Even-year elections are back on the table in Miami. Here are 5 takeaways

Miami’s City Commission is again considering a plan to move city elections to even-numbered years after an earlier push was rejected by the courts for running afoul of the Florida Constitution. The measure aims to boost voter turnout but comes with questions about how and when changes should be made.

FULL STORY: Miami will try again for even-year elections — this time, with voter approval

Here are the highlights:

• City commissioners had passed an ordinance last year in an attempt to shift elections from odd to even years. The measure extended officials’ terms by a year and was struck down by courts because it changed the city’s charter without voter approval.
• This time, commissioners plan to put the change on the August ballot as a referendum so voters get to decide.
• If approved, City Commission terms, which are normally four years, would shift to a one-time five-year period from 2027 to 2032 before city elections align with even years. But the mayor’s term may be handled separately.
• The commission has debated about whether to shorten or extend terms, with Mayor Eileen Higgins pushing to shorten her term to 2028.
• Critics worry that waiting until 2032 for the switch leaves reform too far off, and some say even-year elections could make it tougher for newcomers to win against well-known candidates.

The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in the Miami Herald newsroom. The full story in the link at top was reported, written and edited entirely by Miami Herald journalists.