A judge has ruled that the City of Miami cannot delay its 2025 mayoral election, delivering a major blow to city commissioners who voted last month to push the contest to 2026.
The ruling comes in response to a lawsuit filed by mayoral candidate and former City Manager Emilio Gonzalez, who argued the commission’s decision violated both the Florida Constitution and the City of Miami Charter. The judge agreed, stating that any change to an election date must first be approved by voters at the ballot box.
City commissioners had approved the motion in June, aiming to move the upcoming November election to an even-numbered year. Supporters of the plan said it was intended to increase voter turnout, which typically dips in odd-year municipal contests.
But critics viewed the move as an overreach that threatened to disenfranchise voters. Gonzalez’s lawsuit claimed the commission had no legal authority to alter the timing of elections without first seeking voter input.
In siding with Gonzalez, the court reinforced the requirement that such changes must be put to a public referendum. The City of Miami, however, is not backing down. Officials have announced plans to appeal the decision.
The legal pushback was not limited to Gonzalez. Michael Hepburn, another candidate in the 2025 mayoral race and a former University of Miami administrator, had also voiced strong opposition to the delay. Of Bahamian descent, Hepburn is hoping to become the city’s first Black mayor. He threatened to file his own lawsuit against the city, arguing that postponing the election by a full year is not only unconstitutional but also an affront to democratic principles.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and State Attorney James Uthmeir also warned that changing election dates without a public vote could violate the Miami-Dade County charter and the Florida Constitution.
The controversy has cast uncertainty over the city’s upcoming political season, with legal challenges likely to continue as the scheduled 2025 election approaches.
