Monroe County, Florida

Key West Mayor

What this office does

Mayor. The mayor is the city's chief elected official. In a strong-mayor city the mayor runs the city government, prepares the budget and appoints department heads; in a council-manager city the mayor presides over the council and a hired manager runs operations. Which model applies depends on the city charter.

This race. Nonpartisan: candidates appear without party labels. The sitting officeholder, Danise "Dee Dee" Henriquez, is on the ballot.

Florida › Monroe County › Key West Mayor

Decided at the 2026 primary: Sam Kaufman won the seat

August 18 result: City Commissioner Sam Kaufman won outright with 57.59 percent over incumbent Mayor Danise "Dee Dee" Henriquez, per the Supervisor of Elections' official results; this nonpartisan race will not appear on the November 3 ballot.

Also ran in the primary

Samuel Kaufman

Nonpartisan

Top priorities

Repair roads and upgrade stormwater systems
Expand water quality testing and prepare for future flooding
Advocate for a stronger local hospital with expanded specialty services

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Sam Kaufman is an attorney and small business owner who has represented Key West as District II city commissioner since 2015 and served as vice mayor from 2018 to 2024, per the Keys News candidate profile. He has lived in Key West for 27 years and chairs the Florida Keys Outreach Coalition, per the same profile.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Danise "Dee Dee" Henriquez

Nonpartisan Incumbent

Top priorities

Advance workforce and affordable housing projects, including The Lofts at Bahama Village
Invest in infrastructure and resiliency projects
Restore transparency at City Hall through community meetings and public forums

Per the local coverage.

Biography

Dee Dee Henriquez is the incumbent Mayor of Key West, first elected in 2024, and a lifelong Key West resident, per Keys News. She previously served more than 20 years as Monroe County Tax Collector before being elected mayor, per the same report.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Next on your ballotKey West City Commission, District IV

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Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for Key West Mayor in 2026?

The Key West Mayor race was decided at the 2026 primary - Sam Kaufman won the seat - and does not appear on the November 3, 2026 ballot. 2 candidates were on the primary ballot: Samuel Kaufman and Danise "Dee Dee" Henriquez. Candidate information follows official Monroe County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Key West Mayor election in Florida?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Florida are on the Florida election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Monroe County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Monroe County Supervisor of Elections filings, last verified September 25, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Florida election office, or see the full Monroe County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Monroe County ballot

8 tracked races in Monroe County, Florida. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot

Islamorada Village Council, Seat 1 Islamorada Village Council, Seat 2 Islamorada Village Council, Seat 3 See all 8 Monroe County races

Candidate profiles

Samuel Kaufman, full profile Danise "Dee Dee" Henriquez, full profile Official Florida election office