Miami may try to do the right thing and move elections, but with a side of self serving | Opinion

It’s been two years since the Herald Editorial Board proposed that the city of Miami move its elections from odd-numbered years to even-numbered years, in line with national and midterm elections, to increase what’s been a historically low voter turnout that’s barely reached 16%.

Finally, it seems the idea may gain traction on the city commission, but it comes with a side effect: that the commissioners and Mayor Francis Suarez personally benefit from it.

As the Herald reported last week, the commission has floated the idea of moving the elections to even years and push the upcoming November 2025 elections for two commission seats and mayor to 2026. That would give Suarez and commissioners Joe Carollo and Christine King an extra year in office. Suarez and Carollo are term-limited and set to leave office this year while King must run for a second term. Commissioners Damian Pardo and Miguel Angel Gabela also would stay another year in office, until 2028.

That’s a more favorable scenario for these elected officials than a citizen petition initiative that would shorten their terms and also includes other far-reaching reforms the city needs.

The proposal hasn’t been filed as legislation but Pardo, who has supported much-needed reforms in recent months, told the Editorial Board he is open to sponsoring the idea.

There’s a practical reason for moving the 2025 elections to next year, he explained.

Pardo is also asking the commission to create a ballot item in November asking voters to institute lifetime term limits for elected officials, meaning they would only be allowed to serve two terms as mayor and two terms as commissioner. If voters were to approve Pardo’s proposal in November while also electing people who surpass that lifetime limit, those candidates could sue the city to try to take office.

That’s relevant because Carollo, a former mayor, is rumored to be considering running for mayor again. Carollo’s brother Frank, a former two-term commissioner, is running to succeed him in District 3 (this game of political musical chairs explains why lifetime term limits are a good idea).

Pardo said moving the elections to even-numbered years “would change the landscape of Miami,” thanks to the larger number of voters who go to the polls during presidential and midterm elections.

“An election with a healthy turnout makes it very difficult to win a seat with a captive part of the community or by giving away free food or other perks,” Pardo told the Editorial Board.

He said moving elections and reducing current commissioners’ terms instead of expanding them invites litigation.

If Suarez and commissioners get more time in office — that’s more time for Suarez to enjoy the perks of being Miami’s mayor and Carollo to mount his potential mayoral campaign — perhaps they might give Pardo term limits.

It’s a possible compromise, but there are two big pieces missing:

First, the city commission would be making the decision to move elections and extend terms via ordinance instead of sending the questions to voters. Whereas the city attorney told commissioners state law allows them to do that without a referendum, former Commissioner Ken Russell, who’s running for mayor in November, told the Editorial Board he would “explore” suing the city if the commission moves his race to 2026.

Second, the reforms proposed by the Editorial Board in its series “Miami Dysfunction” and a coalition of civic organizations go beyond election timing. Also needed is a larger number of commission seats to allow more voices on the dais and dilute the power of individual commissioners.

The coalition Stronger Miami is trying to collect around 26,000 valid voter signatures to put an item on the ballot asking for the number of city districts to grow from five to nine, move the elections and enact new district requirements. If voters approve this proposal in November, an election for all new nine districts would automatically happen in 2026.

If the petition effort fails, Pardo’s idea might be one of few opportunities to make lasting change in a city riddled by scandals. We get that.

However, it’s impossible not to imagine that elected officials are looking at it as what Russell called a “power grab.”

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This story was originally published May 13, 2025 at 9:07 AM.