Davie voters will decide in November whether to keep Mayor Judy Paul in the seat she has held for more than 15 years or hand the town's top job to political newcomer Jacqueline Rocha, a local trucking company owner who says residents have been ignored for too long. The matchup pits a mayor who has lived in Davie for 40 years and built her platform on land conservation and tax cuts against a lifelong resident campaigning on overdevelopment, affordability, and term limits.
Paul has served as Davie's mayor since 2009, according to the Town of Davie, and is seeking to extend her tenure in a town of just over 107,000 people that ranks as the largest municipality by geographic size in Broward County, according to Local 10 News. Rocha, described in that report as a trucking company owner and lifelong Davie resident, has qualified as Paul's sole opponent on the November ballot after a third candidate, Joan M. Quintian Ramos, withdrew before qualifying in April.
Paul Points to Land Deals and a Tax Cut
Paul has staked her campaign on the idea that protecting Davie's open land is central to her legacy, telling Local 10 News that Davie “is all about land” and that she fights to protect it. The town has pulled more than 200 acres out of potential development for two flagship projects: the 115-acre Davie Wetlands Park and the 80-acre Judy Paul Farm Park at Governor Leroy Collins Grounds, and Paul says more conservation projects are planned.
The wetlands tract was acquired in 2002 using town, county, and state grant funds to avoid a large development project, and the town held a public meeting in July to present final site development plans, according to the Town of Davie. The farm park, purchased in 2008 with open-space bonds and grants, is designed with a riding arena, stables, a farmers market pavilion, and an educational center centered on local agricultural history, per the Town of Davie. Paul's campaign has also touted a tax cut that the mayor says saved residents 5.1%.
Rocha's Case: Overdevelopment and No Term Limits
Rocha argues that Davie's growth has outpaced what everyday residents can afford, telling Local 10 News that overdevelopment is a problem in town and that market-value development isn't affordable for the people who already live there. She has also said the town's HUD housing designation isn't helping everyday residents, and that residents have effectively subsidized development without getting a voice in return.
Central to Rocha's pitch is a call for term limits, a position she has aired in public posts arguing that decades without turnover on the town's council have created distance between town hall and the people it serves. She has framed her candidacy as a way to ensure residents are heard, telling supporters that the race isn't about age but about giving Davie a voice it currently lacks. Rocha opened her campaign treasurer's account in February with an $800 personal loan, according to filings with the Town Clerk.
A Town Built Around Its Rural Identity
Davie's rural identity is reflected in its large-lot residential estates and equestrian character, according to Tommy Crivello Real Estate.
Broward County Property Appraiser records show Davie's combined property tax millage codes ranged between 18.7354 and 19.8940 mils for the 2025–2026 tax year depending on the taxing district, giving residents a benchmark against which to measure the town's advertised cut.
What the Charter Allows
Davie operates under a Council/Manager system with a five-member council and an at-large mayor. Under that structure, Paul and Rocha will compete for the same seat in November, with voters set to decide whether to extend Paul's tenure past 15 years or hand the town's land-use and budget decisions to a first-time candidate.
