Photo courtesy of the City of Coral Springs: Coral Springs Commissioner Joshua Simmons at the unveiling for the portrait of Nancy Metayer at the Haitian Heritage Month museum exhibit called Continuum: Heritage and Expression

Photo of  Marly Metayer courtesy of Facebook

By David L. Snelling

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. – To keep her daughter’s legacy alive, the mother of slain Coral Springs Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer is running for her vacant seat.

Marly Metayer, a political novice, filed paperwork to run for her daughter’s Seat 3 on the Coral Springs City Commission.

According to the Broward County Elections Department, Metayer qualified to run in the six-person race in the November 3, 2026 election, the first step to succeed her daughter.

City commissioners decided to allow voters to fill the seat instead of appointing someone to serve out the remainder of Nancy Metayer’s term.

Nancy Metayer became the first Haitian American woman to win a seat on the commission and her mother hopes to follow in her footsteps.

“As a proud mother, longtime resident, and dedicated healthcare professional, I am honored to announce that I have officially qualified to run for Coral Springs City Commission Seat 3,” Metayer said in a statement. “For more than 20 years, Coral Springs has been my home. It is where my family has grown, where I’ve built lasting relationships, and where I’ve become deeply invested in the future of our community.”

Metayer said a nursing career spanning over 30 years has meticulously prepared her for political office.

“As a nurse with over 30 years of experience, I have spent my career listening to people, advocating for their needs, solving problems, and serving others with compassion and integrity,” she said. Now, I am ready to bring that same commitment to city hall and continue the legacy my daughter, Nancy Metayer, set forth.”

Her campaign manager, David Metellus, who also led Nancy Metayer’s campaign, said Marly Metayer is running to complete the work her daughter started but doesn’t plan on a long-term political career..

“She really felt like she wanted to continue the work that Nancy was doing,” Metellus said in a statement. “She taught her kids to never leave a job undone.” He added that Marly aims to “earn the trust of the community through preparation, service, and hard work” and is qualified through her experience as a compassionate nurse and mother.”

Marly Metayer was born in Haiti and immigrated to the United States at age 13.

She graduated from Dillard High School and has lived in Coral Springs since 1999, where she raised four children, including Nancy Metayer.

Metellus said Nancy Metayer was known for her advocacy on environmental justice, community resilience, public safety, economic mobility, and social issues.

Marly Metayer intends to carry out her daughter’s vision, especially a greater focus on mental & behavioral health issues.

It’s been a difficult time in her life, losing her daughter in April 2026 and her youngest son, Donovan Metayer, who committed suicide in late 2025.

Despite the personal tragedies, Metellus said Marly Metayer is ready to gain a foothold in government.
“She is focused,” he said.

Marly Metayer’s grassroots campaign includes knocking on many doors to meet residents while on the campaign trail.

“Over the coming months, I look forward to meeting with residents across Coral Springs, hearing your concerns, learning about your priorities, and working together to ensure our city remains a safe, vibrant, and welcoming place for everyone,” she said. “This campaign is about listening, collaboration, and putting our community first. Your voice matters, and I want to hear it.”

The other candidates who have submitted qualifying to run paperwork are William (Bill) Capplis, Adeline Darius, Erick Nyatenya, and Terry Williams Edden.

Nancy Metayer was first elected to the Coral Springs City Commission in 2020 and won reelection in 2024 running unopposed.

She was appointed vice mayor in 2025, advocating for environmental justice, local empowerment and civic engagement, and took on leadership roles in Haitian American voter outreach for the Florida Democratic Party.

She also served as Florida’s Caribbean Vote Director for Kamala Harris’s 2024 presidential campaign against President Donald Trump.

According to police, Metayer was shot and killed in her Coral Springs home on April 1, 2026, in what law enforcement officials described as a domestic violence dispute.

Her husband, Stephen Bowen, was taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder.

He has pleaded not guilty.

The tributes poured for Metayer following her death.

Last month, her portrait was unveiled at the City of Coral Springs opening of the Haitian Heritage Month museum exhibit called Continuum: Heritage and Expression last month.

Coral Springs Commissioner Joshua Simmons said he and his colleagues were still grieving during the unveiling of her portrait.

“Our commission, we pride ourselves on being strong and moving a certain way, and that’s because we had all our parts working together, like a body. And we are missing our heart,” he said during a commission meeting. “It is unfair, because the world is going to keep spinning. Life is going to continue to go.”

Another tribute was championed by local U.S. House Representative Jared Moskowitz (D-Parkland).

He recently introduced a bill in Congress to name a post office in Metayer’s honor.

“While all of us in the Florida delegation cannot help bring Nancy here as a member of this body, we can help make sure that her name and her legacy are honored,” Moskowitz said when he introduced the bill.

Moskowitz said Bowen was planning a run for Congress before her death.
“Had Nancy decided to take that step the next day, Nancy would have probably won that race,” he said.

He said Metayer left her mark as a champion for the voiceless and didn’t shy away when she disagreed with Moskowitz’s actions in Congress.

“She could challenge you directly, push you to be a better person, and still make you feel respected in the process,” Moskowitz said. “That is rare, and that is who Nancy was.”

Other tributes included Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered flags at the state Capital and all Florida government buildings to fly half-staff to honor Metayer, and thousands of supporters descended on candle light vigils, her memorial service and a ceremony dedicating a tree in Coral Springs in her honor.