Pembroke Pines voters pick 1st new Mayor in 20 years, elect 2 city Commissioners

Pembroke Pines voters chose Commissioner Angelo Castillo to be the city’s first new Mayor in two decades.

They also re-elected Jay Schwartz to the City Commission and elected Broward County Commission staffer Maria Rodriguez to serve alongside him.

Castillo, who succeeded longtime Mayor Frank Ortis, beat two opponents with 55.4% of the vote.

Schwartz beat two District 2 challengers with 55% of the ticket, while Rodriguez narrowly outpaced three other candidates with 39% in District 3.

Weighing heavily on this year’s race were concerns about overdevelopment, traffic congestion and housing costs, as well as school closures and a proposed waste-to-energy facility.

– Jesse Scheckner, Florida Politics