Early voting is underway in Miami Beach ahead of a Dec. 9 runoff that will decide the city’s only open Commission seat — a head-to-head contest between Monica Matteo-Salinas and Monique Pardo Pope for the Group 1 seat.

Matteo-Salinas, a Democrat and longtime City Hall aide, finished first last month with 23.2% of the vote. Pardo Pope, a Republican lawyer, advanced with 20.1%.

They outpaced four other candidates competing to succeed outgoing Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez last month, but neither captured a large enough share of the vote — more than 50% — to win outright.

The runoff has sharpened into a choice between two contrasting résumés, platforms and campaign narratives along with a late-cycle revelation about Pardo Pope that has drawn national headlines.

Voters are heading to the polls for the second time in just over a month as Miami Beach faces turbulence on multiple fronts, from state scrutiny over finances and charges that a local ordinance conflicts with Florida’s homelessness law to the removal of cultural landmarks due to their so-called “woke” significance and accusations of pay-for-play policymaking.

Matteo-Salinas, 46, has consolidated establishment support for her campaign, which centers on a promise to work on expanding trolley service, increasing the city’s affordable housing index and establishing a new “water czar” position in the city, paid by resort taxes.

She’s earned endorsements from several local pols, including Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, Miami Beach Commissioners Alex Fernandez, Laura Dominguez and Tanya Bhatt; and former Miami Beach Dan Gelber.

Groups backing her bid include the Miami Beach Fraternal Order of Police, LGBTQ groups SAVE Action PAC and Equality Florida Action PAC, and the public-safety-focused neighborhood group SOBESafe.

Pardo Pope, 45, has centered her messaging on public safety, investing in mental health, backing school choice initiatives, supporting homelessness services, encouraging “smart, thoughtful development” that preserves Miami Beach’s character while addressing flooding and roadway congestion, and alleviating cost-of-living issues for longtime residents and first-time homebuyers through “fair taxation.”

Though she has touted her guardian ad litem work as evidence of her temperament and commitment to service, that part of her record has drawn renewed scrutiny in recent weeks. A review of Pardo Pope’s case records with the Miami-Dade Clerk’s Office shows her listed as a guardian ad litem on just three cases — one of which she was discharged from after trying to get the mother in the case jailed.

She’s also been the subject of negative attention for omitting that her father was the convicted, Nazi-adoring serial killer Manuel Pardo, to whom she wrote several loving social media posts.

Pardo Pope has said that she forgave him in order to move forward with her life and asked voters to judge her on her own life and work.

Her backing includes the Miami-Dade Republican Party, Miami-Dade Commissioner René García, state Rep. Alex Rizo, former Miami Beach City Attorney Jose Smith, Miami Realtors PAC, the Venezuelan American Republican Club and Teach Florida PAC, a Jewish education group.

Two of her former Group 1 opponents, Daniel Ciraldo and Omar Gimenez, are also backing her.

Matteo-Salinas raised about $133,000 and spent $82,000 by Dec. 4. Pardo Pope raised about $190,000 — of which 29% was self-given — and spent close to $170,000.

Early voting runs through Sunday at four locations citywide. Election Day is Monday, Dec. 9.

Early voting is underway in Hialeah as two Council runoff contests will decide who rounds out a markedly different dais at City Hall.

The Group 3 and Group 4 races — featuring Jessica Castillo versus Gelien Perez and William “Willy” Marrero versus Javier Morejon, respectively — also stand to determine whether new Mayor Bryan Calvo gains early influence over the Council.

Perez and Castillo advanced to the Group 3 runoff in last month’s General Election with 40.5% and 36% of the vote, respectively, leaving one third-place candidate behind.

In Group 4, Marrero narrowly led the field with 24.8%, followed by Morejon at 23.3%. They outpaced three others in the contest.

To win outright, a candidate had to capture more than half the vote in their respective races.

The runoffs present one of the first real tests of how much sway Calvo, who made history last month as the youngest person ever elected Hialeah Mayor, will have as he prepares to take office.

He has endorsed Perez and Marrero — a strategic pairing that blends rival factions from the mayoral contest into his new governing coalition. Both ran with political slates opposing him. He told the Miami Herald last month that he’s aiming to create “a coalition to approve the agenda,” without an expectation that Perez and Matteo “will vote with (him) 100% of the time.”

If both candidates win, Calvo could enter January with a working majority on the seven-member Council and greater control over the upcoming appointment to fill Jesus Tundidor’s soon-to-be-vacant seat. Tundidor ran unsuccessfully for Mayor.

In Group 3, Perez, 35, a former city Human Resources Director and one-time mayoral aide, has campaigned on supporting first responders and small businesses, improving infrastructure and parks, expanding senior services and rejecting millage rate increases.

But her tenure as HR director drew scrutiny: a two-year Miami-Dade ethics investigation found employees under her influence received sizable raises while she acted as their real estate agent. She has not publicly responded to inquiries about the probe.

Castillo, 37, has run as an independent voice focused on transparency, accountability, traffic relief, infrastructure upgrades and lower taxes. She has kept her campaign largely offline, with no website and minimal social media activity.

In Group 4, Marrero, 23, a Florida International University public administration student and former Council aide, has emphasized affordability, issues facing working families and seniors, and support for first responders.

Earlier this year, three Council members attempted to appoint him to the same seat he now seeks, but opposition from others blocked the move.

Morejon, 34, a land-use specialist with an extensive volunteer résumé, is running on infrastructure repairs, government transparency, beautification and reducing the cost of city services.

Election Day is Monday, Dec. 9. Because Hialeah elects Council members at-large, all voters can cast ballots in both races.