Candidate Mary Ann Mixon, Cutler Bay Council Seat 1

Mary Ann Mixon, who says she held Cutler Bay’s Seat 1 from 2010 to 2018, is running to return to that seat on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot. The seat is open because council member Robert “B.J.” Duncan is term-limited. Mixon faces Ricky Fernandez and James Richie Hawkins in the nonpartisan race, which is decided by voters town-wide.

At a Glance

Office: Cutler Bay Town Council, Residential Area Seat 1
Area covered: Residential Area 1 of the Town of Cutler Bay; elected by voters town-wide
Incumbent: No (open seat). Mixon says she previously held the seat from 2010 to 2018.
Opponents on ballot: Ricky Fernandez, James Richie Hawkins
Campaign website: None located. Her campaign email, as listed by the South Dade News Leader, is mamixon@yahoo.com.

Background

In her answers to a South Dade News Leader candidate questionnaire published Oct. 2, 2026, Mixon said she served as the Seat 1 council member from 2010 to 2018, when she reached the town’s term limit. The town’s records show Duncan has held Seat 1 since November 2018. Mixon told the News Leader that when she was term-limited, running for mayor was the only way to stay on the council, and that while working full time she did not believe she could give that role the time residents deserved. She described the current race as a return after an eight-year break.

In the same questionnaire, Mixon listed what she described as accomplishments from her earlier service. They are her own accounts and were presented as such by the News Leader:

Petitioning Miami-Dade County to install flashing radar speed signs on Marlin Road in a school zone.
Serving on the Florida League of Cities Environmental Committee, where she said she backed efforts against fracking in the Everglades.
Originating the initiative for a Miami-Dade County Animal Abuse Registry, which she said became countywide law in partnership with Daniella Levine Cava.
Leading the town’s Floodplain Committee, work she credits with helping Cutler Bay earn a Class 3 flood rating that she said saves residents 35% on flood insurance.

Mixon also told the News Leader that shortly after qualifying she was injured in an accident, suffering a shattered wrist that required emergency surgery and a knee injury, and that her recovery delayed the start of her campaign.

In Their Own Words

The following quotes come from Mixon’s responses to the South Dade News Leader questionnaire.

After an eight-year break, I am running again because Cutler Bay is at a critical turning point. I want to bring my proven experience back to the dais to ensure we manage growth responsibly.

Mary Ann Mixon, South Dade News Leader, Oct. 2, 2026

On development, I believe in enforcing strict resident control. If a project overrides the community’s wishes, it stops.

Mary Ann Mixon, South Dade News Leader, Oct. 2, 2026

I will also defend local home rule. I oppose Amendment 3’s tax shift. Decisions about Cutler Bay belong to the residents of Cutler Bay, not Tallahassee politicians.

Mary Ann Mixon, South Dade News Leader, Oct. 2, 2026

Campaign-wise, I have a lot of catching up to do. As soon as my doctors give me the green light, I plan to hit the ground running — or limping — to make up for lost time.

Mary Ann Mixon, South Dade News Leader, Oct. 2, 2026

Where She Stands on the Issues

Mixon named three top issues in her News Leader questionnaire: traffic congestion, development that respects existing neighborhoods and avoids adding traffic, and infrastructure that protects the town from flooding and sea-level impacts.

Infrastructure and flooding

Mixon said infrastructure would be her first priority. She said she would pursue traffic-reduction strategies while keeping flood mitigation at the forefront, speed up local stormwater improvements, prioritize engineering projects based on data and seek federal grants to address neighborhood flooding.

Development

She said she supports strict resident control over development and that a project that overrides the community’s wishes should not move forward.

Traffic, public safety and quality of life

Mixon said she would put traffic-calming measures in place and look for other ways to reduce gridlock. On public safety and quality of life, she said the town budget should protect residential neighborhoods, preserve green space and maintain what she called the town’s small-town character.

Home rule and taxes

Mixon said she would defend local home rule and that she opposes what she called “Amendment 3’s tax shift.”

Accessibility

She said she would keep her phone line, email and in-person neighborhood meetings open to residents.

About Seat 1

Seat 1 covers the residential area bounded on the north by SW 184th Street, extending east to SW 97th Avenue and Franjo Road and to the centerline of Old Cutler Road, south to SW 216th Street and the Black Creek Canal, and west to the South Dade busway. The seat is open because council member Robert “B.J.” Duncan, who has held it since November 2018, is term-limited. Duncan is running for mayor this year.

What This Office Does

Cutler Bay is governed by a five-member Town Council under a council-manager form of government. The mayor and vice mayor may live anywhere in town, while the three council members must each live in the residential area tied to their seat. According to the town, the council sets policy, adopts the annual budget and passes local laws. Council members also sit as the Local Planning Agency, which makes them responsible for the town’s Comprehensive Development Master Plan and its land development regulations, the rules that govern what can be built and where.

Although each council member must live in a specific residential area, every seat is voted on town-wide, so all registered Cutler Bay voters can cast a ballot in both the Seat 1 and Seat 3 races. Council members serve four-year terms. The town clerk’s office lists the council member salary as $10,939.56 a year. The council regularly meets on the third Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. at Town Hall.

Candidates for a residential seat must have lived in that area continuously for at least one year before qualifying. Qualifying for the 2026 election ran from noon July 23 to noon Aug. 6, 2026, according to the Town Clerk.

Issues Facing Cutler Bay

Coverage of this year’s Cutler Bay races has centered on growth and public works. A Sept. 28 Political Cortadito analysis identified the redevelopment of the former Southland Mall into Southplace City Center as the largest issue before the town. The article reported developers’ estimate of about $1.5 billion in investment over seven years, with more than 5,000 market-rate homes plus retail, a medical center, a hotel and green space.

The same article noted that town voters approved up to $37 million in general obligation bonds in 2022 for the Legacy Park and municipal complex project, which is planned to include a park, Town Hall, police station, community center and aquatics facility, and that a January 2025 presentation put one version of the project at about $51 million. It also pointed to roads, drainage and stormwater, recalling the June 2022 rain event in which the area received nearly 23 inches in seven days.

The Race

Mary Ann Mixon faces Ricky Fernandez and James Richie Hawkins for the open Seat 1. Cutler Bay elections are nonpartisan, and all three candidates appear on the Nov. 3 general election ballot. The same ballot includes an open mayoral race among Ricardo De Melo Gomes, Robert “B.J.” Duncan, Suzy Lord and Clint Rodriguez, and the Seat 3 race between incumbent Richard Ramirez and Rene Gomez, according to the Town Clerk. The town has almost 30,000 registered voters, according to Political Cortadito.

Cumulative campaign finance totals posted on the town’s reporting portal as of Oct. 11, 2026:

Ricky Fernandez: $800.00 raised, $640.82 spent
James Richie Hawkins: $1,853.00 raised, $209.40 spent
Mary Ann Mixon: $300.00 raised, $209.40 spent

When the Miami Herald published its Cutler Bay candidate questionnaire on Sept. 22, 2026, all three Seat 1 candidates were listed as “awaiting response.” The South Dade News Leader has published a candidate profile based on Mary Ann Mixon’s questionnaire answers; as of Oct. 11, Community Leadership Alliance had not found comparable published responses from Ricky Fernandez or James Richie Hawkins.

How to Vote

Election Day: Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Early voting: Monday, Oct. 19, through Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, according to the Town of Cutler Bay. Locations and hours are listed on the county’s early voting schedule.
Vote-by-mail: The deadline to request a mail ballot is Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026, according to the town clerk.
Possible runoff: If no candidate wins more than 50% of the vote, a runoff would be held Dec. 1, according to Political Cortadito.

Voters can confirm their registration, precinct and sample ballot through the Miami-Dade County Elections Department. Results are expected on the Supervisor of Elections website beginning at 7:15 p.m. on election night.

Community Leadership Alliance is nonpartisan and does not endorse candidates. This profile is based on public records, candidate statements and news coverage, including the South Dade News Leader. Candidates who wish to submit corrections may contact us through our Contact page.