Bower has been elected to three two-year terms as the Mayor of Miami Beach, Florida, beginning in 2007.

[2][3] Most recently, because of a loophole in the term limits rule, Bower was able to run for an open commission seat but lost by a considerably large margin in the run-off race against retired banker Joy Malakoff.

[2] Bower also spent decades as a local activist and preservationist, including advocating for the successful preservation of the Miami Beach Architectural District.

The city of Miami Beach received a bond rating upgrade in 2010 and saw a balanced budget that same year under Bower.

Bower, who was 72 years old in November 2011, faced three opponents in the election: comedian Steve Berke, entrepreneur Dave Crystal, and public relations practitioner Laura Rivero Levey.