The recount was triggered by the extraordinarily close result, which fell within the threshold requiring a manual review under Florida law. Election workers spent Saturday re-examining ballots in the Doral race, and the supervisor's office released the certified numbers afterward.

The outcome means Porras will represent Seat 2 on the five-member Doral City Council, which oversees a city of roughly 75,000 residents and has grappled with issues ranging from development and traffic to flooding and climate resilience. Porras, whose campaign emphasized community engagement, will join a council that has seen increasing attention on transparency and sustainable growth.

Gomes, who trailed by a handful of votes after the initial count, had the right to request the recount, which is mandatory when the margin is 0.5 percent or less of the total votes cast. The 12-vote difference represents about 0.06 percent of the more than 19,000 ballots cast in the race.

The tight margin is a reminder that local elections can be decided by a handful of ballots, and that every vote matters. It also highlights the critical work of election officials in ensuring accurate results, particularly as several Florida races — including the congressional District 27 contest between Maria Elvira Salazar and Eliott Rodriguez — head to recounts amid legal disputes over oversight.

Garcia's office has not announced any further challenges to the Doral result. Porras is expected to be sworn in at the next council meeting. Neither candidate responded immediately to requests for comment Saturday evening.

For Doral residents, the recount's conclusion brings certainty to a race that had remained too close to call for days. The city's next council session is scheduled for later this month, where Porras will take her seat and begin addressing the community's priorities.