Pompano Beach's District 4 commission seat appears to have changed hands, with unofficial results showing challenger Patricia Hawkins-Williams defeating incumbent Beverly Perkins and third candidate Mary Phillips. The reported tally had Hawkins-Williams with 2,604 votes, Perkins with 1,545 and Phillips with 366.
The numbers, reported as unofficial, come from a count that had finished tallying early votes and Election Day ballots, according to TAPinto. Mail-in ballot tallies were still only partially reported as of 1 a.m., the outlet noted, meaning the final margin in District 4 could still shift before results are certified.
Perkins had held the District 4 seat since first winning election to the commission in 2016, according to a Villij News candidate profile. Hawkins-Williams, meanwhile, arrives with her own long record in local government — she spent eight years on the Lauderdale Lakes City Commission and represented Broward County in the Florida House from 2016 to 2024, per the same profile.
A Campaign Fought Over Housing and Access
The District 4 race had been shaped by sharp differences over redevelopment, affordable housing and how much say residents get before deals are finalized. At a candidate forum last month, Hawkins-Williams argued that neighbors should be brought into development conversations early rather than presented with finished plans, saying, “We need to be included in the plans and not an afterthought.”
Phillips, who finished third in the unofficial count, used the same forum to push for a higher affordable-housing requirement from developers, saying, “Rather than 15%, maybe we need to be asking for 20% affordable housing.” She also raised concerns about a reported increase in the minimum credit score required for a local first-time homebuyer program, though the article noted those program requirements had not been independently verified.
Perkins was invited to the forum but did not respond to the invitation or explain her absence, the outlet reported. Hawkins-Williams also called for more commission workshops so residents could question proposals before a vote, telling the forum, “The community needs to be able to ask questions.”
Perkins's Record on the Commission
Perkins pointed to tangible District 4 projects from her tenure, including a renovated recreational center at the Mitchell Moore Park Annex, a youth technology center, new pickleball courts and refurbished tennis courts, according to her Villij News profile. She also said G.O. Bond funding had already been awarded for the planned Ultimate Sports Park, though she acknowledged the bid process had been delayed.
Perkins said she hoped to keep pursuing a Florida A&M University branch or satellite site in District 4. During budget discussions in September, she opposed the East Community Redevelopment Agency budget amid a broader dispute over spending priorities and transparency; both the Northwest and East CRA budgets were ultimately adopted.
Other Races Hold, Commission Dynamics in Focus
Elsewhere on the ballot, incumbents in Pompano Beach's Districts 1, 2, 3 and 5 survived election day, per the TAPinto report. Darlene Smith ran unopposed in District 5 after court lawsuits in September. In 2025, the commission had featured a coalition of Perkins, Fesik and Fournier that often voted against Smith, Eaton and Mayor Rex Hardin — a dynamic a Hawkins-Williams win could reshape.
District 3's Alison Fournier said residents should have a voice and representatives should “stand up for them, listen to them and protect their hard-earned money,” adding that she was ready to get back to work.
