Fernando Vazquez, an incumbent Key Biscayne Village Council member, is seeking a second term in the Nov. 3 general election.

Three seats are open on the nonpartisan council, and voters may choose up to three candidates, according to BallotReady election data. Vazquez is one of five certified candidates. The others are Claire London, Luis de la Cruz, Oscar Sardinas and Silvia Tarafa.

Vazquez, a licensed professional engineer, said his second term should focus on execution. "The next four years need to be about turning plans into results," Vazquez said, according to the Islander News. "We must move forward with a resilient and financially responsible stormwater system, protect Biscayne Bay … and make sure major capital investments deliver measurable value to residents."

His 2026 campaign slogan is "Families Come First. Protecting Our Island. Building Our Future," according to the Islander News.

Candidate information

Residence: Vazquez has called Key Biscayne home for over 20 years, according to his campaign statements. His connection to the island began in the 1970s, when he first visited with his father. He and his wife, Marcela, raised their family there.

Education: Bachelor of applied science in ocean engineering, Florida Institute of Technology, 1987. Certification in public policy and planning, Harvard University, 2016.

Family: Vazquez's daughter attended Key Biscayne K-8 and St. Agnes, played volleyball on the island and is studying at the University of Miami, according to his campaign statements.

Experience and public service

Vazquez joined the council in 2022, according to the Village of Key Biscayne website.

He holds more than three decades of experience in public infrastructure, according to his campaign. His career includes:

  • Director of operations, Southeast U.S. and Latin America, water resources, at TYLin
  • Vice president, Southeast water senior business development, at AECOM (2019–2022)
  • Business leader, water infrastructure, South Florida, at Jacobs (2013–2015)
  • City engineer at the City of Miami Beach, according to his campaign statements

On the issues

Stormwater and resiliency: Vazquez voted to end the so-called Big Dig stormwater project and said he was leaning toward a less expensive, less intrusive alternative to the pump-driven plan designed by his former engineering firm AECOM, according to the Key Biscayne Independent. He said every dollar matters and that the village should weigh not only what a project costs but what it saves and protects over its lifetime, according to the Islander News.

Biscayne Bay water quality: Vazquez said protecting communities and protecting the Bay must go hand in hand, according to the Islander News.

Arts and education: Vazquez said he wants to strengthen schools, bring in the arts and build a safer community for the next generation. A classical pianist, Vazquez said music taught him patience, discipline and how to listen. Through his daughter's path in opera, he said he has seen how much arts education gives children, according to the Islander News.

Seniors and families: Vazquez said he wants Key Biscayne to remain a place where longtime residents and seniors can grow old and where new families can put down roots, according to the Islander News.

The Nov. 3 election covers all five candidates for three council seats.