DEVELOPING STORY: The mayoral runoff in Doral has gotten dirty with campaign ads claiming the corruption of both candidates, incumbent Mayor Luigi Boria and former founding Mayor JC Bermudez.

Now we learn that the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office is investigating possible voter fraud centered around eight people who registered to vote with an office building as their home address. That is not allowed . The law requires people register with their home address because, otherwise, they might vote in a city they do not live in.

One of those voters, Jonathan Aserraf, told Channel 6 that he simply listed his work address rather than his home address in Doral. He owns Offix Solutions, the business with its name on the door at 7950 NW 53 ST, Suite 337. He told reporter NBC6 Willard Shepard — who broke the story Wednesday night — that his brother also registered to vote from that address, but that he didn’t know the other six people.

Read related story: It ain’t over in Doral, Miami Lakes, with mayoral runoffs

The same office suite, however, has also been used by Boria’s brother-in-law  Miguel Hervas who gave $200 from his business, NetMicro, in April. Their wives are sisters.

And if you look on his Facebook page — full of posts about the incumbent mayor — Hervas, who is now a real estate agent, worked at The Wise Computer, Boria’s distributor company, from 1994 to 1999. His LinkedIn profile says he was the general manager through 2000.

In his “About” section, Hervas also listed himself as Chief Executive Officer of the City of Doral (though Ladra is pretty sure he has never worked there) and former TV producer for Alpha & Omega church, the same church that Boria is a pastor at.

Miguel Hervas Facebook page has many photos with Luigi Boria

It’s obvious they’re close. There are several photos with the two of them together at family and community events — dating back to 2009. Boria and his wife had dinner at Hervas home in February of last year. It looks like they hung out at the Miss Universe pageant and maybe travelled together to Colombia in 2013 (Photos taken by Maria Lorena Boria were marked “in Melendez, Colombia.”). In another photo without Boria, Hervas is wearing a shirt that says “Luigi Boria Foundation.”

Hervas is registered to vote at his house on 110th Avenue in Doral but it is curious that it is his business address — the mayor’s brother-in-law’s business address — where these other alleged voters are registered. It is also worth noting that Absentee Ballot Queen Sasha Tirador, who the state attorney has investigated for AB fraud before, is running Boria’s campaign.

The other seven names registered to vote at that office are Jeannette Esmeralda Santiago, Gulnaz Shiriyazdanova,  Iskander Umarov, Joseph Harrison Parris, Robert William Parris, Rollyn M Sy and Willie Son Sy. Only Santiago registered this year. The others registered in 2015 and 2012.

Ladra could not find most of these people in social media or anywhere else, for that matter. Shiriyazdanova (which sounds like Shitty Casanova if you say it really fast) was found in Boston and Russia. I can’t imagine there would be more than two people with that name. The only Willie Sys I could find on Facebook were in Baton Rouge and Manila, Phillipines.

But if this is voter fraud, it’s not very good fraud (Sasha, are you slipping?). According to the Elections Department, only Aserraf voted in the Nov. 8 election and he is the only one to cast a ballot so far in the Dec. 13 runoff.

Ladra is still investigating and more details will be added to this story when I get them.

If you, like Ladra, love elections and like to follow campaigns like sports teams, then there is good news from Tuesday’s election results: Two exciting local runoffs.

The mayoral seats in both Doral and Miami Lakes, where epic battles are being waged between colorful rivals, the excitement continues for a few more weeks while voters get to pick between the two finalists in each town.

In Miami Lakes, embattled on-again, off-again Mayor Michael “Muscles” Pizzi — who survived a federal bribery trial and fought tooth and nail to get his seat back — came in second place to Councilman Manny Cid, who fell five points short of winning the mayoral race outright. But Cid’s 45% was still a double-digit lead over Pizzi’s 31%.

Both will now compete fiercely for the 23%, or 3,253 votes, that went to founding former Mayor Wayne Slaton.

“Our message resonated with Miami Lakes residents and it is clear that it’s time for new leadership,” Cid told Ladra late Tuesday.

We shall see about that on Nov. 29 when voters get round two.

The second exciting runoff is Dec. 13 in Doral, where founding Mayor JC Bermudez has forced current mayor Luigi Boria into a runoff. Bermudez is probably happier, however, about leaving his nemesis, Councilwoman Sandra Ruiz, in the dust.

Bermudez had the most support Tuesday, with 46% of the vote. Boria came double-digits later with 33% and Ruiz barely competed with 20% — despite being a Democrat female in the one election when that should have counted the most.

Councilwoman Christy Fraga held on to her seat with 53% of the vote over two challengers who split the difference. But there will be a second race in the Dec. 13 runoff — between PTA activist Claudia Mariaca and Adriana Moyano, a marketing company owner. Neither secured 50% of the vote to replace Ruiz.

In the Lakes, both Councilmen Nelson Rodriguez and Tony Lama easily won re-election and newcomer Luis Collazo won the open council seat with 52% of the vote. Esther Colon and Nayib Hassan split the difference.

Finally, one of the infamous rivalries in Doral is going to battle on the ballot: Former mayor J.C. Bermudez and Councilwoman Sandra Ruiz both want to be the mayor.

Bermudez announced last month — though he has been rumored to be mulling it over since a poll showed him blowing Boria out of the water last year. Ruiz, who is termed out, jumped in Thursday morning — like Ladra knew she would. She couldn’t let this opportunity get away.

“I’m ready. I have this side of me that says ‘Enough is enough,’” said Ruiz, who is termed out anyway. “There are some things I’ve been wanting to do. I’ve been asking a long time.”

But her hands are tied by the administration and Mayor Luigi Boria.

“I have a different vision for the city,” said Ruiz, who supported Councilman Pete Cabrera‘s run for mayor against Boria in 2012.

Read related story: Doral inquiry — a political, preemptive strike against JC Bermudez?

While Doral is not a strong mayor form of government, which means council members have the same vote, the mayor does set the agenda, leads the meetings and acts as chief administrator at City Hall.

“Whoever says it is the same thing has never been elected and walked in the heels of a council member,” said Ruiz, who admitted to getting a little blow back already.

“Forget the fact of who is in it now. The seat itself is so important. You represent the city. You are able to go to other governmental agencies and represent Doral,” she said, in a sideways dig to Boria, whose accented English and brash style are legend among 305 electeds.

“The current mayor hasn’t transferred any of those responsibilities to me, knowing well that I have 14 years plus of experience,” Ruiz told Ladra. “I don’t think my experience has been put to the utmost use.”

Boria is also running for re-election, but Ladra thinks this has already become a two man, er, I mean two person race. This is a longtime rivalry from when they served on the dais together. Ruiz, remember, led the charge to change the name of JC Bermudez Park to Doral Central Park.

JC Bermudez and Sandra Ruiz served on the dais together in 2009

Bermudez vs Ruiz is just such a natural conflict. Like Pepsi vs. Coke, the Dallas Cowboys vs. the Washington Redskins or the Yankees vs. the Mets, Marvel vs. DC, Burger King vs. McDonald’s. Taylor Swift vs. Katy Perry, good vs. evil.

Ruiz casts herself as Perry. “I always seem to be the underdog,” she said, though she has won every council seat she has sought. She only lost one election, for State House in 2010 and lost to Republican Jeanette Nunez (32 to 63 percent).

Maybe that is why the “excited” announcement of Ruiz’s run came from the Miami-Dade Democratic Party?

“One of our top priorities at the local party is electing Democratic leaders to local office and we are excited that Councilwoman Ruiz is stepping up to run for Mayor of Doral,” said Democratic Party Chair Senator Dwight Bullard, who has drawn Rep. Frank Artiles as a challenger to his re-election.

Read related story: David Rivera is baaaack — to his roots in State House race

“She is a true public servant and she has the party’s full support,” Bullard said.

In recent years, the Miami-Dade Democratic Party has focused on local elections in an effort to build the woeful bench it has and promote progressive local policy. They take at least partial credit for the 2014 victories of Miami-Dade Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava and South Miami Mayor Philip Stoddard and for the 2013 wins by Homestead Mayor Jeff Porter and Miami Beach Commissioner Micky Steinberg.

And this year, Dade Dems are working with the state party’s new “Municipal Victory Project” to elect Democrats to local offices all over Florida.

“Although these races are nonpartisan, the candidates are not. We are already identifying key local races in 2017 and 2018 where we want to make an impact,” said Miami-Dade Democratic Party Executive Director Juan Cuba.

The statement called Ruiz a “longtime Democratic leader” and noted that she was a founding member of the city and the first woman elected to the council. “She is a small business owner, a community leader, and an outspoken champion for the rights and needs of the residents,” it said.

Democrats hold a slight edge in Doral. Not because they outnumber Republicans by a little (with 29.6% registered Democrats to 24.3% registered Republicans) but because the independents or NPAs, who outnumber both, tend to vote Democratic. Especially in presidential elections.

While Obama won Doral easily in 2008 and 2012, the big question is how will Donald Trump’s presumptive nomination affect the turnout? After all, he is a business force to be reckoned with in Doral.

At the very least, Ruiz expects Boria and Bermudez to behave better than the presidential hopeful whose resort is in Doral and who has a key to the city.

“I’m hoping the two men are professional in how they handle the race. I know I will be.”

Somehow, Ladra doesn’t think this will be the example of a civil political contest.