Others who ran for Town Commission seats but appeared to fall short on Election Day included William Blumenkranz,\u00a0Jocelyn Kinzer and\u00a0Fred Landsman, who took 6.6%, 11.6% and 7% of the vote, respectively.<\/p>\n
Vote tallies for the Mayor\u2019s race and Commission election may shift further as provisional ballots and cure affidavits are cured and the official results are certified by the Canvassing Board.<\/p>\n
Voters in Surfside also weighed in on two referendums, approving one and voting down the other.<\/p>\n
They approved, with 65% support, for a charter amendment to move Surfside\u2019s municipal elections from March to November of even-numbered years beginning in 2028, aligning them with the General Election cycle. Under the change, any future Runoff Election \u2014 except this one \u2014 will be held on the second Tuesday of December, and officials elected in 2026 will serve extended terms until November 2028 to transition to the new schedule.<\/p>\n
But they rejected another proposed amendment, with 54% voting \u201cno,\u201d that would have required a 4-1 supermajority vote by the Town Commission to approve any zoning changes affecting the floor area ratio of single-family homes in the H30A and H30B districts.<\/p>\n
Danzinger \u2014 who in 2022\u00a0unseated Burkett<\/a>, who, in turn,\u00a0supplanted him<\/a>\u00a0two years later \u2014 ran this cycle to win back the job he lost amid complaints of Town Hall incivility that saw him narrowly\u00a0avoid a censure<\/a>\u00a0for racially insulting comments he made in 2023.<\/p>\n Just over a month after losing his elected job, the tech, business and political consulting pro launched an unsuccessful bid for Miami-Dade County Mayor. He took 2% of the vote.<\/p>\n Danzinger ran on a platform<\/a> prioritizing stability and competence. He said that with a win on Tuesday, he would work to restore\u00a0stability\u00a0in\u00a0town\u00a0government by retaining experienced staff and practicing fiscal discipline, while securing grants and ensuring public spending delivers tangible improvements.<\/p>\n He\u00a0also\u00a0promised\u00a0to\u00a0continue\u00a0expanding\u00a0parks\u00a0and\u00a0recreation\u00a0amenities,\u00a0improve\u00a0pedestrian safety and infrastructure, and resist overdevelopment while protecting residents and condominium owners.<\/p>\n Danzinger, former Vice Mayor\u00a0Jeffrey Rose, former Town Manager\u00a0Hector Gomez\u00a0and ex-Police Chief\u00a0Antonio Marciante\u00a0are the subjects of a\u00a0recently filed lawsuit<\/a>\u00a0alleging they orchestrated the arrest of a young Surfside activist in 2024 as retaliation for his political criticism.<\/p>\n The activist, now-20-year-old\u00a0Joshua Epstein,\u00a0contends\u00a0the\u00a0arrest \u2014 on a battery allegation later dropped for lack of evidence \u2014 was part of a coordinated effort to silence dissent and violate his First Amendment rights, causing him reputational harm.<\/p>\n Danzinger\u00a0has said\u00a0the\u00a0lawsuit<\/a>\u00a0is\u00a0politically\u00a0motivated\u00a0and timed to hurt him politically.<\/p>\n He reported raising $39,000 and spending $23,000 through his campaign account through Friday. Blumstein reported collecting about $17,000 and spending $3,000, while Paul raised $7,000 and spent all but $900.<\/p>\n Paul was the race\u2019s most experienced officeholder, having served two stints on the Town Commission from 2016 to 2022 and again since 2024.<\/p>\n In her most recent term, she counted as\u00a0accomplishments<\/a>\u00a0her sponsorship or support of measures waiving fees for condominium safety repairs, the creation of a Community Relations Board and Youth Council, upgrades to parks and drainage infrastructure, various community recognition and civic programs, and memorial efforts tied to the 2021\u00a0Champlain Towers South collapse<\/a>.<\/p>\n She vowed, if elected Mayor, to prioritize public safety, fiscal responsibility, transparent governance and inclusive leadership that rebuilds trust and collaboration in town government.<\/p>\n Paul\u2019s platform<\/a>\u00a0also emphasized carefully managed development that preserves Surfside\u2019s character, environmental resilience for the coastal community, support for small businesses and protecting residents\u2019 quality of life.<\/p>\n Blumstein, a retired U.S. Navy JAG officer and longtime lawyer, boasted a public civil service background that extended beyond Surfside\u2019s bounds, having previously served as a Circuit Court Judge from 2017 to 2023.<\/p>\n He served as Town Manager from December 2024 to October 2025, when Commissioners\u00a0voted 3-2 to fire him<\/a>. Paul was among those who supported his ouster, which came amid accusations that he acted unprofessionally and was resistant to Commission directives.<\/p>\n Blumstein had previously served on the Town Commission from 2008 to 2012.<\/p>\n He promised, with a win Tuesday, to prioritize fiscal responsibility, adherence to the law and restoring trust in local government while protecting Surfside\u2019s low-density zoning and community character.<\/p>\n He also\u00a0pledged<\/a>\u00a0to address flooding and sewage issues, lower water and sewer costs, enhance public safety through regional cooperation, improve traffic management, and pursue new town recreation facilities.<\/p>\n Danzinger \u2014 who in 2022\u00a0unseated Burkett<\/a>, who, in turn,\u00a0supplanted him<\/a>\u00a0two years later \u2014 ran this cycle to win back the job he lost amid complaints of Town Hall incivility that saw him narrowly\u00a0avoid a censure<\/a>\u00a0for racially insulting comments he made in 2023.<\/p>\n Just over a month after losing his elected job, the tech, business and political consulting pro launched an unsuccessful bid for Miami-Dade County Mayor. He took 2% of the vote.<\/p>\n Danzinger ran on a platform<\/a> prioritizing stability and competence. He said that with a win on Tuesday, he would work to restore\u00a0stability\u00a0in\u00a0town\u00a0government by retaining experienced staff and practicing fiscal discipline, while securing grants and ensuring public spending delivers tangible improvements.<\/p>\n He\u00a0also\u00a0promised\u00a0to\u00a0continue\u00a0expanding\u00a0parks\u00a0and\u00a0recreation\u00a0amenities,\u00a0improve\u00a0pedestrian safety and infrastructure, and resist overdevelopment while protecting residents and condominium owners.<\/p>\n Danzinger, former Vice Mayor\u00a0Jeffrey Rose, former Town Manager\u00a0Hector Gomez\u00a0and ex-Police Chief\u00a0Antonio Marciante\u00a0are the subjects of a\u00a0recently filed lawsuit<\/a>\u00a0alleging they orchestrated the arrest of a young Surfside activist in 2024 as retaliation for his political criticism.<\/p>\n The activist, now-20-year-old\u00a0Joshua Epstein,\u00a0contends\u00a0the\u00a0arrest \u2014 on a battery allegation later dropped for lack of evidence \u2014 was part of a coordinated effort to silence dissent and violate his First Amendment rights, causing him reputational harm.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-2026-03-17-234630-640x742.png\")
<\/a>Surfside\u2019s vote tally with Election Day and vote-by-mail ballots completely reported, per the Miami-Dade Elections Department. More than half of Surfside\u2019s 3,432 registered voters cast ballots Tuesday. Image via Miami-Dade Elections Department.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Surfside-Town-Hall-640x440.jpg\")
<\/a>Changes are coming to Surfside Town Hall, but exactly which remains to be seen. Image via Surfside.<\/p>\n