Sabina Covo defeated more than 10 opponents to become the next commissioner for District 2 of the City of Miami on Feb. 27, 2023.
Previous District 2 commissioner, Ken Russell, was set to leave office in early January, but abruptly resigned from the panel after fellow commissioners moved to change a December meeting, which was supposed to be his last, to January. At his final meeting, he planned to push for projects to create affordable housing in the Bahamas and a home for foster children transitioning out of the system. He tweeted, “If the City of Miami commission doesn’t want to work, we shouldn’t take a salary,” and “Canceling the scheduled Dec commission mtg [meeting] gives us nearly 2 months of holiday without a mtg. I’m not here for that.”
This is basic good government. If the @CityofMiami commission doesn’t want to work, we shouldn’t take a salary. Canceling the scheduled Dec commission mtg gives us nearly 2 months of holiday without a mtg. I’m not here for that.
— Ken Russell (@kenforflorida) November 17, 2022
On Jan 7. 2023, a meeting was held to determine what would be done regarding the vacant seat. According to the Miami city ordinances, commissioners have ten days, beginning from the first day of resignation, to decide whether they will appoint someone or hold a special election. The latter option was chosen.
On Feb. 27, a special election was held to decide the candidate to take the vacant district seat, which includes constituents from Coconut Grove through Brickell, Downtown, Edgewater, and Morningside.
Thirteen names appeared on the special election ballot: Covo, Michael Goggins, Javier Gonzalez, Lior Halabi, Eddy V. Leal, Max Martínez, Lorenzo Palomares, Kathy Parks Suarez, June E. Savage, Christi Tasker, James Torres, Mario Vuksanovic, and Martin Zilber.
Commissioner-elect Covo served as director in Florida’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. She has also worked as a TV host and reporter and is closely affiliated with NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, CNN en Español, NTN 24, Univision, and other TV networks.
Covo is the first Latin American, as well as the first woman, to serve in Miami’s District Two commissioner’s office.
On March 10, Covo was sworn into office by Judge Lody Jean of Florida’s 11th Judicial Circuit Court.
“Serving the people of Miami is the honor of a lifetime. When you feel a responsibility is that important, nervousness is very normal, and I’m not afraid to admit that I was,” the Colombian-American commissioner tweeted just hours after being sworn in.
Serving the people of Miami is the honor of a lifetime. When you feel a responsibility is that important, nervousness is very normal, and I’m not afraid to admit that I was.
— Sabina Covo (@SabinaCovo) March 10, 2023
The oath and pledge I took to our nation and to the residents of District 2 is clear and I am focused on… https://t.co/VqJQ3qEC7N
Covo states on her website that her main priorities involve supporting law enforcement, protecting the environment, promoting housing affordability, combatting corruption, and investing in infrastructure.
The Beacon reached out to Covo in a request for comment regarding how her ambitions would affect MAST Academy and the surrounding areas like Virginia Key, but no response was given.