RE.3 - Move Mayor Election to August 2028
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A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION DIRECTING THE CITY ATTORNEY TO PREPARE AN AMENDMENT TO THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CHARTER"), FOR CONSIDERATION AT THE SPECIAL ELECTION TO BE HELD CONCURRENTLY WITH THE PRIMARY GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION ON AUGUST 18, 2026, PROPOSING, UPON APPROVAL OF THE ELECTORATE, AMENDING SECTION 4(B) OF THE CHARTER, TITLED “FORM OF GOVERNMENT; NOMINATION AND ELECTION/ELECTION OF MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION; TERMS OF OFFICE; RECALL,” SECTION 7 OF THE CHARTER, TITLED "ELECTION OF CITY COMMISSIONERS AND MAYOR,” AND SECTION 12 OF THE CHARTER, TITLED “FILLING VACANCIES FOR MAYOR AND COMMISSION,” TO CHANGE THE NOVEMBER 2029 GENERAL ELECTION FOR THE OFFICE OF MAYOR TO AUGUST 2028, THEREBY SHORTENING THE CURRENT 2025-2029 TERM FOR THE OFFICE OF MAYOR TO THREE (3) YEARS, AND PROVIDING THAT ALL SUBSEQUENT YEARS FOR THE GENERAL ELECTIONS AND RUN-OFF ELECTIONS OF THE CITY FOR THE OFFICE OF MAYOR TO BE HELD EVERY FOUR (4) YEARS THEREAFTER SO THE D...
May 14, 2026
Sponsors
Higgins
King
Gabela
Pardo
Escalona
Rosado
Vote Details
WITHDRAWN
Motion to: Withdraw
Mover: Rolando Escalona, Commissioner
Seconder: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
Ayes (5):
King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
Department: Commissioners and Mayor
Category: Elected Official Item
WHEREAS, the City of Miami ("City") was incorporated by the Florida Legislature in 1896 and operates pursuant to the Charter of the City of Miami, Florida ("Charter") and under a Code of ordinances, known as the Code of the City of Miami, Florida, as amended (“City Code”); and
WHEREAS, the Charter and City Code have been amended from time to time as the governance of the City has evolved; and
WHEREAS, Section 4(b) of the Charter currently states, “The Mayor shall be elected at large by the electors of the City and shall hold office for a term of four years; and
WHEREAS, Section 7 of the Charter currently states, “a general municipal election for the Mayor and City Commissioners shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in odd-numbered years; and
WHEREAS, Section 7 of the Charter furthers that, “all elections held in said City shall be conducted and held according to the provisions of the general election laws of the State of Florida”; and
WHEREAS, Section 12 of the Charter provides for a method to fill vacancies for the office of Mayor and City Commissioners in an odd-year General Municipal Election as an option; and
WHEREAS, Chapter 16 of the City Code provides for Elections in the City; and
WHEREAS, Section 16-2 of the City Code provides for the process of “holding City elections”; and
WHEREAS, Citywide turnout for odd-year elections has proven to be much lower than turnout for even-year elections; and
WHEREAS, standalone Mayoral elections are costly endeavors; and
WHEREAS, conducting a standalone election requires substantial public expenditures, including but not limited to ballot printing, polling place operations, election staffing, equipment deployment, security, and administrative oversight; and
WHEREAS, the City’s November 2025 General Election is estimated to have cost the City approximately $881,731.03 to implement; and
WHEREAS, the City’s December 2025 Runoff Election is estimated to have cost the City approximately $625,457.30 to implement; and
WHEREAS, Miami-Dade County is required by State law to implement Countywide elections in even number years; and
WHEREAS, the City incurs minimal costs associated with the administration and required public noticing for elections held concurrently with Countywide elections; and
WHEREAS, the City Commission finds that it is in the best interest of the public to propose a Charter amendment to change the City’s General Election in November 2029 to August 2028, thereby shortening the 2025-2029 Term for the Office of Mayor to three (3) years, and providing that all subsequent General Elections and Run-off Elections for the Office of Mayor shall be held every four (4) years thereafter, so the dates of the General Election for the Office of Mayor are concurrent with any statewide or countywide election; and
WHEREAS, the date of said General Election will be modified to occur on the third Tuesday in August concurring with the County-wide August elections beginning in 2028; and
WHEREAS Run-off Elections shall also be modified to occur on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November concurring with the Countywide elections beginning in 2028; and
WHEREAS, all subsequent elections for the Office of Mayor will occur on the third Tuesday in August concurring with the County-wide August elections in even-numbered years and the date of runoff elections shall occur on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November concurring with the Countywide elections in even-numbered years following the City’s General Election for the Office of Mayor; and
WHEREAS, such a change would encourage more people to become involved in the political process, increase voter turnout while saving the City millions of dollars; and
WHEREAS, the City Commission wishes to submit the above-mentioned proposed amendments to the electorate, for approval or disapproval, at the Special Election to be held concurrently with the Primary Election on August 18, 2026;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA:
Section 1. The recitals and findings contained in the Preamble to this Resolution are adopted by reference and incorporated as if fully set forth in this Section.
Section 2. The City Attorney is directed to prepare an amendment to the Charter, for consideration at the Special Election to be held concurrently with the Primary Election on August 18, 2026, proposing, upon approval of the electorate, to amend Sections 4(b), 7, and 12 of the City Charter for the purpose of submitting to the qualified electors of the City for their approval or disapproval of the proposed Charter Amendments to amend the language of the Charter to change the City’s General Election for the Office of Mayor currently scheduled for November 2029 to August 2028, thereby shortening the current 2025-2029 Term for the Office of Mayor to three (3) years, and providing that all subsequent years for the General Elections and Run-off Elections for the Office of Mayor shall be held every four (4) years thereafter, so the dates of the General Election for the Office of Mayor are concurrent with any statewide or countywide election, modifying the run-off election schedule to November 2028, and to amend the period for qualification and provide for the adjustment of the term of office due to the change of said election.
Section 3. This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its adoption.
WHEREAS, the Charter and City Code have been amended from time to time as the governance of the City has evolved; and
WHEREAS, Section 4(b) of the Charter currently states, “The Mayor shall be elected at large by the electors of the City and shall hold office for a term of four years; and
WHEREAS, Section 7 of the Charter currently states, “a general municipal election for the Mayor and City Commissioners shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in odd-numbered years; and
WHEREAS, Section 7 of the Charter furthers that, “all elections held in said City shall be conducted and held according to the provisions of the general election laws of the State of Florida”; and
WHEREAS, Section 12 of the Charter provides for a method to fill vacancies for the office of Mayor and City Commissioners in an odd-year General Municipal Election as an option; and
WHEREAS, Chapter 16 of the City Code provides for Elections in the City; and
WHEREAS, Section 16-2 of the City Code provides for the process of “holding City elections”; and
WHEREAS, Citywide turnout for odd-year elections has proven to be much lower than turnout for even-year elections; and
WHEREAS, standalone Mayoral elections are costly endeavors; and
WHEREAS, conducting a standalone election requires substantial public expenditures, including but not limited to ballot printing, polling place operations, election staffing, equipment deployment, security, and administrative oversight; and
WHEREAS, the City’s November 2025 General Election is estimated to have cost the City approximately $881,731.03 to implement; and
WHEREAS, the City’s December 2025 Runoff Election is estimated to have cost the City approximately $625,457.30 to implement; and
WHEREAS, Miami-Dade County is required by State law to implement Countywide elections in even number years; and
WHEREAS, the City incurs minimal costs associated with the administration and required public noticing for elections held concurrently with Countywide elections; and
WHEREAS, the City Commission finds that it is in the best interest of the public to propose a Charter amendment to change the City’s General Election in November 2029 to August 2028, thereby shortening the 2025-2029 Term for the Office of Mayor to three (3) years, and providing that all subsequent General Elections and Run-off Elections for the Office of Mayor shall be held every four (4) years thereafter, so the dates of the General Election for the Office of Mayor are concurrent with any statewide or countywide election; and
WHEREAS, the date of said General Election will be modified to occur on the third Tuesday in August concurring with the County-wide August elections beginning in 2028; and
WHEREAS Run-off Elections shall also be modified to occur on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November concurring with the Countywide elections beginning in 2028; and
WHEREAS, all subsequent elections for the Office of Mayor will occur on the third Tuesday in August concurring with the County-wide August elections in even-numbered years and the date of runoff elections shall occur on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November concurring with the Countywide elections in even-numbered years following the City’s General Election for the Office of Mayor; and
WHEREAS, such a change would encourage more people to become involved in the political process, increase voter turnout while saving the City millions of dollars; and
WHEREAS, the City Commission wishes to submit the above-mentioned proposed amendments to the electorate, for approval or disapproval, at the Special Election to be held concurrently with the Primary Election on August 18, 2026;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA:
Section 1. The recitals and findings contained in the Preamble to this Resolution are adopted by reference and incorporated as if fully set forth in this Section.
Section 2. The City Attorney is directed to prepare an amendment to the Charter, for consideration at the Special Election to be held concurrently with the Primary Election on August 18, 2026, proposing, upon approval of the electorate, to amend Sections 4(b), 7, and 12 of the City Charter for the purpose of submitting to the qualified electors of the City for their approval or disapproval of the proposed Charter Amendments to amend the language of the Charter to change the City’s General Election for the Office of Mayor currently scheduled for November 2029 to August 2028, thereby shortening the current 2025-2029 Term for the Office of Mayor to three (3) years, and providing that all subsequent years for the General Elections and Run-off Elections for the Office of Mayor shall be held every four (4) years thereafter, so the dates of the General Election for the Office of Mayor are concurrent with any statewide or countywide election, modifying the run-off election schedule to November 2028, and to amend the period for qualification and provide for the adjustment of the term of office due to the change of said election.
Section 3. This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its adoption.