playground equipment, pavilion replacements, resurfacing of pools and sports fields—some converted to artificial turf—lighting upgrades, walking trail repairs, bleachers, and facility renovations. Larger projects could include a splash pad, an outdoor amphitheater, and expanded parking at parks that host major events.
Transportation and roadway projects, funded by a $21.5 million bond, also passed with 71% approval. The plan includes construction of a parking garage, roadway improvements throughout the city, building walls adjacent to roadways, and other upgrades intended to improve mobility and infrastructure. All three bonds will be repaid over a period of up to 30 years with interest at legally permitted rates, funded through ad valorem taxes.
Meanwhile, in Pembroke Pines, incumbents emerged victorious in two competitive city commission races, ensuring continuity in leadership in Broward County’s second-largest city. Vice Mayor Mike Hernández secured a decisive win in District 4, taking 76% of the vote against community advocate Elizabeth Burns, who previously ran for mayor in 2024. Hernández will now serve a full four-year term representing the city area west of Flamingo Road and south of Pines Boulevard.
In District 1, Commissioner Thomas Good narrowly fended off challenges from former police sergeant Jim Henry and Jamaican-American businessman Dennis Hinds, winning 50.5% of the vote to Hinds’ 43.5%, with Henry taking the remainder. District 1 stretches east of Flamingo Road and south of Hollywood Boulevard to the Florida Turnpike. Hinds’ campaign, which highlighted his background in banking, finance, real estate, and insurance, sought to make him the first Caribbean-American commissioner for the district.
Pembroke Pines does not require runoffs. The candidate with the greatest number of votes in a given race wins outright, regardless of whether they secure a majority.
Tuesday’s election results guarantee that Lauderhill’s development projects will move forward and that Pembroke Pines will continue under existing leadership in its two key districts. In Lauderhill, construction and improvement projects funded by RISE Lauderhill are expected to begin in the coming months, enhancing public safety, recreation, and transportation infrastructure across the city.
