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Broward Elects First African American Female Mayor

FT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) - Broward County has a new Mayor and Vice-Mayor.

In a unanimous vote on Tuesday, the commission tapped Commissioner Barbara Sharief to be the new mayor.

Sharief, a mother of five, is the first African-American woman to be named county mayor. She was elected Vice Mayor last year.

Sharief will succeed Commissioner Kristin Jacobs whose been elected mayor twice by the commission.  Prior to her election to the County Commission, Sharief served as Vice-Mayor and City Commissioner of Miramar.

By a vote of six to three, the commission elected Commissioner Tim Ryan to be Vice Mayor. Ryan, a father of four, is a former state representative.

Both jobs are largely ceremonial positions, as the county employs a County Manager who is in day-to-day charge of county departments.

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