Miami Beach Commissioner Laura Dominguez has filed a lawsuit against her election challenger, Robert Novo, claiming he does not meet the city’s residency requirements to run for office. The suit challenges Novo’s eligibility in the upcoming Group 2 City Commission race.
The complaint, filed in the 11th Judicial Circuit, alleges Novo falsely claimed on his candidate oath that he has lived in Miami Beach since at least September 4, 2024. City rules require candidates to reside in Miami Beach for at least one year before qualifying for the ballot. Candidate qualifying ended on September 5, 2025, for the November 4 election.
Novo listed a two-bedroom property on Crespi Boulevard as his address on official paperwork. Dominguez’s lawsuit contends that the property is still officially owned by Gustavo Jose Ramos, who uses the address for voter registration and homestead exemption purposes. The lawsuit also notes that Novo’s driver’s license continued to list his long-term Coral Gables address after September 4, 2024, raising doubts about the authenticity of the lease he signed in August 2024.
The complaint, prepared by former state Representative J.C. Planas, an elections and ethics lawyer, states Novo was still residing in Coral Gables at the time. The lawsuit argues that because he did not establish legal residence in Miami Beach by the required date, he is not qualified to run for office.
The lawsuit names Novo, Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections Alina Garcia, and Miami Beach Clerk Rafael Granado as defendants. Garcia and Granado are included in their official roles overseeing candidate qualifications and ballot preparation. Dominguez is seeking a court declaration that Novo is ineligible and an injunction to remove his name from the ballot.
The complaint emphasizes that voters could be “irreparably injured” if they cast ballots for a candidate who does not meet city residency rules. It cites a 2000 Florida case, Perez v. Marti, noting that residency for election purposes requires both intent and factual proof—criteria Dominguez argues Novo cannot meet.
Supporting documents include a notarized lease agreement signed by Novo with Ramos and a second landlord, Patty Hutchinson, on August 1, 2024. Additional evidence includes parking and security deposit paperwork from the same date and a 2024 utility bill listing Ramos as the account holder with “c/o Robert Novo.”
Novo, 33, is a former Chief of Staff to Miami Mayor Steven Meiner and an ex-legislative aide to Republican Miami Beach Representative Fabián Basabe. He resigned from the Mayor’s Office following a personal dispute that led to his arrest; all charges were later dropped.
In response to the lawsuit, Novo denied any wrongdoing. He stated he moved into the Miami Beach property before the statutory deadline and continues to live there with his girlfriend, the daughter of Ramos and Hutchinson. Novo described the legal action as “dirty politics” aimed at draining his time and resources.
“I qualified lawfully. I followed the rules and I will continue to fight for the residents of Miami Beach,” Novo said. “Elections should be decided by the people, not by dirty politics and fear tactics.”
Residency rules in Florida are strictly enforced. In 2017, Miami State Representative Daisy Baez resigned after admitting to providing a false address on her voter registration. She faced legal consequences and left office less than a year into her term.
Dominguez, 54, is seeking re-election to her seat on the seven-member Miami Beach City Commission, which she won in 2022 to complete the term of her late partner, Mark Samuelian. Novo is one of two challengers, along with Fred Karlton, a 65-year-old real estate investor registered with the Independent Party of Florida. Miami Beach elections are nonpartisan.
