Tony Winton / Key Biscayne Independent Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava adjusts one of her own campaign signs outside the Key Biscayne Community Center, Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024 as golf carts whiz by. Turnout has been low, but the Key Biscayne precinct is one of the most active.

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava crushed a large field of challengers in Tuesday night’s primary to win re-election and avoid a Nov. 5 runoff.

With 80% of precincts reporting, Levine Cava had collected 59% of all votes, according to the Miami-Dade Elections website. She only needs more than 50% to return to office without having to compete in November.

Six candidates challenged the incumbent mayor to manage one of the nation’s largest and diverse counties and oversee its $11.7 billion budget, and tens of thousands of employees.

“I am truly humbled and honored by the vote of confidence, and the trust the voters placed in me to serve another four years as your Mayor,” she said in a statement. “Through the hard work, unwavering commitment, long hours and hot days, we marked a decisive win, despite facing six opponents who attacked us, lied about our progress and the incredible work we have done.

“We knew from day one, we were going to be a people powered campaign once again, committed to vision, integrity and a continued promise to deliver results.”

“I am ready and promise to continue doing the work that needs to get done” she said rattling off a litany of public policy issues.

“We will double-down on our housing challenges, invest in our infrastructure so we can be future ready, prioritize healthy and safe communities and ensure we are a resilient county that protects and preserves our environment.

“We will continue to partner with our business community so together we can chart a path for progress to take on challenges big and small.”

Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried applauded the victory, noting that Levine Cava is the county’s first woman mayor.

“After four years leading one of the largest, most complex, and most important counties in the country, Mayor Levine Cava has proven herself a bold leader capable of delivering results for the people of Miami-Dade County,” said Fried in a statment. “Her vision, integrity, and commitment to results shows through in her work — she’s lowered crime, tackled the affordability crisis head on, prioritized the environment, and strengthened the local economy.

Levine Cava, who was heavily favored to win re-election, had a big lead against her opponents, including Miami Lakes Mayor Manny Cid and former Surfside Mayor Shlomo Danzinger.

READ MORE: A restaurateur and an influencer battle for the second slot in Miami-Dade’s mayoral election

Among the mayor’s most bizarre challengers in the non-partisan race was firebrand Cuban-American and social media influencer Alex Otaola, who hosts YouTube shows that draws in audiences across Cuba and across the entire Cuban diaspora, from Miami to Madrid. He raised more than $120,000 through the end of July from a staggering 14,000 donors.

Despite Otaola’s popularity on the web, he was in a distant third place, with 11.6% of votes, trailing Cid (221%) and Levine Cava (59%), according to the latest elections data.

During the campaign, Levine Cava landed the coveted endorsement of the Miami Herald Editorial Board, which described her as the kind of “leader who will balance our economic, social and environmental needs.”

Cid, one of Levine Cava’s strongest opponents, had racked up endorsements from the Miami Young Republicans — a partner group of the Florida Republican Party — and endorsements from development groups and small business owners.

Domineering homeowners’ associations (HOAs) will have fewer ways to pester residents with nitpicky complaints and fines under a new law going into effect next month.

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed HB 1203, which limits HOA fines and requires more transparency from the organizations.

The measure, effective July 1, mandates an HOA with more than 100 parcels must post all of its rules, covenants, budgets and other pertinent documents on its website by Jan. 1.

It must also provide notice of any scheduled meeting of its members and the agenda for the meeting at least 14 days in advance.

But the most eye-catching aspects of the legislation are what HOAs will no longer be able to do.

HOAs will be barred from:

— Banning residents from parking non-commercial, personal or work vehicles on the property. First responder vehicles are also exempted.

— Creating requirements or rules for the interior of a home that is not visible from the street, a neighbor’s property, an adjacent common area or a community golf course.

— Requiring a review and approval of plans for a central air conditioning, refrigeration, heating or ventilation system that can’t be seen from the street, a neighbor’s property, an adjacent common area or community golf course.

— Preventing homeowners from having a vegetable garden that can’t be seen from the street, a neighbor’s property, an adjacent common area or community golf course.

— Fining residents for leaving garbage cans at the curb or end of their driveway within 24 hours of a scheduled trash collection.

— Fining residents for leaving up holiday decorations or lights longer than indicated in the HOA’s governing documents without prior notice. If the association provides written notice of the violation to the homeowner, the homeowner has one week to take the decorations down.

The new law also provides that HOA managers and directors must satisfy certain educational requirements approved by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, including 4-8 hours of yearly continued education courses.

Florida lawmakers unanimously passed HB 1203 in March. Republican Reps. Tiffany Esposito of Fort Myers, Adam Anderson of Palm Harbor and Juan Porras of Miami sponsored the bill.

During a town hall meeting last year, Porras said HOAs faced “no form of accountability,” an that needed to change.

“We’re seeing harassment of homeowners,” he said. “We’re seeing selective enforcement of bylaws and covenants.”