Reforming the City Charter

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WHAT THE RECENT REFERENDUM MEANS

At its first meeting in May, the City Commission certified the April mail-in votes regarding eight referendum items that could change the city’s charter. More than 8,700 ballots were cast, representing almost 29% of the city’s 30,342 registered voters. The most important item on the ballot, the decision to move City Commission elections to November on even years – to align with state and national elections – passed with a resounding 66% of voters in favor of the move. With only two of the eight items turned down, the results were considered a powerful endorsement of the policy priorities of Mayor Vince Lago, Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson, and Commissioner Richard Lara, and a rejection of the policy priorities of Commissioners Melissa Castro and Ariel Fernandez, who, along with Coral Gables Neighborhood Association, urged voters to reject all eight items. The results are as follows:

REFERENDUM #1: MOVE ELECTIONS TO NOVEMBER

YES: 66.07%

NO: 33.93%

This means the April 2027 election will be moved to November 3, 2026, with candidates filing by June 12, runoffs set for December 1, and swearing in on December 4. The next election after this year will therefore be held in November of 2028.

REFERENDUM #2: KEEP ELECTIONS IN NOVEMBER

YES: 62.54%

NO: 37.46%

This prohibits the City Commission from changing the date of the November elections (on even years) without a public referendum.

REFERENDUM #3: ALLOW COMMISSION MEMBERS TO REMOVE THEIR BOARD APPOINTEES

YES: 39.30%

NO: 60.70%

This means appointees can only be removed by a majority vote of the City Commission, intended to give board members a level of independence after their appointments.

REFERENDUM #4: REVIEW THE CITY CHARTER EVERY TEN YEARS, WITH A LARGER COMMITTEE

YES: 66.38%

NO: 33.62%

This requires a review every decade, with a seven-member committee (with appointees by the city manager and city attorney in addition to appointees by the five city commissioners).

REFERENDUM #5: CONTRACT FOR INSPECTOR GENERAL SERVICES

YES: 68.86%

NO: 31.14%

This authorizes the city to contract with Miami-Dade County or a private entity to provide inspector general services to investigate fraud, waste, mismanagement, or abuse of power.

REFERENDUM #6: RESTRICT HOW CITY COMMISSIONERS VOTE THEMSELVES RAISES

YES: 77.84%

 NO: 22.16%

This means that city commissioners cannot, except for adjustments reflecting the Consumer Price Index, give themselves a raise without voter approval.

REFERENDUM #7: ELIMINATE RUNOFF ELECTIONS

YES: 33.65%

 NO: 66.35%

Voters decided that if no candidate wins more than 50 percent of the vote, that runoffs must be conducted between the candidates with the two highest vote counts.

REFERENDUM #8: PROTECT THE CITY’S GENERAL FUND RESERVE

YES: 63.00%

NO: 37.00%

This requires the city to maintain a reserve fund equal to 25 percent of the city’s operating budget, which cannot be used except in emergencies or with a four-fifths vote of the commission.