MIAMI — Michael Hepburn and Emilio Gonzalez are among the Miami mayoral candidates who were protesting the election’s 12-month delay.
City commissioners recently passed a motion 3-2 to postpone the mayoral election from Nov. 4 to Nov. 3, 2026. Commissioners Joe Carollo and Miguel Angel Gabela were the dissenting votes.
“It needs to go to a referendum; that’s what this is all about,” said Gonzalez, a former city manager.
Florida’s Attorney General James Uthmeier said changing the city’s mayoral election from even years to uneven years was unconstitutional.
Scott Galvin, a former North Miami councilman, liked that the change aligns with state and federal elections since this means a higher turnout and lower costs.
“In the end, it’s worth it for your constituents,” Galvin recently told commissioners.
Alina Garcia, the Miami-Dade County supervisor of elections, agreed with Galvin and she had a message for the opponents.
“That’s even a larger reason to go out and vote,” Garcia said.
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