The Office of the Miami-Dade County Supervisor of Elections has released the official pre-qualifying and qualifying schedules for several offices set to appear on the 2026 election ballot, including County Commission, School Board, Community Development District, and Community Council seats.
Supervisor of Elections Alina Garcia urged prospective candidates to begin preparing early and to carefully review all filing requirements, deadlines, and procedures.
“Running for public office is one of the most direct ways individuals can serve their community and strengthen our democracy,” Garcia said. “We encourage all prospective candidates to familiarize themselves with the qualifying process and deadlines to ensure they are fully prepared.”
The office emphasized that candidates should pay close attention to both pre-qualifying and official qualifying windows to avoid missing deadlines.
For County Commissioner seats, the pre-qualifying period runs from Tuesday, May 12 to Friday, May 22, 2026. The official qualifying period opens Tuesday, May 26 and closes at noon on Tuesday, June 9, 2026. Monday, May 25 is observed as a county holiday.
For School Board Member candidates, the pre-qualifying period runs from Tuesday, May 26 to Friday, June 5, 2026. The official qualifying period begins at noon on Monday, June 8 and ends at noon on Friday, June 12, 2026.
Community Development District Member candidates follow the same pre-qualifying window as School Board candidates, from May 26 to June 5, 2026, with official qualifying also running from June 8 at noon to June 12 at noon.
For Community Council Member candidates, pre-qualifying runs from May 26 to June 5, 2026. The official qualifying period opens June 8 and closes at noon on Tuesday, June 9, 2026.
The Supervisor of Elections office noted that all candidates are encouraged to review eligibility rules and submit documentation early to ensure compliance with deadlines.
Candidates seeking municipal office must qualify directly through their respective municipalities. Information on those processes is available through municipal clerks.
The office also directed prospective candidates to its website, VoteMiamiDade, for additional resources, forms, and election updates, and provided a contact number at 305-499-VOTE for further inquiries.
Garcia said the office remains committed to conducting “secure, transparent, accessible, and fair” elections across Miami-Dade County.
