A former Miami city manager is taking legal action against the City of Miami, claiming officials are unlawfully blocking his bid to run for mayor by postponing the city’s scheduled 2025 municipal election.
“If we want to move our election, we should ask the voters,” Emilio Gonzalez told CBS News Miami.
Gonzalez is one of several candidates hoping to replace outgoing Mayor Francis Suarez, but the race may be delayed until 2026 following a narrow 3–2 vote by city commissioners last month. The controversial decision pushes the next municipal election from November 4, 2025, to November 3, 2026.
“The reason behind this is to boost voters’ participation,” Commissioner Damian Pardo said in a video posted to social media. Pardo, who voted in favor of the delay, added, “You’re no longer running on a 10% voter turnout scenario, now you’re running in a 60% turnout scenario.”
Mayor Suarez backed the decision in a statement, saying:
“Miami shouldn’t be holding elections when so few vote. It’s costly, outdated, and leads to results that don’t reflect the city. Even-year elections mean higher turnout, stronger mandates, and a government more in step with its people.”
But the move has sparked strong backlash from state leaders. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and State Attorney James Uthmeir have warned that changing election dates without a public vote could violate the Miami-Dade County charter and the Florida Constitution.
“The reality is local governments have to abide by Florida law,” DeSantis said in a post on X. At a press conference, he added, “Could it come to the point that commissioners could get suspended? The law does provide me that as one of many recourses.”
Despite the legal and political tug-of-war, Gonzalez says he’s confident the election will still happen this year.
“There won’t be an election next year. I’m banking that we’re going to have an election this year,” he said.
The lawsuit follows a similar move by another mayoral hopeful, Michael Hepburn, who last week threatened to sue the city over the same issue. Hepburn, who is of Bahamian descent and hopes to become Miami’s first Black mayor, sent a letter to Mayor Suarez urging him to veto the ordinance—known as SR.1—that delays the election.
“I am directly reaching out to ask you to VETO SR.1 and simply just give us the residents of this city the opportunity to vote for or against this measure. I am asking for you to place this question on the ballot,” Hepburn wrote. “This action is not just. This is not fair and YOU know — following this process to implement this change is not right.”
If the ordinance stands, it would effectively extend the terms of the current mayor and two commissioners without a public vote.
