Mayor of Miami Beach, Florida

Mayor of the City of Miami Beach
Seal of the City of Miami Beach
Incumbent Steven Meiner since November 28, 2023
Term length	Two years
Inaugural holder	John Newton Lummus, Sr.
Formation	1915
Salary	$10,000 (as of 2015)
Website	Mayor's official website

The mayor of Miami Beach is the nonpartisan chief executive of the municipal government of Miami Beach, Florida, and the presiding member of its seven-member City Commission. Modern-day mayors are elected to two-year terms and are term-limited to no more than 3 terms, which can be consecutive or non-consecutive. The mayor and other members of the City Commission appoint a city manager to administer the day-to-day affairs and operations of City Hall and its various departments. City Hall is located at 1700 Convention Center Drive; the mayor's office is located on the fourth floor.

Three father-son combinations have held the office: the John Lummuses (Jr. and Sr.), the Dermers (Jay and David), and the Gelbers (Seymour and Dan). One woman has served as mayor (Bower). She is also, thus far, the only Hispanic to serve.

The current mayor is Steven Meiner, who was elected on November 21, 2023, and assumed office on November 28, 2023.[1]

Mayors (1915–present)

No.	Portrait	Name	Term in office	Terms	Approximate length of service	Notes
1		John Newton Lummus, Sr. 1871-1961	March 26, 1915 – October 28, 1918	2	3 years, 7 months	Father of 5th mayor, J. N. Lummus, Jr.
2		Thomas Jessup Pancoast 1865-1941	October 28, 1918 – October 25, 1920	1	2 years	[2]
3		Thomas E. James	October 25, 1920 – October 23, 1922	1	2 years
4		Louis Fielding "Red" Snedigar 1890-1951	October 23, 1922 – December 21, 1926	1st and 2nd of 4 terms	4 years, 2 months	Longest-serving mayor (8 years, 8 months over 4 terms)[3]
5		John Newton Lummus, Jr. 1899-1983	December 21, 1926 – December 18, 1928	1	2 years	Son of 1st mayor, J. N. Lummus, Sr.
6		Louis Fielding "Red" Snedigar 1890-1951	December 18, 1928 – December 16, 1930	3rd of 4 terms	2 years	[3]
7		Val C. Cleary 1882-1966	December 16, 1930 – December 20, 1932	1st of 2 terms	2 years	[4]
8		Arthur Frank Katzentine 1902-1960	December 20, 1932 – December 18, 1934	1	2 years
9		Louis Fielding "Red" Snedigar 1890-1951	December 18, 1934 – June 1, 1937	4th of 4 terms	2 years, 6 ^1⁄2 months	[3]
10		John Hale Levi 1875?-1948	June 1, 1937 – June 3, 1941	2	4 years	[5][6][7][8][9]
11		Val C. Cleary 1882-1966	June 3, 1941 – June 1, 1943	2nd of 2 terms	2 years	[4]
12		Mitchell Wolfson 1900-1983	June 1, 1943 – June 5, 1944	1	1 year
13		John Hale Levi 1875?-1948	June 5, 1944 – June 5, 1945	1	1 year	[5][6][7][8][9]
14		Herbert A. Frink	June 5, 1945 – June 3, 1947	1	2 years
15		Marcie Lieberman 1896-1966	June 3, 1947 – June 7, 1949	1	2 years	[10]
16		Harold Turk 1915?-1988	June 7, 1949 – June 5, 1951	1	2 years	[11]
17		D. Lee Powell 1908-1983	June 5, 1951 – June 2, 1953	1st of 3 terms	2 years	[12]
18		Harold Shapiro 1906?-1981	June 2, 1953 – June 7, 1955	1	2 years	Born in Russia, emigrated to U.S. at age 4[13]
19		D. Lee Powell 1908-1983	June 7, 1955 – June 4, 1957	2nd of 3 terms	2 years	[12]
20		Kenneth Oka 1916-1987	June 4, 1957 – June 2, 1959	1st of 2 terms	2 years	[14][15]
21		D. Lee Powell 1908-1983	June 2, 1959 – June 6, 1961	3rd of 3 terms	2 years	[12]
22		Kenneth Oka 1916-1987	June 6, 1961 – June 4, 1963	2nd of 2 terms	2 years	[14][15]
23		Melvin J. Richard 1911?-2001	June 4, 1963 – June 1, 1965	1	2 years	[16][17][18]
24		Elliott Roosevelt 1910-1990	June 1, 1965 – June 6, 1967	1	2 years	Son of Franklin D. Roosevelt[19][20][21][22][23]
25		Jay Dermer 1929?-1988	June 6, 1967 – November 2, 1971	2	4 years, 5 months	Father of 35th mayor, David Dermer[24][23]
26		Chuck Hall 1918?-1974	November 2, 1971 – August 10, 1974 (died in office)	2	2 years, 9 months	Previously served as the first mayor of Miami-Dade County, 1964-1970[25][26][27]
Acting		Harold Rosen 1925-2018	August 10, 1974 – November 4, 1975		1 year, 3 months	Appointed to fill office upon Chuck Hall's death; later elected in his own right[28][29][30][31][32]
27			November 4, 1975 – November 1, 1977	1	2 years
28		Leonard Haber 1933-2015	November 1, 1977 – November 6, 1979	1	2 years	[33]
29		Murray Selbert Meyerson 1931?-2017	November 6, 1979 – November 3, 1981	1	2 years	[34][35][36]
30		Norman Ciment 1936-	November 3, 1981 – November 1, 1983	1	2 years	[37][38]
31		Malcolm Hubert Fromberg 1935-2016	November 1, 1983 – November 5, 1985	1	2 years	[39][40][41]
32		Alex Daoud 1943-	November 5, 1985 – October 31, 1991 (suspended from office)	3	6 years	Suspended by Gov. Lawton Chiles following federal indictment[42][43][44]
Acting		Stanley Arkin 1932-2015	October 31, 1991 – November 20, 1991		3 weeks	Vice mayor at time of Alex Daoud's suspension[45][46]
33		Seymour Gelber 1919-2019	November 20, 1991 – November 4, 1997	3	6 years	Father of 38th mayor, Dan Gelber[47][48] [49][50][51]
34		Neisen Kasdin 1954-	November 4, 1997 – November 13, 2001	2	4 years	[52]
35		David Dermer 1963-	November 13, 2001 – November 21, 2007	3	6 years	Son of 25th mayor, Jay Dermer[23][53][54]
36		Matti Herrera Bower 1939-	November 21, 2007 – November 25, 2013	3	6 years	First woman and Hispanic to serve as mayor[55][56]
37		Philip Levine 1962-	November 25, 2013 – November 13, 2017	2	4 years	[57][58]
38		Dan Gelber 1960-	November 13, 2017 – November 28, 2023	3	6 years	Son of 33rd mayor, Seymour Gelber[49][51]
39		Steven Meiner 1971-	November 28, 2023 – Incumbent	1

See also

• Miami Beach
• Miami Dade County

References

1. "Steven Meiner sworn in as Miami Beach's new mayor; talks priorities during one-on-one interview - CBS Miami". www.cbsnews.com. 2023-11-28. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
2. Florida, State Library and Archives of. "Portrait of Thomas J. Pancoast - Miami Beach, Florida". Florida Memory. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
3. "Louis Fielding Snedigar 1890-1951 - Ancestry". www.ancestry.com. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
4. Lavender, Abraham D. (2002). Miami Beach in 1920: The Making of a Winter Resort. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 9780738523514.
5. "This is What the 44 Star Destroyer House is Destroying". Curbed Miami. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
6. "TIME Magazine Cover: John H. Levi - Feb. 19, 1940". Time. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
7. "Miami Beach Mayor on Cover of Time in 1940". 2016-02-19. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
8. Bramson, Seth (2005). Miami Beach. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 9780738541747.
9. "The Philadelphia Inquirer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on January 28, 1948 · Page 20". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
10. "Babe Ruth Receiving Key to Miami Beach". Getty Images. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
11. "Harold Turk, 73, Dies; A Miami Beach Mayor". The New York Times. 1988-07-23. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
12. Cooke, Bill (2015-05-25). "Spectacular Scandals Have Plagued Miami Beach Police For a Century". Miami New Times. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
13. "The Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle from Milwaukee, Wisconsin on May 29, 1981 · Page 13". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2017-12-05.
14. "Judge Kenneth Oka". geni_family_tree. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
15. "Kenneth Oka (1916-1987) Grave Site | BillionGraves". BillionGraves. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
16. Harris, Arthur Jay (1998-04-23). "He Did a Job on the Mob". Miami New Times. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
17. "#487 11 Memorial for Mayor Melvin Richard 2005 - Laserfiche WebLink". docmgmt.miamibeachfl.gov. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
18. "Claude Pepper and Miami Beach Mayor Melvin J. Richard holding plaques | fsu.digital.flvc.org". fsu.digital.flvc.org. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
19. Hevesi, Dennis (1990-10-28). "Elliott Roosevelt, General and Author, Dies at 80". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
20. "Elliott Roosevelt (1919-1990)". www2.gwu.edu. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
21. "Nation: Elliott for Mayor Too". Time. 1965-03-05. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
22. "Deck the Halls With Matzo Balls. Going Home for the Holidays—to Miami Beach". 2014-12-18. Archived from the original on December 27, 2014. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
23. "The Jewish impact on Miami Beach - Miami Beach 411". www.miamibeach411.com. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
24. UPI (1984-04-07). "JAY DERMER". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
25. "CHARLES HALL DIES, MIAMI BEACH MAYOR". The New York Times. 1974-08-11. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-12-05.
26. "The Palm Beach Post from West Palm Beach, Florida on August 11, 1974 · Page 33". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
27. Florida, State Library and Archives of. "Portrait of Miami Beach mayor Charles F. "Chuck" Hall". Florida Memory. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
28. Hersh, Carl (2016-08-25), Harold Rosen, former Miami Beach Mayor, retrieved 2017-12-06
29. Miami Beach 100 (2014-11-12), Harold Rosen - Celebrating 100 Years of Miami Beach!, retrieved 2017-12-06
30. Cooke, Bill (2015-04-23). "Miami Beach's Long History of Ridiculous, Fun-Killing Laws". Miami New Times. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
31. Clarke, Jay (1977-09-19). "Miami Beach Looks to Casino Gambling for Salvation". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
32. "Harold Rosen, former Miami Beach mayor who helped rid city of rent control, dies at 92". miamiherald. Retrieved 2018-01-18.
33. "Former Miami Beach mayor, psychologist Dr. Leonard Haber dies at 82". miamiherald. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
34. "Election officials in Miami predict a 50 percent voter..." UPI. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
35. "Signed portrait of Claude Pepper posing with Miami Beach Mayor Murray Meyerson | fsu.digital.flvc.org". fsu.digital.flvc.org. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
36. Johnson, Janis (1980-11-19). "Miami Homicides at a Record-Killing Pace". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
37. Quindlen, Anna (1982). "ABOUT NEW YORK". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
38. UPI (1983-09-22). "AROUND THE NATION; Mayor of Miami Beach Is Fearful of Refugees". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
39. "Former Miami Beach mayor and longtime attorney Malcolm Fromberg dies at 81". miamiherald. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
40. Rangel, Jesus (1984-08-12). "MIAMI BEACH IS STRIVING TO REBUILD AS A CLASSY HOME AND PLACE TO VISIT". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
41. "Claude Pepper with Miami Beach Mayor Malcolm Fromberg and others holding a proclamation | fsu.digital.flvc.org". fsu.digital.flvc.org. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
42. "Miami Beach Mayor Named in Indictment". The New York Times. 1991-10-30. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
43. "Sins of South Beach - Book - The True Story". www.sinsofsouthbeach.com. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
44. Alvarado, Tamara Lush, Chris Joseph, Francisco (2007-12-20). "How Alex Daoud Got His Groove Back". Miami New Times. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
45. "Stanley Arkin, builder, former Miami Beach commissioner, dies at 82". miamiherald. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
46. "Community Leader Stanley Arkin Passes Away | Miller School of Medicine | University of Miami". med.miami.edu. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
47. "2008 - Seymour Gelber - The Florida Bar Criminal Law Section". The Florida Bar Criminal Law Section. 2014-04-25. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
48. ScSil (2007-10-26), Judge Seymour Gelber on being the Mayor of Miami Beach, retrieved 2017-12-06
49. "Former state lawmaker Dan Gelber will run for Miami Beach mayor". miamiherald. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
50. Kissell, Ted B. (1998-07-09). "Gelber Unbound". Miami New Times. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
51. "He was mayor once. Now at 98, he swore his son into the same office". miamiherald. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
52. "Miami Beach Mayor Neisen Kasdin". South Beach Magazine. 2001-10-05. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
53. Hersh, Carl (2016-12-09), David Dermer Interview Excerpt, retrieved 2017-12-06
54. Chichi Pierce (2014-08-09), Dermer 2014, retrieved 2017-12-06
55. Alvarez, Lizette (2011-11-01). "Miami Beach Mayor Matti Herrera Bower Wins Re-Election". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
56. uVu (2014-07-21), Miami Today - Interview with Miami Beach Mayor Matti Bower, retrieved 2017-12-06
57. "After recount, Levine wins Miami Beach mayoral race". miamiherald. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
58. "Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine easily defeats opponent; Arriola and Alemán also win". miamiherald. Retrieved 2017-12-06.

External links

• City of Miami Beach
• Political Graveyard: Mayors of Miami Beach, Florida