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File ID: #18763
Resolution
Sponsored by: Mayor Eileen Higgins
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 DATES OF
THE GENERAL ELECTION FOR THE OFFICE OF MAYOR ARE CONCURRENT
WITH ANY STATEWIDE OR COUNTYWIDE ELECTION; FURTHER MODIFYING THE
RUN-OFF ELECTION SCHEDULE TO NOVEMBER 2028, AMENDING THE PERIOD
FOR QUALIFICATION, AND PROVIDING FOR THE ADJUSTMENT OF EXISTING
TERMS OF OFFICE DUE TO SAID CHANGE; FURTHER PROVIDING THAT UPON
APPROVAL OF THE ELECTORATE, THIS AMENDMENT WILL BE IMMEDIATELY
EFFECTIVE.
City of Miami
Legislation
Resolution
City Hall
3500 Pan American Drive
Miami, FL 33133
www.miamigov.com
File Number: 18763 Final Action Date:5/14/2026
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 DATES OF
THE GENERAL ELECTION FOR THE OFFICE OF MAYOR ARE CONCURRENT
WITH ANY STATEWIDE OR COUNTYWIDE ELECTION; FURTHER MODIFYING THE
RUN-OFF ELECTION SCHEDULE TO NOVEMBER 2028, AMENDING THE PERIOD
FOR QUALIFICATION, AND PROVIDING FOR THE ADJUSTMENT OF EXISTING
TERMS OF OFFICE DUE TO SAID CHANGE; FURTHER PROVIDING THAT UPON
APPROVAL OF THE ELECTORATE, THIS AMENDMENT WILL BE IMMEDIATELY
EFFECTIVE.
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.
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS:
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