Miami commissioners postpone own elections until 2026, defying city charter requirements

It is not often you see a clear case of a stolen election, but that’s what the Miami City Commission has voted to do. Here’s what you need to know about the Miami election cancellation controversy:

The commission vote

City panel decides to postpone scheduled elections:

• Miami City Commission voted 3-2 to punt elections until next year
• Mayor and commissioners were supposed to be up for reelection in November
• Decision defies city charter that says elections held in odd-numbered years
• Two commissioners and term-limited mayor get another year without voter approval

The legal challenges

State officials and candidates push back:

• Emilio Gonzalez filed lawsuit as declared mayoral candidate
• State Attorney General James Uthmeier issued opinion requiring voter referendum
• Any change to election date would require city voter approval
• Gov. Ron DeSantis has signaled he backs attorney general

The resident backlash

Immigrant community compares vote to authoritarianism:

• Rammel Guzman, 49, compared vote unfavorably to Hugo Chavez
• “I was born in Venezuela, and in 1999 the constitution was reformed by Chávez”
• “Even he put it to a vote — we need to do better than that”
• Another constituent called change “voter suppression”

The commissioners’ defense

Panel justifies postponement with turnout and cost arguments:

• Defended move as way to boost turnout and save money
• New election date will coincide with federal elections in even-numbered years
• Commissioners not elected as partisans though two supporters considered Democrats
• Miami’s city attorney said date change is legal

The mayor’s role

Francis Suarez must decide whether to veto:

• Mayor now must decide whether to veto the change
• Miami Herald reported he was lobbying behind scenes to push plan through
• Suarez’s office didn’t respond to inquiry for story
• Mayor completing second two-term stint in office

The affected officials

Specific commissioners benefit from postponement:

• Commission Chair Christine King voted for change affecting her own reelection
• King was due for reelection this year, gave herself extra year
• Commissioner Joe Carollo voted against change despite being term-limited
• Carollo cannot seek reelection but believed eyeing mayoral run

Gonzalez’s military background

Candidate frames issue as democracy defense:

• “I spent my entire adult career in the military defending democracy around the world”
• “Now I’ve got to come over here and defend democracy in my hometown”
• “This is not about me. This is about our ability to vote”
• Gonzalez sued to block change unless it goes to voters

The precedent concern

Lawsuit plaintiff warns of future cancellations:

• Gonzalez said if commission prevails, little stops next election cancellation
• Vote underscores sense that city government captured by corruption
• “I refuse to just sit on my hands and say, ’Oh well, that’s how Miami is’”
• Candidate argues change sets dangerous precedent

The term limit changes

Commission also backs lifetime restrictions:

• City commissioners currently limited to two consecutive terms
• Can run again after one-term break
• Commission backed change to lifetime two-term limit
• Did call for putting that change to voters in referendum

The gubernatorial threat

DeSantis has power to remove local officials:

• Governor has shown no reluctance to fire local officials
• Acts when he feels officials violating terms of office
• State supreme court has upheld his power to remove officials
• Suarez faces potential action from governor

The broader context

Miami City operates within larger governmental structure:

• Miami City is part of broader Miami-Dade County
• County also has its own mayor separate from city
• Other South Florida cities changed dates by commission vote
• City attorney pointed to precedents for date changes

Read more:

• Cancel culture: Miami nixes mayor’s election, residents fume over “voter suppression”