James Reyes (D) and Rosie Cordero-Stutz (R) are running in the general election for Miami-Dade County Sheriff

James Reyes (D) and Rosie Cordero-Stutz (R) are running in the general election for Miami-Dade County Sheriff on Nov. 5, 2024.

The election is the first time Miami-Dade County will elect a sheriff since 1966, when county voters passed a referendum to abolish the position following allegations of corruption. Since then, the director of the Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) has managed county law enforcement. The county mayor appoints the MDPD director.

In 2018, Florida voters passed Amendment 10, which required every county in the state to have an elected sheriff. Miami-Dade County was the only county without a sheriff in 2018, and the amendment requires the county to hold an election for the position in 2024. As part of the amendment, the county will hold sheriff elections every four years.

Reyes has served as chief of public safety for Miami-Dade County since 2023. He served in the Broward County Sheriff’s Office for 22 years. Reyes is campaigning on his law enforcement experience in Broward County, saying he is the “only candidate in the race with executive leadership experience in a Sheriff’s office.” He says he would focus on cooperation between government agencies and the sheriff’s office, highlighting his time overseeing the departments of police, fire rescue, and corrections as Miami-Dade’s chief of public safety. Reyes says he would establish a public corruption unit that would “focus on combating corruption across Miami-Dade and maintaining high levels of trust in government.” Reyes says he believes “trust is crucial to maintaining the integrity of law enforcement” and that he would prioritize community engagement and creating connections with the sheriff’s office.

Cordero-Stutz is the assistant director of investigative services in the Miami-Dade Police Department. She has served in the department for 28 years. Cordero-Stutz is campaigning on her experience in the MDPD, saying she has “extensive knowledge of our community’s law enforcement needs and best practices.” Cordero-Stutz says she would be “committed to strengthening partnerships between law enforcement and community organizations” and that she believes interaction would address local issues. She says she would “establish stringent oversight mechanisms, transparent processes and a zero-tolerance policy against public corruption” and create accountability within the sheriff’s office. She says she would focus on funding equipment and training for law enforcement, saying, “Funding is essential for maintaining public safety [and] enabling officers to perform their duties with the highest standards.”

Based on the most recent campaign finance reports, Reyes raised $205,716 and Cordero-Stutz raised $283,177.

Ballotpedia covered the Republican primary for Miami-Dade County sheriff as a battleground election.