Miami candidates temporarily back on election ballot after court ruling
Key Points(5)
- An agreement reached Wednesday between Miami mayoral candidate Emilio Gonzalez and the city will temporarily lift a legal stay that had kept his and other candidates’ names off the November ballot, Local10 News reports.
- The development comes as city officials continue appealing a lawsuit filed by Gonzalez, who successfully challenged a controversial 3-2 vote by the Miami City Commission in June to postpone this year’s elections.
- That decision aimed to shift the city’s mayoral and commission races to coincide with the 2026 general election.
- On July 21, a judge sided with Gonzalez, agreeing with his legal team’s argument that only voters—not commissioners—had the authority to delay elections.
- Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody supported Gonzalez’s claim, calling the ordinance unconstitutional.
An agreement reached Wednesday between Miami mayoral candidate Emilio Gonzalez and the city will temporarily lift a legal stay that had kept his and other candidates’ names off the November ballot, Local10 News reports.
The development comes as city officials continue appealing a lawsuit filed by Gonzalez, who successfully challenged a controversial 3-2 vote by the Miami City Commission in June to postpone this year’s elections. That decision aimed to shift the city’s mayoral and commission races to coincide with the 2026 general election.
On July 21, a judge sided with Gonzalez, agreeing with his legal team’s argument that only voters—not commissioners—had the authority to delay elections. Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody supported Gonzalez’s claim, calling the ordinance unconstitutional.
Supporters of the commission’s vote argued it would boost voter turnout by aligning city elections with federal ones. Opponents, however, criticized the move as a power grab designed to extend current officials’ terms.
The judge’s ruling in favor of Gonzalez had triggered an automatic stay due to the city's status as a public entity. With Wednesday’s agreement now lifting that stay, legal analyst David Weinstein—who is not involved in the case—told Local10: “As of right now, the candidates are on the ballot in the upcoming election.”
Still, Weinstein cautioned that the situation could change quickly. “If the Third District Court of Appeals reverses the trial judge’s original decision, the stay would automatically be reinstated. If it affirms her decision, the city reserves the right to seek to have her reimpose the stay.”
In a statement, Gonzalez called the development “yet another clear signal — that the courts agree with the City of Miami’s decision to cancel the November 2025 election for Mayor and Commissioner is illegal. This is clear victory for Miami voters.”
Local10 noted that requests for comment from the city and commissioners who supported the election delay have so far gone unanswered.
Meanwhile, regardless of how the legal battle unfolds, Miami voters will still face key ballot questions this November — including proposals on term limits and the creation of a citizens’ redistricting committee.
