Suspended Homestead Mayor Won't Be Re-Elected, Miami Lakes Elects New Mayor
HOMESTEAD (CBSMiami) – Homestead voters decided Tuesday they did not want suspended mayor Steve Bateman to serve another term.
Bateman came up short in the polls, behind Mark Bell and Jeff Porter who will now face-off in a general election in November.
Bateman ran for re-election despite his arrest in August on conflict of interest charges stemming from accusations he took a $125-an-hour consulting job with a company that had business before the city council.
"I won't be convicted," Bateman told CBS 4's Lauren Pastrana as he walked into his voting precinct to cast a ballot. "I'm as innocent as the day is long. I don't even know why they did the arrest part. It's a misdemeanor at best if I broke a rule."
One man heckled Bateman as he left the polling place.
His supporters wore "Bateman for Mayor" t-shirts.
"Everybody is trying to down him and put him under the dirt, but to me, I think he's still doing a good job," Michael Baker said. "I think he should be on the ballot."
Some voters disagreed.
One woman said she wrote her own name on the ballot because she didn't think any of the candidates were suitable options.
Former councilman Jeff Porter, Reverend Joseph Sewell, and county commissioner Lynda Bell's husband, Mark Bell ran against Bateman.
According to the Miami-Dade Elections Department tally, Porter garnered 903 votes and Bell received 814 votes.
513 votes were cast for Bateman and 198 more went to Sewell.
"I do like the city of Homestead, but the way things are run. Come on. Change is needed," Enrique Flores said.
Homestead Vice Mayor Jon Burgess vowed to worked alongside whoever was elected.
"You need to leave your personal feelings at home when you go up on the dais," Burgess said. "That's what I always have remembered and that's what I'll do and I'll work with whoever I have to work with."
Voters in Miami Lakes selected a new mayor in a special election Tuesday.
Wayne Slaton took a commanding 48% of the vote to replace ousted mayor Michael Pizzi.
Pizzi was suspended after he was charged with conspiring to commit extortion.
