First-time candidate Elchonon Shagalov will soon become the newest member of the Bay Harbor Islands Council after winning a two-way race for a seat on the panel Tuesday.
With the town’s lone precinct reporting, Shagalov had 55% of the vote to defeat Gustavo Ortega, a perennial Democratic candidate with whom he shared several policy positions.
Seventy-one votes separated the candidates on Election Night.
Both ran campaigns prioritizing residents’ safety, quality of life and preserving the character of the small municipality of about 6,000, which spans two islands off the coasts of North Miami and Bal Harbour in Miami-Dade County.
Shagalov, 45, works as Chief Commercial Officer for a luxury retail and jewelry company. He emphasized sustaining Bay Harbor Islands’ small-town character, strengthening public safety and investing in programs to make living locally more enjoyable.
He also prioritized addressing traffic congestion through collaboration with local and state agencies while promoting walkability and expanding community services.
Ortega, 46, did not appear to have an active campaign website and did not specify on the town’s “Meet Our 2026 Candidates” page what his goals, if elected, would be.
He said in 2023 that he aimed to curb overdevelopment in Bay Harbor Islands, which he said is straining infrastructure, erasing the town’s historic character, and worsening parking and overcrowding issues.
He also called for stronger school partnerships and youth programs, limits on short-term rentals like Airbnb, and improved pedestrian safety and traffic enforcement as the town continues to grow.
Ortega, a special education teacher, sought seats in the House and on the Miami-Dade School Board in the 2022 and 2024 election cycles, respectively.
He also ran for the Bay Harbor Islands Council in 2023, placing third in a field of four candidates.
He did not run in 2024 or 2025, county records show.
Town Council terms in Bay Harbor Islands are four years. Members’ terms are staggered so that only a portion of the Council is up for election each year.
Each elected official is paid a $1 yearly salary, the same pay rate as in 1947, when the town was incorporated.
Jesse Scheckner has covered South Florida with a focus on Miami-Dade County since 2012. His work has been recognized by the Hearst Foundation, Society of Professional Journalists, Florida Society of News Editors, Florida MMA Awards and Miami New Times. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @JesseScheckner.
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