Overview:
Marly Métayer narrowly lost her bid for her slain daughter’s Coral Springs Commission seat in a five-candidate race on Nov. 3.
Marly Métayer came within 1,576 votes of winning the Coral Springs City Commission seat once held by her late daughter Vice Mayor Nancy Métayer, who was slain earlier this year. However, three other Haitian American women secured first school board seats across South Florida in Tuesday’s elections.
William “Bill” Capplis, a veteran Coral Springs police officer, won the five-candidate contest for City Commission Seat 3 with about 39%, according to Broward County’s unofficial results. Métayer received 35%. Three other candidates in the nonpartisan race — Terry Ann Williams Edden, Kohy Holmes and Erick Nyatenya — shared the remaining votes.
Métayer, 57, a registered nurse, entered the race in May after her daughter was killed in an apparent domestic violence last April. The 38-year-old was a rising figure in Florida Democratic politics and served as the state party’s vice chair. She became the first Black woman elected to Coral Springs’ commission, serving over 134,000 people in the northwest corner of Broward County, many of whom are Haitians.
Métayer sought to finish the remaining two years of her daughter’s office term and to continue the public service she had begun. Her campaign also held particular meaning for many Haitians who mourned her murder as a profound loss for the community.
Marly Métayer enters the race for City Commission Seat 3 after the killing of her daughter, Nancy Métayer in April
Métayer fell short in Coral Springs alongside Madline Noel, another Haitian American woman who ran for commissioner in nearby Lauderhill.
However, three other Haitian American women — Cynthia Alcéus Dominique, Christina Romélus and Linda Cothière — won seats on public school boards in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties, making history.
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Award-winning journalist and writer Fritznel D. Octave is a distinguished professional serving as Haiti Editor of The Haitian Times. His educational journey includes a bachelor’s degree in Social Communication from the Faculté des Sciences at the State University of Haiti, professional studies at the University of the West Indies in Jamaica, and the University of Oxford in England, UK, culminating in an MBA from Florida Atlantic University in the United States.
With nearly three decades of experience covering news about Haiti, his latest book “Haiti Between Pestilence And Hope” is a testament to his unwavering commitment to impactful storytelling and social journalism. The issues he tackles range widely from social justice and politics to the environment, healthcare, and economics. Beyond journalism, Fritznel specializes in business growth strategy and personal development.
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