When will Coral Gables have its next election? There’s an update
Coral Gables voters may get a say after all on whether the city’s local elections should be changed to coincide with the state and national ballot.
The Coral Gables City Commission on Tuesday voted 3-1 to set the groundwork for a special vote-by-mail election in April 2026 that would ask voters if general elections should be moved from April in odd-number years to November in even-numbered years.
Tuesday’s vote is a precautionary move as the city waits on the outcome of neighboring Miami’s ongoing legal battle over efforts to change the date of its election, Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago said.
That’s because Gables city commissioners earlier this year already voted 3-2 vote to make the switch, amending the city charter to move the April 2027 election up to November 2026. That would cut short the terms of commissioners, the mayor and Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson by over four months.
“This is a precautionary measure, depending on what the outcome is of the city of Miami, which is currently under appeal, and we will know soon whether the Supreme Court is going to pick up their request,” Lago said before Tuesday’s commission vote.
Miami is appealing Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal ruling that the city’s decision to postpone the November 2025 election to 2026 without voter approval was unconstitutional. Miami’s election postponement would give current city commissioners and the mayor — who is termed out at the end of the year — an extra year in office.
Lago, who sponsored the special election measure, described Tuesday’s vote as a “trigger.” Miami is asking for a rehearing before the appellate court. If the appellate court denies that request, the city could then ask the Florida Supreme Court to hear the case. If the Miami case doesn’t advance further, the Gables mayor wants his city to be in position to put the election issue on the ballot.
When would Coral Gables have a special election?
The plan would be to hold a special election on April 21, 2026, although Coral Gables would still need to finalize the date with the county’s Supervisor of Elections office.
The election will be by mail only, which means Gables voters should make sure their voter registration has a current address on file.
Gables voters will also be asked to weigh in on other issues, including whether to contract with Miami-Dade County or a private firm to provide inspector general services. Inspector general offices have the power to conduct independent internal audits and investigations. In May, commissioners initially approved Lago’s initiative to put this question to voters during a special election on Nov. 3, 2026.
Why do commissioners support, oppose changing Gables election date?
Tuesday’s vote passed 3-1, with Lago, Anderson and Commissioner Richard Lara optimistic that voters would choose November elections, stating the change would save the city thousands in election-related costs, increase voter turnout and be in line with over 20 other municipalities that have moved their elections to November. The trio said they campaigned on platforms that included having November elections.
The only no vote was Commissioner Melissa Castro, who has opposed moving elections to November without voter input and has raised concerns that November elections would allow partisan politics to “overshadow local voices.”
Commissioner Ariel Fernandez was absent for Tuesday’s vote. He previously voted in May against changing election dates.
After the vote, Castro told the Miami Herald she supports having a ballot question on the election date issue, describing Tuesday as a “historic victory for the residents of Coral Gables.” During the meeting, Castro disputed the cost of holding a special election. She wanted to revert to the previously scheduled April 2027 elections and then let voters cast a ballot on whether future elections should be held in November.
This story was originally published August 27, 2025 at 6:06 PM.
