Five candidates will compete for three open Village of Key Biscayne Council seats on Nov. 3, after the qualifying period closed at noon Thursday, Aug. 20.

The field includes two incumbents seeking second terms, a former councilman and two newcomers. A charter amendment on stormwater spending will share the Nov. 3 ballot with the council race.

Familiar names, first-time candidates round out field

Councilman Fernando Vazquez and Vice Mayor Oscar Sardiñas, both finishing their first four-year terms, qualified alongside Claire London, Luis "Lucho" de la Cruz and first-time candidate Silvia Tarafa, the Islander News reported Thursday.

London's husband, Ed London, is term-limited after eight years on the council. De la Cruz, a practicing attorney who has lived on Key Biscayne for more than 50 years, previously served on the council from 2014 to 2018. Tarafa is a longtime educator and school administrator on the island.

The three winners will join incoming Mayor Brett Moss. He ran unopposed.

De la Cruz says friendship with Moss shaped his run

De la Cruz has been the most vocal candidate so far. In an Aug. 7 interview with the Key Biscayne Portal, he said he entered the race because of his relationship with Moss.

"I would never have run for Council if Brett were not going to be the next mayor," de la Cruz said in the interview. "He is a very good friend of mine and I was not going to compete against him."

De la Cruz said that, during his first Council term, he raised concerns after finding that more than 75% of the island's catch basins were not functioning.

Stormwater project failure looms over race

That issue looms large. The village abandoned the AECOM-designed "Big Dig" plan in April after spending more than $8 million on planning, opting instead to pursue an alternative approach built around shallow injection wells, according to WLRN. A citizen-driven charter amendment requiring voter approval for stormwater projects exceeding $50 million will also appear on the Nov. 3 ballot, alongside a statewide property tax referendum.

Candidate debate scheduled at Council Chambers Oct. 1

The Key Biscayne Chamber of Commerce and Islander News will co-host a candidate debate at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1, in the Council Chambers at 560 Crandon Blvd. Steven V. Moll, associate professor and vice provost emeritus at FIU's Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, will moderate.

The Islander News will publish candidate profiles on London, Tarafa and Vazquez in upcoming issues, with "In My Own Words" candidate statements set for its Sept. 9 edition.

Voter registration deadline set for Oct. 5

The deadline to register to vote is Monday, Oct. 5. Residents can find registration information at govotemiami.org.