Candidate Ralph Sanchez, Pinecrest Council Seat 3

Ralph Sanchez, an attorney and small-business owner, is running for Pinecrest Village Council Seat 3 on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot. His only opponent is James Suarez, according to the official Pinecrest sample ballot. No incumbent is running. The race is nonpartisan. The Village Clerk lists it as a special election to fill a vacancy. The same ballot carries a three-way contest for the at-large Seat 4. The mayor’s office is already settled: Shannon del Prado drew no opponent and was automatically elected under the village charter, so her name will not appear on the ballot.

At a Glance

Office: Village of Pinecrest Councilmember, Seat 3 (special election)
Area covered: Seat 3 represents a designated residential area of the village, and its councilmember must live there
Incumbent: No. The seat is held by appointed Councilmember James E. McDonald, who is not on the ballot
Opponent on the ballot: James Suarez
Ballot number: 194
Legal name: Raphael A. Sanchez, per Village Clerk filings
Campaign website: ralphforpinecrest.com

Background

According to his campaign website, Raphael “Ralph” Sanchez was born and raised in Miami and is a first-generation American of Colombian descent. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Florida International University and a law degree from St. Thomas University School of Law.

His campaign site says he started his legal career handling criminal defense and traffic cases before moving into personal injury litigation. In 2017 he founded The Law Office of Raphael A. Sanchez, P.A., which represents individuals and families across Florida.

Sanchez sits on the board of directors of the Colombian Bar Association and was appointed to the Miami-Dade County Citizens’ Transportation Advisory Committee, according to his site. He is also active in several legal associations, including the Florida Justice Association, the Cuban American Bar Association and the Dade County Bar Association. His listed community work includes Bread for the World through St. Louis Catholic Church, fundraising for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, and volunteering with PORCH Pinecrest, which works against food insecurity.

He and his wife, Milaris, are raising two children in Pinecrest.

In Their Own Words

Sanchez answered three questions in the Miami Herald’s candidate guide, published Sept. 24, 2026. On why he is running:

“I am running because Pinecrest is where my wife and I are raising our two children, and the decisions made at Village Hall will shape their future.”

Ralph Sanchez, Miami Herald candidate guide, Sept. 24, 2026

On his qualifications:

“My service on the county’s Citizens’ Transportation Advisory Committee provides experience with Pinecrest’s traffic challenges. I will make decisions independently, guided by facts, fiscal responsibility and residents.”

Ralph Sanchez, Miami Herald candidate guide, Sept. 24, 2026

On the most pressing issue facing Pinecrest:

“Traffic and road safety are Pinecrest’s most pressing day-to-day issues.”

Ralph Sanchez, Miami Herald candidate guide, Sept. 24, 2026

Where He Stands on the Issues

Sanchez’s campaign site lists six priorities. Political Cortadito and Florida Politics summarized his focus as police presence, traffic, zoning enforcement and preserving the village’s character.

Traffic and roads

He calls for safer crossings and school zones, better signal timing, quicker pothole repairs and ways to cut down on cut-through traffic in neighborhoods. In the Herald questionnaire he added road maintenance and closer coordination with county and state agencies, and said growth and infrastructure decisions must account for traffic capacity and safety.

Taxes and spending

His site says Pinecrest should prioritize core services, review spending carefully and make the budget process more transparent before asking taxpayers for more.

Growth and village character

He supports what his site calls responsible growth that accounts for neighborhoods, traffic capacity, tree canopy and green space, and says growth should be “carefully planned, resident-driven.”

Public safety

He pledges to support police, strengthen prevention efforts, improve communication with residents, stay ahead of property crime and back neighborhood watch efforts.

Infrastructure and storm readiness

He would push for better coordination with FPL, continued undergrounding of power lines where possible, improved drainage, and responsible sewer and utility planning.

Permitting

He wants permitting to be faster, clearer and more responsive for homeowners repairing or storm-hardening their homes, while keeping the village’s building, safety, landscaping and neighborhood standards.

About the Seat

Seat 3 opened when Councilmember Shannon del Prado resigned effective April 18, 2026; she has since been elected mayor without opposition. The council then appointed former Vice Mayor James E. McDonald, who held Seat 3 from 2012 to 2020, to serve for the rest of the unexpired term, according to a village announcement. McDonald is not a candidate. The Nov. 3 winner will take the seat through a special election.

Pinecrest, incorporated in 1996, is a village of about 18,400 residents (2020 census) covering roughly 7.5 square miles southwest of downtown Miami, according to census-based reference data. It operates under a council-manager form of government. The five-member Village Council includes a mayor, three councilmembers for Seats 1, 2 and 3, who must live in the residential areas those seats represent, and one at-large member. The council sets policy, adopts the budget and property tax rate, and passes local laws. On Sept. 22, 2026, it adopted a rate of 2.503 mills for fiscal 2026-27, which the village described as unchanged from the prior year.

Campaign issues this year include traffic, zoning and permitting, parks, policing, public works and peafowl, according to Political Cortadito. Several candidates also point to Amendment 3, the statewide homestead exemption measure. A village notice republished by the Pinecrest Tribune said it would raise the exemption to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, reduce local government revenue, and first affect the village budget in fiscal year 2027-28.

The Race

Sanchez’s opponent, James Suarez, is a lawyer and mediator who moved to Pinecrest in 1987 and graduated from Miami Palmetto Senior High School. He has served on the Pinecrest Zoning Board and the Joint Education Action Committee and is campaigning on fiscal responsibility, public safety, responsible growth and preserving the village’s character, according to Florida Politics.

Sanchez’s campaign site lists an endorsement from the South Florida Police Benevolent Association. Suarez’s site lists endorsements that include Miami Realtors, Pinecrest Mayor Joseph M. Corradino and former Pinecrest Mayor Evelyn Greer. Sanchez also appeared on Miami’s Community News program The Michael Miller Show on Sept. 29, 2026.

Pinecrest’s council seats are decided on the November ballot. The South Dade News Leader’s roundup after the Aug. 18 primary did not include them. Pinecrest’s runoff date, if one is needed in any race, is Nov. 17, according to Florida Politics.

How to Vote

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, and polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voters casting a ballot in person on Election Day must go to their assigned precinct.

Early voting: Oct. 19 through Nov. 1, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, at any early voting site in Miami-Dade County, according to the county’s early voting schedule. Nearby sites include the Coral Reef Branch Library and Kendall Branch Library.
Vote by mail: Requests must be received by 5 p.m. on Oct. 22, and completed ballots must reach the Miami-Dade Elections Department by 7 p.m. on Nov. 3, according to the Village of Pinecrest. The South Dade News Leader also reported the Oct. 22 request deadline.
Check your ballot: Sample ballots, precinct lookups and vote-by-mail requests are available from the Miami-Dade County Elections Department.

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.